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

[Beekissed]

Thank you for that explanation, RR. I had a group of black stars and later a donated group of red stars...I wasn't real impressed with them at all. They didn't last long here. I've found my other laying breeds performed so much better than the sex-link "super layers".

 

[Ridgerunner]

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I thought someone had already addressed this, but maybe it was on a different thread.

It is not a matter of time for them to die from worms. Many, if not most, wild animals have internal and external parasites and nobody ever doctors them. A small parasite load is not a big deal. The problem is when the parasites overwhelm them. As long as they are healthy and productive, they are doing OK. I don't remember Dad ever worming the chickens. When lice or mites got too bad he's dust them with Sevin, but nothing for worms.

There are different plants in nature that are natural wormers. This does not mean they necessarily kill all worms in the animal when the animal eats them. Sometimes they just knock the numbers back to keep them at a manageable level.

I also check mine for worms when I butcher. I have not wormed yet.

 

[speckledhen]

Agree with Ridge on that one.

 

[Beekissed]

Ditto that!

 

[ajlynco]

Bee, what breeds do you have that lay better than the sex-links, black stars, or red stars or any of the so called 'super layers'? Not being a smart a**, just curious.

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[Beekissed]

Any of my White Rocks, New Hamps and Black Aussies, not to mention my RIR and White Leghorns all lay daily in peak laying season, just like a sex-link. The difference? They are still doing it in their 5th year of life. The sex-links stopped laying regularly in peak season shortly after their 2nd year of life.

Oh...and that performance is from birds who have never been chemically dewormed in their whole life. So, those claiming that you can decide to not deworm but you won't get optimal health of performance from your birds....I guess I just have miracle hens on my hands.

 

[gdplum]

In my experience, when a hen starts to "set" or "sit", put a few eggs in her nest for a few days....four or five days. If she stays on the eggs, find some fertile eggs (8-12 eggs depending on the size of the hen) from a breeder of your choice and replace the "test" eggs with the fertile eggs. 21 or 22 days later, you will have the makings of a new flock. She will probably not lay her owns eggs while in the "setting mode".

 

[ajlynco]

I'm a newbie, I live in town and can only raise about 6 hens at this time. In a year or so I'm gonna move to where I can expand my hendom. So, to begin with, I was thinking of getting good egg layers from a hatchery so I could learn the ropes. Then, after I move, I'd like to start raising heritage RIRs and BRs.My ultimate goal is to raise good quality, dual purpose birds. I'm not gonna show them, but I'd like to do what I can to keep the heritage breeds going. What do you recommend for my first 6 birds( emphasis on eggs ASAP)?
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[BarredBuff]

I got to thinking about how my flock has changed since we got a Buff rooster. They definitely are not as thrifty anymore, rarely see them foraging actively anymore. The door opening around the coop is a mud hole, I guess since they spend most of their time waiting for feed. So I am thinking of culling the buffs out, soon. This thread has got me thinking of keeping tabs on them all. I rarely see the Buffs on the nest, maybe they lay out. They definitely are feed junkies. AND I HAVE NOT HAD A BROODY!!

But for now they are staying, I am gonna wait for spring. If they nest, then I will consider keeping a few.

The rooster will be going in the Spring. I just want to make sure I have fertile eggs. Then what will I replace those Biddies with.

Im thinking New Hampshire Reds, White Rocks, and Dominiques. 5 hens of each, then a rooster from each. Then cull throught the roos. But maybe not order them until Early August 2012 with our meat chickens.

Also I will have the birds locked up tomorrow to see how we they lay, or if they lay outside.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Celtic Chick - Thanks, I was thinking about that too, would have to get my 4 year old to catch them for me, if I go that route.