Chicken fever 2025?

[StinkyAcres]

Oh boy...yes, I am impatiently waiting for my local farm store's website to say they are taking orders. Spring can't come soon enough!

 

[AinaWGSD]

It hit us about a month ago. I'm only allowed 6 hens in town, but my family has a farm just a few miles east of us where we've kept our chickens in the past, before the ordinance changed to allow chickens in town.

So this spring we're gonna fix the coop(s) and improve the run fencing. Then we're going to drive forever to pick up hatching eggs, fire up the incubator and hatch some buckeyes. And maybe some malines.

Husband wants to raise some broilers too.

 

[McChooky]

I refuse to allow myself to even think of new chicks, even though McMurray sent a colorful catalog a few weeks ago…

There's only a couple chicks I'd like to order. I already have 12 hens and a rooster so I don't want to add too many

 

[McChooky]

It hit us about a month ago. I'm only allowed 6 hens in town, but my family has a farm just a few miles east of us where we've kept our chickens in the past, before the ordinance changed to allow chickens in town.

So this spring we're gonna fix the coop(s) and improve the run fencing. Then we're going to drive forever to pick up hatching eggs, fire up the incubator and hatch some buckeyes. And maybe some malines.

Husband wants to raise some broilers too.

The buckeyes are a great choice!

 

[2ndTink]

I've resisted so far... we're having a pretty cold winter so that's helping keep a lid on it I'll be setting eggs next month though!

 

[Predoggg]

I just set some eggs and will see. Pretty much all my chickens are new so will see how many are fertilized.

 

[WhiskeyTheRedd]

We just lost our rooster, Brave little lad, so i took eggs and made sure they were still fertile then bought an incubator. Im hoping to GOD these guys hatch!! carry on Napoleon's bloodline. RIP little Dude. he actually saved two hens in the process of losing his own life

 

[Predoggg]

How many eggs did you set? Sounds like a great rooster. I lost one rooster too saving his ladies.

 

[MountainWoman73]

I have a BCM cockerel who I'd really like to keep, but he just started going after kids, and I can't have that. So I'm planning to keep him for a few months and try to hatch some eggs from my darkest laying marans hens in the spring. Maybe we'll luck out and one of his sons will have better temperament.

But I'm going to end up with too many chickens.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Oh boy did it get me good! I have loads of plans and several projects to keep me busy.

I already put in an order from Meyer hatchery for a few new layers to even out my egg and feather colors, plus 10 meat birds. I also plan to incubate some of my own eggs and time the hatch for when my order arrives to brood them at the same time. Everything will be happening at the end of March/beginning of April. If all goes well with the chicks they will be outside come the end of May.

While I impatiently wait for March to arrive to start incubating, I'm deciding who to hatch eggs from. Of course I don't have all the general info from my girls yet as a few have not even started laying and the majority have really slowed down on egg production. Plus I need to get hands on everyone and maybe even weigh them. I'm going for big birds for meat (as I'm sure to hatch lots of boys) and egg color, preferably both at the same time. Decisions decisions.

I am also thinking up how/where to raise the chicks. A to-do list is currently in the making, I've already put a bug in my dad's ear about making a chicken tractor and closing in the run so the birds don't destroy the garden come summer. I plan to temporarily take over the old bike shed to brood most the chicks, it has power to it so I can easily hook up a heat source. I also want to see if any of my 19 pullets will go broody, that would really help with space if one or two girls can raise at least a dozen of their own chicks.

I'd like to sort through my birds and hopefully sell (or butcher) several to make room for the future generation. I don't need two roos but I decided to keep a spare just in case winter took one out. I could live without a handful of the girls too just because they aren't particularly friendly nor lookers. With that it mind, I need to find out how best to sell these soon to be 1yr old birds, and maybe even any extra pullets I hatch but don't intend to keep. That will likely be my main hiccup in all my planning.

Then I've been thinking about a few experiments. I'd like to grab a dozen duck eggs from the farmer's market and see if I can hatch anything from them. Plus it would be kinda cool to have a hen turkey or two, if I decide I don't like them I'm not opposed to having a turkey dinner!