Cluck N Crow Farm

[PioneerChicks]

Sorry about the doubles on the poll!

Hi there!

I'm an Idahoan living on just less than an acre who has been raising chickens since 2013, I think. I can't really remember.

I keep (just under too many) chickens, a pair of Birmingham Roller pigeons, bees (well, they swarmed, but I'll be getting more this spring), three barn cats (actually, they own me), and a hyper Aussie-doodle puppy who is a new addition. There is a rabbit in the family, but he's not really mine. Oh, and did I mention the mice in the chicken shed?

I make most of my coops and runs. You can find them here: PioneerChicks' Farmyard

A bit about myself, I love reading, writing, birdwatching, chicken-watching, photography, playing music, and being out in nature. I embrace the old, natural methods for myself and my pets. I am working on making myself more self-sufficient.

Some pictures of my flock:





This last girl is 7-8 years old and was part of my first flock! Dear Old Dana...

My goal this year is to cover all the poultry costs and get profit! This year will be tricky, as I am investing several hundred dollars in breeding stock for next year. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up! I have several plans up my sleeve...

This year I plan on trying out meat birds (for the first time!), raising started pullets, starting a black soldier fly larvae farm, going deeper into composting, maybe getting a few ducks, and trying out some heritage breeds like Barred Hollands! I was planning on getting turkeys, but those will have to wait until another year.

Oh, and I have decided on a name for my small-scale breeding business. As you may have guessed, it is officially Cluck N Crow Farm!


Well, that's about it for now. I'll post updates on the goal and my flock in this thread, and chat with other BYCers! Welcome friends!

 

[CluckerFamily]

I do sell my eggs and the cost of that and what eggs I keep, covers the feed cost.
I haven't down any hatching to sell... I only hatch to keep... and this would be a problem because I would want to keep all the chicks. An Addiction!!

 

[PioneerChicks]

I do sell my eggs and the cost of that and what eggs I keep, covers the feed cost.
I haven't down any hatching to sell... I only hatch to keep... and this would be a problem because I would want to keep all the chicks. An Addiction!!

Wow, you must get a lot of eggs! I'm afraid my chickens aren't the best layers (especially in winter), recently I don't even have enough for my family!
I want to keep all the chicks too! I hatch to sell, but I also hatch just for the sake of waking up on day 20-23 to see if any chicks hatched! Oh, and of course to cuddle the peeping, warm bodies!

 

[CluckerFamily]

Wow, you must get a lot of eggs! I'm afraid my chickens aren't the best layers (especially in winter), recently I don't even have enough for my family!
I want to keep all the chicks too! I hatch to sell, but I also hatch just for the sake of waking up on day 20-23 to see if any chicks hatched! Oh, and of course to cuddle the peeping, warm bodies!

I have Easter Eggers so they aren't the best layers. My pullets are still laying so far into the winter. The eat less chicken feed in the warm months since they free range around the property.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Other: I also sell chicks and older birds.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I have Easter Eggers so they aren't the best layers. My pullets are still laying so far into the winter. The eat less chicken feed in the warm months since they free range around the property.

My EEs layed well for their first year, but haven't done so well in their second. But I do love their colorful eggs, and that is reason enough for me to keep a couple pullets around!

I do have a couple bantam Orpingtons for winter eggs, but they are currently either molting or broody. But before that I was very impressed with them!

I agree, the feed bill goes up a lot in the winter. But free-ranging definitely makes a difference!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Beautiful flock!

 

[PioneerChicks]

Beautiful flock!

Thank you! I'm pretty proud of them.

 

[PioneerChicks]

The past couple of days have been cold, but the chickens are still foraging and happy! Old Dana, my seven-year-old RIR, looks like the cold is reaching her, but then again, I can be a worrier when it comes to my chickens.

Alex, one of my bantam Orpington pullets, has been in a fairly hard molt for two weeks? three? Well, I gave her some extra dry cat food, hopefully she'll grow in her feathers soon. Bonus if she starts laying again, after all, we got the two bantam orps for winter eggs!

It hasn't gone above freezing for a couple days, which is unusual for my area but not impossible. I'm hoping it will warm up soon so I can take some chicken pictures and do some reading to the chickens. Yes, I do chicken story time (it is what happens when you mix a bookworm and a chicken lover), we are finishing up My Side Of The Mountain right now.

One eventful thing did happen recently. I'm not exactly sure how I forgot, but when I was taking care of pigeons I somehow left the door open and when I came back a minute or so later, I saw it swinging wide open. My pigeons are not trained to return home, but all was well. Ami and Mando stayed on the roosts and didn't escape.

Well, that's about it for now. Soon I plan to start contacting breeders to place orders for spring, hopefully I'll be back with good news soon!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Lovely update! Hopefully Alex gets through her molt and will begin laying for you soon! Close call for the pigeons!