Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[galefrances]

hi- just went to a local chicken auction ,to replace 2 australorp hens i lost to a fox,as only had 1 left &rooster was giving her a hard time .got a shock, prices have jumped here in oz, 2 pullets (nice birds) went for $205 .there were about seven bidders guess I'll need to take more money lol

Wow! Were those juvenille pullets? I've bought online and didn't pay anywhere near that. Although the juvenille's are very pricey.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

hi- just went to a local chicken auction ,to replace 2 australorp hens i lost to a fox,as only had 1 left &rooster was giving her a hard time .got a shock, prices have jumped here in oz, 2 pullets (nice birds) went for $205 .there were about seven bidders guess I'll need to take more money lol

Wow, that is expensive! I had no idea that pullets went for that much, I just buy hatching eggs (the SSH hatching eggs I'm getting this spring are $52 for a dozen).

 

[fowlman01]

Pullets don't go for anything like that here in the US. $20 is probably average for a show type bird in large fowl unless it is an Oriental breed...those can be pricey because they are hard to find.

Walt

 

[Gargoyle]

The USDA definition of free range:

"FREE RANGE or FREE ROAMING:
Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside."

Most consumers don't understand the term. They imagine chickens running around an open pasture enjoying themselves, but in commercial (supermarket) packaging the word "free range" could just mean that the coop door is opened for 5 minutes a day.

Pastured would be a more accurate word, even if its just an 0.97 acre pasture.

Also, people who haven't seen the word "pastured" used on eggs may be more likely to ask questions; that opens the opportunity to explain it, get them more interested, and increase your chance of selling them eggs. (hey, good marketing doesn't just work for the big commercial operations, backyarders can benefit too!)

 

[Mskayladog]

I have a back door and front door both give access to largish covered runs and we let them out to wonder out side of the covered runs 2 to 3 times a day for no less then a hour. We have a real hawk problem and have to keep a eye on the sky. Is that pastured?

Because of the years of horse manure, the runs have lots of grass weeds and bugs. The runs are not dirt.

 

[Beekissed]

When I think of pastured poultry, it always involves seeing the chickens living on pasture for the majority of their time. Living on pasture isn't the same as free ranging on pasture...as Salatin markets his broilers as pastured, though they are never free to walk around on said pasture they are indeed standing on pasture/grass all day...or what is left of it after they have trampled and pooped on the small portion on which they are standing.

 

[JulieNKC]

Most consumers don't understand the term. They imagine chickens running around an open pasture enjoying themselves, but in commercial (supermarket) packaging the word "free range" could just mean that the coop door is opened for 5 minutes a day.

Pastured would be a more accurate word, even if its just an 0.97 acre pasture.

Also, people who haven't seen the word "pastured" used on eggs may be more likely to ask questions; that opens the opportunity to explain it, get them more interested, and increase your chance of selling them eggs. (hey, good marketing doesn't just work for the big commercial operations, backyarders can benefit too!)

When I think of pastured poultry, it always involves seeing the chickens living on pasture for the majority of their time. Living on pasture isn't the same as free ranging on pasture...as Salatin markets his broilers as pastured, though they are never free to walk around on said pasture they are indeed standing on pasture/grass all day...or what is left of it after they have trampled and pooped on the small portion on which they are standing.

I think you are both right. It would be so much easier if I could just call them "farm fresh" eggs, but I can't say that about mine with a straight face. Maybe when hubby lets me get my mini horse or goats though...lol. I think I'm going to just put that they are backyard chickens, with an acre pasture that they have free range of. Now I just need the girls to start laying again, since I sold most of my older layers a little too soon before the new one's started up.

Live and learn, I know better next time.

 

[MagicChicken]

Question for the old-timers. Here's the scenario:

I'm trying to figure out where to put some new pens and a large run. The best place in terms of available space has a round-tailed ground squirrel colony in the middle of the future run area. I'm thinking the adult large fowl might eat the ground squirrels which would solve the problem, but I thought I'd ask for feedback before spending the time and money building the thing and losing a bunch of birds and feed to the ground squirrels. Trapping ground squirrels is a losing battle and poison is not an option here.

So, do any of you have experience with chicken runs and ground squirrel colonies? Looking for any insight y'all can give me.

 

[bruceh]

okay all i have a huge problem. i am a concessioner . yes i am the funnell cake, blomming onion, etc. guy. i do a lot of 4h and county fair shows. so i just got back from one. i never leave without getting some type of chicken something. so now i got 2 cabinet incubators. everyone knows i love chickens, as bee, al, fred , and others know i am a nut job. i have to incubate eggs. that means more chickens.. holy chicken poop. each one hold over 70 eggs . i am in pa. who want what.

 

[stonykill]

okay all i have a huge problem. i am a concessioner . yes i am the funnell cake, blomming onion, etc. guy. i do a lot of 4h and county fair shows. so i just got back from one. i never leave without getting some type of chicken something. so now i got 2 cabinet incubators. everyone knows i love chickens, as bee, al, fred , and others know i am a nut job. i have to incubate eggs. that means more chickens.. holy chicken poop. each one hold over 70 eggs . i am in pa. who want what.

that is a lot of eggs.... you quazy...... lol