Ups and Downs of Flock Management - Need Reassurance

[TeamChaos]

I feel your frustration and worry! I've had chickens for a year now and there have been several points that I figured that I was the only person on earth who couldn't manage my birds! It's so easy to keep the list of perceived failures fresh in one's mind than it is to recall our successes.

 

[briteday]

The breeds you have selected are really not good egglayers, will continue to tend toward broodiness (but will make great mommas!), and are generally thought of as pet breeds. You will probably never get enough eggs from them to keep you happy. My experience with silkies and polish are that they can be a bit fragile for the general barnyard flock. I've had problems and lost more silkies that any other breed. If you are seriously interested in having some eggs and that the hens be a bit on the smallish side, to mix with your bantams, I would get a few red sexlinks. They will lay like gangbusters and I have found them to have very nice personalities to mix in with bantams.

 

[Pele]

I'm really sorry that your chicken experience has been hard so far

I am in agreement with the others. You might not realize it, but the majority of your woes seem to come from the varieties you have chosen. If you want sturdy birds that are consistant in supplying you with eggs, there are varieties out there that can be both those and affectionate as well. I personally find Buff Orpingtons and Easter Eggers to be adorable, reliable, intelligent, and hardy.

It's unfortunate, but the breeds you've chosen arn't known for being low maintenance or hardy. If you have your heart set on a cochin or a polish, maybe you might want to pick a really friendly one as a house chicken. That would be a wonderful way to keep your pet safe, while your production girls outside do their thing.

Just a thought. Keep truckin, chickens are worth it!

 

[wingsofglory]

Yeah, I second that, Easter Eggers to the rescue!!!!

I suggest Easter Eggers over any Red sexlink or RIR if you attract bad luck with chickens. Mine had problems from being overbred for egglaying.

Easter Eggers are healthy and lay reliably. Of course they vary depending on source. I had Ideals. But they have that mutt vitality.

 

[Mrs. K]

Even with a fantastic board like this, there are many things you learn by experience. All of us have lost chickens. All of us have had to buy eggs sometimes.... ugh!

It does help to start with sturdy breeds of chickens. but even so, you can have wrecks. It is looking at the glass of water, are you figuring things out, have you enjoyed the successes? If not, this might not be for you.

I have been in this for 4 years. I have had much better success the last 2 years. The learning curve is a bit steep, but I am glad I did it, and I have enjoyed it most of the way.

MrsK

 

[C&C Chickens]

Quote:
Thanks for your wisdom. In hindsight, we realize we didn't choose the best mix of chickens (we were going for different types/colors/look, which are definitely not the best criteria!). My cousin, who raised chickens in childhood, said basically the same thing, that it is probably better to steer towards the hardier breeds. We now have one red six link, one Easter Egger, plus our Welsumner and Chochin, who both seem hardy enough. Hopefully this group will prove to be a less fragile bunch, and provide enough eggs to keep us happy.

 

[C&C Chickens]

Mrs. K :

Even with a fantastic board like this, there are many things you learn by experience. All of us have lost chickens. All of us have had to buy eggs sometimes.... ugh!

It does help to start with sturdy breeds of chickens. but even so, you can have wrecks. It is looking at the glass of water, are you figuring things out, have you enjoyed the successes? If not, this might not be for you.

I have been in this for 4 years. I have had much better success the last 2 years. The learning curve is a bit steep, but I am glad I did it, and I have enjoyed it most of the way.

MrsK

Thank you, everyone, especially Mrs. K, for your words of wisdom and support (which is what I needed and why I posted). Despite our setbacks, we are really glad we have chickens. Just today, when I went to the gate to let them out to free range in the backyard, and they all came running, I thought "I love my chickens." They are always happy to see me (even if it is only because I bring them treats), I love the eggs, and they are always entertaining. The silver lining to having had several over the past nine months is that we've gotten to enjoy many different types and personalities, and I don't regret that they were part of my life, even if only for awhile. We are definitely in this for the long haul.​