Christmas Money + Sandhill Preservation center

[Mrs. K]

Sending off an order for next spring for my first non hatchery birds. I am ordering Delewares, and can hardly wait!

Have any of you ordered from there?

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I haven't ordered from there but I read their web pages all the time. So far, I haven't had the room to order the minimums they require, but I'm a bit jealous because if I did, I'd be ordering either Delawares or Silver Dorkings and trying to start a self sustaining heritage flock. Trouble is, I really like my multi-colored egg layers too, and wouldn't want to sacrifice the ones I have. So, please post information once the chicks arrive and you start raising them and I'll live vicariously through you.

 

[Mrs. K]

well my plan is..... if I order 25 straight run, should be kind of sort of close to 12 pullets/12 roos. Right now, I have a set up for a dozen. A dozen works well, any more than that I can just tell the flock is stressed and crabby.

Right now, I am full up with a dozen, but 8 are two years old, so those will be culled, the others are pullets, and each a different breed. During the summer, I free range a LOT, so can cheat on the numbers till fall, and then my plan is to eat the roos, but one, and thin the hens to 8 of the Delaware, for the winter, keeping this years pullets.

I ordered them for the first week or two in June, as that is when I traditionally get a broody hen, I much prefer to raise chicks under a broody hen.

Ahhhh..... but you know, the best laid plans of mice and men.

But we will see. I can hardly wait, this is the funnest hobby!

MrsK

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Sounds like a good plan. I've ordered 8 new chicks for next spring and hope that by next winter, I'll also be able to cull and/or sell some combination of the new chicks and my 9 mature hens to get down to 9.

I agree that this is an awsome hobby. Unfortunatly, my hubby doesn't share my enthusiasm, so I can't allow the numbers to inch up too much from year to year.

 

[Mrs. K]

My hubby likes the eggs, but does not see the need for more!