Australorps breed Thread

[Birdrain92]

So I looked at local egg prices and it was a wide range of prices. $1.89 a dozen was the cheapest. It claims farm fresh, cage free but already know that those eggs are no where close to farm fresh. Most of the cartons had cracked eggs and the shells were not that great of quality. Then the most expensive eggs were $6.42 a dozen. They were called organic but the egg shells felt like sand paper so they are no where close to the value they are asking in my opinion.

 

[ronott1]

So I looked at local egg prices and it was a wide range of prices. $1.89 a dozen was the cheapest. It claims farm fresh, cage free but already know that those eggs are no where close to farm fresh. Most of the cartons had cracked eggs and the shells were not that great of quality. Then the most expensive eggs were $6.42 a dozen. They were called organic but the egg shells felt like sand paper so they are no where close to the value they are asking in my opinion.

The eggs from your flock are much better than any store eggs!

 

[Birdrain92]

The eggs from your flock are much better than any store eggs!

That's why we never buy eggs from the store. Eggs that I know for a fact are fresh taste better and I put effort into helping my hens produce the eggs which makes it even more better.

 

[bruceha2000]

So I looked at local egg prices and it was a wide range of prices. $1.89 a dozen was the cheapest. It claims farm fresh, cage free but already know that those eggs are no where close to farm fresh. Most of the cartons had cracked eggs and the shells were not that great of quality. Then the most expensive eggs were $6.42 a dozen. They were called organic but the egg shells felt like sand paper so they are no where close to the value they are asking in my opinion.

"farm fresh" as in "factory egg farm" fresh. Like the label "all natural" it doesn't mean a thing, not legally anyway. Cage free only means they aren't housed in cages. Much better than being a battery hen but their diet and probably sterile (especially so after the AI outbreak) indoor living space is far from the "I eat everything a free bird can find" life and diet of a backyard chicken.

Those factory farm eggs get laid, washed to an inch of their lives, packed, refrigerated and shipped. After that, who knows how long they sit. There is the "best by" date on the carton, not the day it was laid that I put in pencil on each of the eggs my girls lay. However, I would guess that with the shortage of eggs due to the AI outbreak, they aren't sitting around in some huge storage refrigerator very long right now.

 

[Clinton 78]

What is the AI outbreak? I have been working 14 Hr days foe a while and haven't watched mush tv lately?

 

[Birdrain92]

What is the AI outbreak? I have been working 14 Hr days foe a while and haven't watched mush tv lately?

AI means Avian Influenza. When Avian Influenza went across the US any flock that had a bird test positive for Avian Influenza the entire flock would be killed along with flocks within a certain radius. Avian Influenza is also known as the bird flu.

 

[bruceha2000]

And it happened in the midwest last summer. I gather a lot of grocery store eggs come from that area. Given (as we all have patiently learned) a chick won't lay for AT LEAST 4 months, more likely 5-6 months, there was a huge hit to the factory egg farm producers, one source says 48 MILLION chickens and turkeys, don't know what percentage were egg layers. It isn't like radishes, up and ready to eat in 3-4 weeks. At least with broilers they are ready to go in ~8 weeks (which I find amazing given the rate at which my egg breeds mature).

 

[Birdrain92]

And it happened in the midwest last summer. I gather a lot of grocery store eggs come from that area. Given (as we all have patiently learned) a chick won't lay for AT LEAST 4 months, more likely 5-6 months, there was a huge hit to the factory egg farm producers, one source says 48 MILLION chickens and turkeys, don't know what percentage were egg layers. It isn't like radishes, up and ready to eat in 3-4 weeks. At least with broilers they are ready to go in ~8 weeks (which I find amazing given the rate at which my egg breeds mature).

Iowa is the leading state in egg production.

 

[draye]

And it happened in the midwest last summer. I gather a lot of grocery store eggs come from that area. Given (as we all have patiently learned) a chick won't lay for AT LEAST 4 months, more likely 5-6 months, there was a huge hit to the factory egg farm producers, one source says 48 MILLION chickens and turkeys, don't know what percentage were egg layers. It isn't like radishes, up and ready to eat in 3-4 weeks. At least with broilers they are ready to go in ~8 weeks (which I find amazing given the rate at which my egg breeds mature).

I read that it was over 55 million that were lost/destroyed.

I'm currently trying to increase my hen count here and sell farm fresh eggs. It will probably be next year before I get as many as I'd like to have. I'm shooting for at least 100 maybe 150. Here in Arkansas we can have up to 199 hens before we considered commercial, which I don't want to be.

I have mainly Naked Necks, but am looking toward the Australorp to cross into them.

 

[bruceha2000]

I have mainly Naked Necks, but am looking toward the Australorp to cross into them.

Why? What is wrong with "full breed" chickens? If you want to sell eggs, I don't know why you want to start with a breed that is considered a "fair" layer at ~2 a week (in their prime). You'll be feeding a lot of beaks year round for not much "product". I suspect you will have a long road ahead trying to get quantity out of a "Naked Neck Australorp".