brand new to raising birds

[Camp Olsen]

Hi all I'm Lisa. My husband and i dove into raising birds when we built our house on 11 acres. we like the birds alot especially when they produce for us. I am starting to question the reality of maintaining them and weather or not were getting enough back from them. In other words I need them to pay for them selves in order to keep them at camp olsen.
we have 3 chickens of what kind i dont really know. 3 muscovy, a cayuga and a swedish (i think), 3 pekin hens. the chickens and the pekins were adopted at a year of age and are laying, although i believe that the relocation has disturbed their production some. any way ill hopefully add some photos, I struggle to get logged in on my iphone any one else have that issue?
Any way very nice to meet you all looking forward to learning and egg-celling in the bird world.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Welcome from Florida!

 

[Kiki]

Welcome aboard!
We are glad you joined our flock.
This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

 

[Camp Olsen]

Thanks I can't seem
To upload photos from my iPhone? Is it not possible?

 

[drumstick diva]

You would have to have a very large flock of layers to achieve any kind of profit. Even then the birds may slow down or stop laying due to extremes of weather, moving to a strange (to them) coop/environment , molting and also the fact that most do not lay every single day of the year.

People generally get layers because they want to know what their flock has been fed, how they were raised, that they aren't given hormones etc. that would be harmful to their owners.

 

[drumstick diva]

PS I only use a desk top computer / have no cell phones, so can't be of assistance there.

 

[Camp Olsen]

I dont know how to start a new post.... so far i'm a bit discouraged with this system... any way heres my dreadful post
Let me start by saying I am brand new to raising birds, last night while i was doing my animal chores, i felt stalked, we live in the mountains, ive had bear dung on my back porch, have witnesses of mt lions on the property and bobcats, and on and on and on we have coyotes like crazy. I have a fenced in bird pen, but I keep my chickens in a barn with my goats at night, in the am I let them free range on the property they stay close and stay together. This morning (well the babies and I showered first so it was a late morning) I went out and let every one out at like 11:30 am the goats took off quick up to the house which is bad cause they'll eat my plants. I ran after them to bring them back down and as i was leashing them I heard the obnoxious squealy, yipey howls of the scrappy little jerk dogs. Coyotes! I had to get my babies and my goats rounded up to safety, as I got down there my biggest hen was squawking like different than ive ever heard. I only caught two of them my best favorite most social egg layer is gone, and because I have to tend to my sweet babies at the house I haven't even found her feathers or the confirmation yet. Im absolutely heart broke. I promise I will get a coyote hide out of this ordeal. ahole dogs. any way our money is wrapped up in our brand new house, I have no way to afford a coyote proof fence or any fancy repellants... best case scenario we bate and shoot the little a holes. these coyotes have a descent size pack i think I could hear them from the property across from us, theyre really brave too. Im heartbroke she was my favorite chicken Rosito. I feel like an irresponsible bird mama, and I dont know if I should continue on until we have better resources. RIP Rosito

 

[rjohns39]

Welcome to BYC from middle Tennessee Sorry about your loss, with a coyote, its unlikely you'll ever find any evidence. You may want to consider a small feather net kit and just move it around to keep you girls safe. They aren't too terribly expensive, are easy to move and work well. I use a 1 joule charger to give the coyotes a bit more zap which tends to discourage them or at least send them somewhere else to eat. https://www.premier1supplies.com/poultry/fencing.php?fence_id=30

 

[Camp Olsen]

Right ya I can't afford that fence, but great tip, thanks here's your evidence....