➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[CindyinSD]

The problem with bands on little ones is that they can lose a foot if you forget to keep a close eye on them and change them out as needed. People do the punch method and it is a permanent method but I would be more inclined to splash some dye on them for early separation.

Thanks!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Most of the time it‘s challenging to give away extra roosters, let alone sell them. So yes it is a consideration. If you’re not willing to cull them for the table, it’s best not to risk hatching them. But for me, not a big problem... except in winter when I’m not into being up to my elbows in wet guts. Just a bit of a wuss...

Well if I did it, I would probably just sell them as unsexed/straight run day olds or like week old or whatever then that way I wouldn’t have to deal with that.

I’d just tell people they weren’t sexed.

Cause I was thinking I’d just hatch, get the cuteness, and sell right away.

If I did that.

But I don’t think I’m going to.

I’d rather just get new breeds if I’m going to add more birds.

Also I would like to try meat birds eventually but I don’t think my family would let me and I don’t think I could do it anyway so would have to sell or giveaway.

That's how I started ...numerous different breeds in the beginning to gain experience with the different layers and meat qualities. Some I continued to breed and some I sent to freezer camp. I loved my Cochins and Minorca.
Then 11 years ago I found a breeder source for the Columbian Wyandotte. Decided to focus on that breed because it was needing conservancy due to dwindling numbers across the country.
Now that I am NPIP, and have developed my flock consistency I will begin showing them. There are only 7 breeders of CW listed with the Wyandotte Breeders of America. Yet we know there are many backyard flocks with CW represented.

It took 11 years to get them good enough to show!?

 

[NanaKat]

That makes sense! I got mine for personality and egg laying abilities too, not only looks, but breeders are a good option too. I only went with hatcheries because they were sexed and also easier/faster to get than breeders. Plus cheaper. And the eggs I just wanted to try hatching. But now that I’ve hatched as well as gotten straight run, I could probably go to a breeder Since I wouldn’t mind straight run now but then again I got a lot of roosters with my hatch and that kind of put me off of straight run.

That’s awesome you got silver!! I want to try breeding my own chickens but I feel like that’s even more stupid than buying a few more so I probably won’t do that.

If I did, I’d want to keep them all, which I definitely don’t have the room for, so I don’t think I should.

I hatched out over 250 CW chicks last year and culled down to the ones I have now. The total flock is 109 plus the 3 chicks that the broodies hatched this week.

Breeding is cheaper and wiser in my opinion. Depending on what you want though. If you just want mixes then it's cheaper and wiser. Doing breeding for purebreds can get expensive especially if you're going for breed standards. Lots of culling too.

Yes, the culling is necessary to select for the purebred "keepers" with the characteristics you are trying to improve.
It is a long expensive process...infrastructure, feed, time.

 

[ShrekDawg]

It's pricey. It's also getting very crowded. The combination doesn't suit me.

That sounds awful haha but I guess that’s what happens when everyone always talks about how awesome it is out there.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I hatched out over 250 CW chicks last year and culled down to the ones I have now. The total flock is 109 plus the 3 chicks that the broodies hatched this week.


Yes, the culling is necessary to select for the purebred "keepers" with the characteristics you are trying to improve.
It is a long expensive process...infrastructure, feed, time.

OMG that is so many birds!!

I thought I had a lot at 20 haha

 

[Conan]

Didn’t you order straight run bantams?

My 2 cents is that, at the end of the day, all breed characteristics aside, chickens are just chickens. You don’t need whatever certain breed you currently have your heart set on. Because aside from that dopamine dose one gets from getting a new pet, having another breed is not going to significantly change your chicken keeping experience. Except that you will have more work.

Oh, Bones. So wise... or so I thought. How very wrong you are. Call me a sucker, but I totally disagree. I have had many breeds, but only the brabanters have made me fully satisfied to have chickens. They are my unicorn breed. Of course, my unicorn is not the same as someone else's, but all other breeds I've tried do not even compare.

I double dog dare you to compare my Simone to some filthy sex link. Do it, and see what happens. I'll take your fancy hat collection and slightly muss them. Worse, I'll take Tad's hats too.

 

[mixedUPturk]

OMG that is so many birds!!

I thought I had a lot at 20 haha

She has her own farm, you only have your parents backyard. Is growing up starting to sound good yet?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh, Bones. So wise... or so I thought. How very wrong you are. Call me a sucker, but I totally disagree. I have had many breeds, but only the brabanters have made me fully satisfied to have chickens. They are my unicorn breed. Of course, my unicorn is not the same as someone else's, but all other breeds I've tried do not even compare.

I double dog dare you to compare my Simone to some filthy sex link. Do it, and see what happens. I'll take your fancy hat collection and slightly muss them. Worse, I'll take Tad's hats too.

See!? This is why I want to try them. Because they seem absolutely amazing.

And I really do think certain breeds stand out.

Like for instance, my Australorps and Orpingtons I would be perfectly happy to not have again. I like them but they don’t really have much personality. And if I were to add more, I think Bones would be right. They’re just chickens.

But my Leghorn is extremely personable and way different than the others.

I have a feeling the Brabanters are the same way.

 

[ShrekDawg]

She has her own farm, you only have your parents backyard. Is growing up starting to sound good yet?

This was completely unnecessary.

 

[NanaKat]

Just cause you are selling them don't mean people's buying them

Most of the time it‘s challenging to give away extra roosters, let alone sell them. So yes it is a consideration. If you’re not willing to cull them for the table, it’s best not to risk hatching them. But for me, not a big problem... except in winter when I’m not into being up to my elbows in wet guts. Just a bit of a wuss...

Or you make the decision to reduce your feed bill, you don't have time to butcher them yourself and so you sell to the butcher. Did not want to advertise and have folks coming on the place to pick up sale birds and risk issues with bio security. Sold 41 of 42 ducks and 41 nice sized roosters. Still have 10 roosters to go to the freezer and the one duck hen.
Buying 800 pounds of feed every 2 weeks.