Anyone raise layer house chickens? If so.....

[srhcth]

what was your experience with them? I assume that they are White Leghorns or a hybrid of some sort. I am getting a bunch of leftovers tomorrow that are 6 weeks old.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

They lay a lot of eggs...

 

[RAREROO]

Are you talking about layers from house for eating eggs or layers from a broiler breeder house. I've had leftover broiler breeder hens and they are hogs and didn't lay well after we got them, we butchered most of them.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Why are they leftovers at six weeks old? Typically layer hens are moved from the grower barns to the hen houses at 17 weeks old and none are really surplus until that time.

 

[srhcth]

I'm really not sure - will I be able to tell when I get them?

 

[RAREROO]

I didn't see that they were 6 wks old when I posted, why is that though?

But yeah, you should be able to tell a difference, leghorn hybrids for eggs will be little scrawny things and broilers for meat with be big fat birds.

 

[srhcth]

I was told that they came to pick up the chicks but could not fit them all. The houses are about to be cleaned out and he said they have to go so I offered to take them. I hope they are layers for eggs cause my freezer is full.

 

[RAREROO]

I hope so too, like I said, those little broilers are hogs.


BTW, what part of Ga, are you from? I'm down south in Alapaha.

 

[srhcth]

I'm in Bartow Co. about 45 min. north of Atlanta.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
I'm guessing they are regular layer hens if they were advertised as such. I'm still not quite sure how they are surplus at that age. If there were too many at the hatchery they would just destroy them and not raise them. From the hatchery they would go out to the grower barns until 16-18 weeks old. The growers typically order extra to hedge against mortalities and may have some left over beyond their orders at 16-18 weeks old.

If they are white commercial layers they are Leghorns. Although some refer to them as hybrids, they are actually true Leghorns, and are "hybrids" of different commercial strains of Leghorns. Since they are lightweight they can fly pretty well. They also tend to be nervous and hyperactive. I've had leghorns in the backyard before. Despite their reputation as highstrung birds, they can do rather well in a backyard setting.