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

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chickachee said:
Got a question about putting plastic on the prevailing wind side of the chicken run. Some posts I have seen say they left an open part about a foot high on the top and bottom part of the run. Wouldn't that, at least on the bottom part, let the snow in and kind of defeat the purpose of the plastic? Also was thinking of putting some hay bales on the inside of the run, If I leave the open part at the bottom and put the bales there, am I again defeating the purpose of the fresh air getting in by blocking that area with the bales? I'm going to be doing this soon and I only want to have to do it once - HA!
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Anyone have any thoughts on this??

Thanks!
 
Beekissed said:
Great score on the fencing!
highfive.gif


The terms "sick chicken" and "heated coop" are often synonymous on this forum and are most often found in the same sentence....we hear that a lot in the winter months.
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I will politely pass that on....
 
I guess a person would just have to try it and see...easy enough to make adjustments if it isn't working properly. That's the only way you will really ever know.
 
Pozees said:
Questions for those who have decided to breed a specific breed to APA standard while trying to maintain adequate productivity:

How many birds did you start with? How many lines if more than a pair?

Do you always winter over only a certain number, or do you decide how many to winter over based on the overall quality of the year's chicks?

Do you prefer broody-hatched even if you have to use another hen to brood? Do you keep 2nd tier quality hens long enough to know whether they will brood their own eggs (and possibly others)? Is brooding a goal for most breeds or only certain ones? Or do you prefer to use an incubator to keep the top tier hens laying and always eliminate the rest from the program?

How many years would a very good rooster and hen be useful in your breeding program?

Did you sit down and crunch numbers before deciding to start, to set financial goals in terms of the birds covering the expense of the program at or by a specific point in the future? Or is it like breeding pets where the money is considered spent and largely unrecoverable? Since this is livestock, I realize those bred strictly for production would have financial goals, but wondered about those striving for the SOP.

Appreciate any and all wisdom you have to share.

Judi
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Hello Judi,


I approach chicken farming as a food expense. I raise dual birds. If a dozen of eggs cost me more in feed than buying them in the store I am doing something wrong. My other expenses, like electricity, fencing, maintenance, equipment costs need to be covered by the chicken we eat and sell. I keep expense records of all purchases and log them. I have a yearly projected budget for expenses that I try really hard to keep to. If I am short because of feed price cost increase I do another hatch out and sell birds at the end of the year fair. I have a plan/and back up plan and I stick to my plan.

I do not always have a specific number for wintering. I cull out the old, non productive, injured, cockerels, and irritating (flock stupid) as soon as possible. I do not cull questionable until full spring. Sometimes birds need a longer rest and some pullets are sexually slow developers. Some of my best and longest eggers have taken a bit longer. As a matter of fact I have a 6 year old hen I should cull. She lays an egg a day. She molted out last year and never regained her feathering. She is in constant quill. I know I have to cull her soon. Does it make sense to winter her and feed her only to cull her in spring? I have never kept one of her offspring, yet she is a great egg producer. A bird that has been such a great producer you simply hate to make those types of decisions. I tell myself, she lays an egg a day, it makes no sense to cull her, yet, I see her and know she has given me good years of eggs, and no chicks worth keeping and I am grateful for the 6 years and its time. I know I am going to cull her, I just fight it. I have wintered 6 hens and I have wintered 30. This year I will have my trio of Orps, 6 layers, 4 pullets, one roo, 2 hen Muscovy's, and one drake. At this moment I have over 60 birds. 20 of birds are freezer bound. 10 are holiday gifts, and the rest are for the market.

My Orps are the only birds that I breed to standard. They are for show and 4H. They taste good too if they are non producers, bad foragers, or simply don't look stunning. They are good egg producers and meat birds. If not, they are pot bound. They are chickens, I treat them like chickens. They earn their keep one way or another.I have a Trio and keep the original Trio. I have not decided or made next years plan for expansion for housing for the Orpingtons. I will not keep more until I have the housing, and resources to do so. I will hatch out a spring batch and make further plans after the hatch out. I control all of my hatch outs, be it with a hen or the bator, or a combination.

My chickens are NOT my pets. I understand the need for someone to have a chicken for a pet. They are lovely creatures and I spend hours with them everyday. I am not as reluctant to sell a chick for a pet, although that took me a long time to get used to. I thought people were crazy to want a chicken for a pet. Now I just ask tons of questions to make sure the person has knowledge. Funny thing is I have less problems selling my chickens to the snake man. He buys a chicken from me every few months. I know my chicken is going for feed, not kept in a rabbit hutch in the back yard, or worse yet in the house or basement.

The new generation is going to keep chickens. They are smart and economy savoy. They know what a budget is.They love to work and have great work ethics. The future of chickens is in good hands.My grandchildren will make great chicken farmers.
 
well guys speaking of husbandry practices. i guess i will be moving all the birds to a secure shed. if weather predictions are correct i am right in the line of fire. we are expecting 70 mile an hour winds and 6-10 inches of rain. i know chickens can fly but i don't want to see a scene from the wizard of oz. instead of flying monkeys i have flying chickens.


just think i moved from florida.
he.gif
 
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bruceh said:
well guys speaking of husbandry practices. i guess i will be moving all the birds to a secure shed. if weather predictions are correct i am right in the line of fire. we are expecting 70 mile an hour winds and 6-10 inches of rain. i know chickens can fly but i don't want to see a scene from the wizard of oz. instead of flying monkeys i have flying chickens.


just think i moved from florida.
he.gif
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be safe Bruce. Last I looked we aren't going to get a lot of the rain, but we will get some wind. We are just far enough north and inland
 
thanks stonykill. it;s going to be rough. i want to give best wishes to bee. i think she going to be snowed in.

to all else in the fire zone of sandy be safe and take care. we can always get more chickens but we can't replace you.


take care and best wishes,


bruce h
 
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