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

[hannahransom]

Thanks for the replies, so far!

I was thinking about doing the same thing with a roo. Right now I just have hens, but I haven't decided what kind of roo I want yet. I know I want something that is a good laying/meaty breed. I'm thinking about getting some kind of plymouth rock. I current have a white rock and am getting partridge and barred in may. I do like the rock so far which is why I decided to get more. I actually really like my california gray chickens, but I'm not sure if I had a roo if more grays would even result because I know they are a barred rock and leghorn cross (they also don't look very meaty and I would love to keep my flock DP).

If I hatched mutts I would probably sell any extras that I didn't need, but I would tell people that they are mutts.

Flocksalot, I was hoping you would say meyer since I have chicks coming from them in May Maybe next year! I can't believe the egg production is that high, though. It says on a lot of sites one/week.

 

[flocksalot]

Flocksalot, I was hoping you would say meyer since I have chicks coming from them in May Maybe next year! I can't believe the egg production is that high, though. It says on a lot of sites one/week.

Yes but if you look at the McMurray sight you will see that theirs also forage extremely well while others don't. I can tell you from experience they DO. They walk around like little sumo wrestlers with these hugh crops bulging out and their head low looking for any bug or tasty tidbit they can find. It's rare to see them at the feeder. It must be what McMurrays has done with them as every thing I could find on the web suggested just the opposite. Mine also do great with the horrible weather that can happen here in Wisconsin. I am extremely impressed with their cold hardiness. And as for eggs well mine are more like 5 to 6 a week unless they are broody. I was talking to someone from Illinios that has some and she was getting the same. I do have a serial brooder, but Lucy is such an awesome Momma. That's also contrary to what I read, but I'm not complaining. I did have one girl broody, but was too active to be a good mother. 2 days to hatch she started peeling the eggs, and then after I got her to stop that she just tore the little ones to bits when they did hatch on thier own. Needless to say her eggs got taken away and given to another and she got put back in the regular coop. One of my girls went through a molt this winter and it was a fast molt. She looked like someone has pulled all her feathers one night. She was seriously naked, but seemed to get along fine. A month later she was back to laying eggs. Only a couple of the others have molted and that was while they were brooding. Carmelita, my aweful momma, did a light molt and got right back to laying in about 6 weeks, and Lucy is molting as we speak. She's busy still mothering her 4 week olds, so she hasn't been laying anyway. The other four are doing awesome. The only real problem I see with them is that when they want the nest box, there are plenty but if that's the one they want, They will just go grab who ever is in there and literally toss her out on her ear. All the young girls are terrified on Suzy Q. She even looks in the nest box and they bolt. One of our Red Stars, Valentine, went BROODY on Valentines Day. Suz wanted the nest box and Val wasn't gonna give it up. They got into such a fight even the roosters didn't know what to do. Val got her comb almost torn off. She's now in her very own broody coop with her very special newly choosen eggs as hers got smashed. Yet Suz is one of the sweetest girls for children.

We like them so much our plan is to replace all of our Red Stars and Whyadottes with Dark Cornish from McMurrays. One bad thing I will say about them they are crazy flighty little chicks, but once they get older they are so much fun. Also don't always go by what is written about a breed. Some of how the breed behaves is do to YOU. We have Buff and Black Minorcas that will follow us around like puppies and love to be handled. Sandy, a Buff, is constantly begging to be picked up. If I ignore her she will jump onto something near me. Betty, a black, will come running as soon as she hears us and then stop and wait to get picked up. If I ignore her she will be under foot until she gets her attention. Flighty they are not. Of course we do have a Buff that is so fast she makes up for all the others. Her genes will never make it into the pool.

 

[JK Farm]

Here's an off-the-wall question:

Do ducks or chickens make better meat birds? (I've never tried duck [that I'm aware of] but I'll eat anything that isn't seafood, so I'm not worried about not liking the taste.) I keep reading that ducklings will quickly outgrow chicks if they are kept together, and it got me to wondering if that means that ducks reach butchering age quicker? Which breeds have better feed conversion rates? I may have to get a couple broilers and ducks and test this out.

 

[babymakes6]

I have a pair of Silver Appleyards that aren't laying yet, but they are big birds that grow quickly. They were easily butchering size by 10-12 weeks. I need to build up my flock this summer, but I am planning on butchering excess drakes. I have heard that duck is dry, depending how it is cooked, but don't remember trying it. I would also like to hear input from someone who raises ducks and eats them.

 

[stonykill]

I have a pair of Silver Appleyards that aren't laying yet, but they are big birds that grow quickly. They were easily butchering size by 10-12 weeks. I need to build up my flock this summer, but I am planning on butchering excess drakes. I have heard that duck is dry, depending how it is cooked, but don't remember trying it. I would also like to hear input from someone who raises ducks and eats them.

I personally find duck moist and delicious. I've never raised any for meat, so not sure on the conversion ratio

 

[JenellYB]

I'd suggest you consider buying a duck to cook and eat before deciding to raise any for meat. Same for anything you haven't tried, such as guinifowl or goose,or even a new meat such as docestic rabbit....a lot of time and effort wasted if you find you DON'T like it.

Here's an off-the-wall question:

Do ducks or chickens make better meat birds? (I've never tried duck [that I'm aware of] but I'll eat anything that isn't seafood, so I'm not worried about not liking the taste.) I keep reading that ducklings will quickly outgrow chicks if they are kept together, and it got me to wondering if that means that ducks reach butchering age quicker? Which breeds have better feed conversion rates? I may have to get a couple broilers and ducks and test this out.

 

[Clay Mudd]

I have heard that duck is dry, depending how it is cooked, but don't remember trying it.

FWIW, roasting ducks used to be part of my job, and I think you'd have to mess up pretty badly for it to be dry - usually, it's the opposite.

I'd suggest you consider buying a duck to cook and eat before deciding to raise any for meat. Same for anything you haven't tried, such as guinifowl or goose,or even a new meat such as docestic rabbit....a lot of time and effort wasted if you find you DON'T like it.

+1.

 

[JK Farm]

I read that there is more dark meat on duck, true or false? I love love love dark meat so if it turns out that I like the taste of duck then this would be awesome. White meat tends to be too dry, especially turkey.

 

[Clay Mudd]

IME, the breast meast of ducks tends to be about as dark (and as tasty and juicy!) as the dark meat of commercial chicken.

As always, YMMV.

As Jenell said, go splurge on a duck and give it a try. I'll bet you a cookie you like it.

 

[JK Farm]

I have a feeling I will too, but where on earth do I buy duck? All we've got is Walmart. Kroger is up the road a bit but I still dunno that they would have it.