Arkansas folks speak up.........

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it can be very simple... most of what u read about will be only needed very rarely if ever... there have been free roaming flocks of chickens where all the owner does is throw out a few hand fulls of scratch every few days... no coop, very little feed, no medicines or diseases, no incubator, no brooder, and they did good in that flock for 20 years until the owner passed away...
AmpersatChick said:
When I had my ducklings, the more I read about them, the better I felt about raising them, they were very easy to me. But with chickens, the more I read about them the more involved it seems and the more nervous I am about them. There just seems to be so much to taking care of them...it's a little overwhelming! Hoping it feels less so in the actually doing.
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Ridgerunner said:
It’s almost a case of what don’t they like. Off the top of my head, the only things that jump out are do not feed them potato and tomato vines. They contain a poison. Also do not feed them green potatoes. Don’t eat those yourself. Those also contain a poison and taste bitter to boot. Regular potatoes are fine, just not the green ones. Sweet potato vines are fine too. It’s the “regular” potato vines that are closely related to tomatoes that are the problem.

Raw beans are not good for them either. I think that is only the beans themselves. Not sure about the plant. I suspect the plant itself is OK, just not sure.

Mine love ripe tomatoes, ripe peppers, cucumbers, winter and summer squash, pumpkin, radishes, and any green leafy vegetable. Lettuce, chard, kale, mustard, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower leaves, broccoli leaves. If you are looking to plant something specifically for chickens, I think kale is a great choice, at least in my garden. Just cut off the leaves to feed them and new ones will grow back.
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The kale ideas sounds great to me. I know I will not be eating tons of it myself. So whatever I don't eat I will definitely give to the chickens. We do have a fenced in garden and I wanted to give them vegetables they might like this year as well as the usual fruit.
 
Hey I would love to get some input on experience with Ideal poultry birds. My first chickens came from TSC and some from the state fair. I have had chickens for 4 years and never added to my flock from outside sources. Most of my chickens were production reds and I have had a lot of loss at 2-3 yrs old from internal laying issues. This spring I would really love to add some Heritage breeds to my flock but have the issue of too many roosters. So it would be very hard on me if I ended up with a bunch more. Farmers orders from Ideal and is getting in some RIR'S and BR's but I am afraid I will just end up with production reds again. That route just seems the only way I know I can get just pullets. I would really love to add some BA's, BCM's, Jersey Giants, HRIR's and BLRW'S which I would try to get from everyone on this thread. Hatching out eggs just scares me since my male/ female ratio hasn't been in my favor the last couple of years. Thanks so much for any info!
 
the only thing u are gonna get from Ideal or any other major hatchery is production birds... the reason u have the losses at 2 or 3 years old is they hatchery birds are breed for 1 or at most 2 years of production... many of your heritage breeds will be good into there 4th or 5th year and live to 8 or 10... i would connect with a breeder that has the birds you want and ask them to raise the chicks tell they are old enough to tell males from females... u will pay more but it is worth it if u don't have a way to get rid of extra males... i don't raise any of the breeds u are looking for but last year i sold 300 started pullets to a person that was selling eating eggs at the LR farmers market... i raised them tell they where old enough to go out side with no heat (10 to 12 weeks) because they bought in such volume i sold them for 7$ each... then i just raise the roosters out and process them myself... if you are willing to pay the money for quality birds you can find what you are looking for...
arkansaschicks said:
Hey I would love to get some input on experience with Ideal poultry birds. My first chickens came from TSC and some from the state fair. I have had chickens for 4 years and never added to my flock from outside sources. Most of my chickens were production reds and I have had a lot of loss at 2-3 yrs old from internal laying issues. This spring I would really love to add some Heritage breeds to my flock but have the issue of too many roosters. So it would be very hard on me if I ended up with a bunch more. Farmers orders from Ideal and is getting in some RIR'S and BR's but I am afraid I will just end up with production reds again. That route just seems the only way I know I can get just pullets. I would really love to add some BA's, BCM's, Jersey Giants, HRIR's and BLRW'S which I would try to get from everyone on this thread. Hatching out eggs just scares me since my male/ female ratio hasn't been in my favor the last couple of years. Thanks so much for any info!
Click to expand...
 
arkansaschicks said:
Hey I would love to get some input on experience with Ideal poultry birds. My first chickens came from TSC and some from the state fair. I have had chickens for 4 years and never added to my flock from outside sources. Most of my chickens were production reds and I have had a lot of loss at 2-3 yrs old from internal laying issues. This spring I would really love to add some Heritage breeds to my flock but have the issue of too many roosters. So it would be very hard on me if I ended up with a bunch more. Farmers orders from Ideal and is getting in some RIR'S and BR's but I am afraid I will just end up with production reds again. That route just seems the only way I know I can get just pullets. I would really love to add some BA's, BCM's, Jersey Giants, HRIR's and BLRW'S which I would try to get from everyone on this thread. Hatching out eggs just scares me since my male/ female ratio hasn't been in my favor the last couple of years. Thanks so much for any info!
Click to expand...
i agree with heritage, that is why you are not getting quality birds. now i got most of mine from ideal, and i love them dearly, they have been extremely healthy. but i bought all mine as chicks and i did end up with more roosters than i needed. i met up with two different groups on fb that is in arkansas. look up poultry groups that are close to you, and i know you will find some wonderful people. hertiage is right, find a breeder with what you want and buy quality and not quanity. expensive at first but in the long run they will pay for themselves two fold. i am getting into sq birds and heritage breeds myself, i am bracing myself for the upfront cost but i know i will break out ahead in the long run. most breeders wont mind a bit-if they are honest people honestly caring about the birds to raise them till you can tell males, females apart. do your research and you will be very happy! good luck!!!!!!!!
 
I got some that came out of an old poultry house, but I think you can buy them online. Or at the commercial poultry supply stores. Can't wait to use mine...really tired of cleaning up poop!
 
heritagehabitatfarms said:
the only thing u are gonna get from Ideal or any other major hatchery is production birds... the reason u have the losses at 2 or 3 years old is they hatchery birds are breed for 1 or at most 2 years of production... many of your heritage breeds will be good into there 4th or 5th year and live to 8 or 10... i would connect with a breeder that has the birds you want and ask them to raise the chicks tell they are old enough to tell males from females... u will pay more but it is worth it if u don't have a way to get rid of extra males... i don't raise any of the breeds u are looking for but last year i sold 300 started pullets to a person that was selling eating eggs at the LR farmers market... i raised them tell they where old enough to go out side with no heat (10 to 12 weeks) because they bought in such volume i sold them for 7$ each... then i just raise the roosters out and process them myself... if you are willing to pay the money for quality birds you can find what you are looking for...
Click to expand...


What breeds do you have? I am not set on those breeds except that I need birds that are good foragers and predator savoy. The area I have is about a 1/2 acre fenced area with a 12x12 coop that right now houses 3 silver penciled rock roosters. The area has a good wooded part that provides refuge. My problem is hawks but if I put the new chickens with the roosters they will be fine. These boys are really good alarms! Since I have 3 roosters I need about 20 + pullets. I really would not mind having a rooster for every breed I add. I am open for suggestions and I don't mind paying more to get pullets. I would really like to have BA's and HRIR's for sure. Right now I have BO's, SLW's, BR's and Ameraucanas. Most of my production reds have died. I was only thinking about Jersey Giants because I have 2 huge BO roosters that live in one area together and I would love to give them some girls....they just need to be a good sized bird. I have my chickens just for eggs and I get really attached to them so the longer they live and produce is a good thing!
 

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