400 chicks from Central Hatchery

[Colored Egg Farmer]

woot another member that can challenge me with most chickens

 

[Mahonri]

So how do you sell your eggs. That must be quite the operation.

Do they lay in nests that you gather or do you have nest boxes where the egg rolls to the back for easy gathering/washing/ etc...

We would love pics of your entire operation. What do you do with your waste? How do you keep that many healthy? What do you feed them. etc....

Inquiring minds want to know!

Those Sil Go are what I call Cinnamon Queens and they lay an egg almost every day.

White Leghorn X RIR hen... and they get their breeding stock from Massachusets? Where????

How exciting.

 

[wings]

How do you take care of them all???

 

[SamG347]

Awesome! Once I get my own place I will probably be doing just like you. Ranged eggs and meat. I'm not Eastin Eggs but how does he take care of them.....the same anyone takes care of their birds. Just in a higher volume. It really isn't that hard....My aunt had a turkey production farm and my friend and me raise a 100+ broilers every year.
Good Luck with the operation...please keep posting pics!

 

[Missouri Maiden]

Dang that's alot of little fuzzy butts! Good luck with them!

 

[wings]

Quote:
I mean, what if they have pasty butt or that leg problem (at a loss for the word)? Do you just have to kill them, to complete the farmer experience?

 

[Laskaland]

Hey guys and gals

This is his full-time gig! He's hooked up with the University of Nebraska to provide eggs for their food service units (lucky dog!). In Nebraska there is a HUGE movement for buy fresh, buy local and if my state senator gets her way, local schools will all be provided with farm fresh produce and eggs- no more processed, high fat, high preservative junk food for the kids anymore!!
I am hoping Eastin invites me for a tour (hint hint) I would love to see 1500 chickens free range.

Hugs

 

[Eastins Eggs]

It has been my experience that pasty butt is caused by the stress of shipment. When the chicks have been with out food or water for 2 or 3 days in transit they tend to gorge themselves with food and water this causes diarrhea which sticks to their down. I pick mine up directly from the hatchery right after they are hatched and do not have a problem with this condition. The hatchery they are ordered from my have something to do with this also. As for splayed leg I cull the affected chick, seems hard hearted but with so many chickens I can't spend time nursing every chick with a problem. Of course every thing we use here from feeders to waters is jumbo sized compared to what most people use, and feed is purchesed in bulk to save money.

 

[warmfuzzies]

My dream job... around here people would freak out if you 'wasted' land for free range birds. Should have cows or crops on it!

So how much land does it take to free range 1500 birds? That would be so neat.... What a pretty sight!

 

[Eastins Eggs]

We rotate them on 20 acres of pasture. The land we use is to rocky for crops.