Flock Plan need your ideas on a decision

[hcammack]

So my flock is just a pretty fun laying flock and nothing else I do sell eggs for $ but laying rate is not all that important. Ok so I have wanted to add some blue ameraucana and more marans I have 11 hens right now and my maximum is 15 and I cannot have a rooster. My problem is that Peachick Who has both marans and blue ameraucana but will not have chicks for a little while and won't have sexed pullets for at least 3 months ! I have a great offer on 4 EE's and Barred rocks 10 weeks old. I would wait but I am going away from January First - May for school at a Farm in Vermont. During my trip my mom will be caring for the birds and needs it to be very simple I did start my current flock in september and they lived in a tractor from 4 weeks on.

So the options are

1. Take the good deal and get 4-5 barred rocks and EE's and compromise. I will keep them in the tractor away from the current flock for a while. Also I could possible hatch Marans and Ameraucana eggs under a broody in the spring.

2. Email Peachick and ask her to hatch a few BBS ameraucanas and marans for me and brood them outside in he tractor for a while and have them be only around 3 months going into out mild winter. Also I have to deal with the chance of all cockerals and auctioning them off. (maybe keep a nice quite rooster or build a rooster coop to keep them quite)

3. Wait for Peachick to have cull pullets late in the fall and be garunteed no cockerals and get what I want. Also I will need to keep them in the tractor. I could also get exchequer leghorns from her.

4. I could get exchequer leghorn pullets from Peachick now but they are pretty flighty birds.

Henry

 

[hcammack]

I have been thinking about this for a while and I am just not sure what I should do

I don't want little chicks all winter and I don't want allot of cockerals but I want what I want LOL

 

[hcammack]

wow I really am chicken crazy this has been making me insane for like 2 days

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Get these they are what you REALLY want, and the roos taste good, not as big as a cornishX but they will do the job, you may have to make dumplings as filler, but still a tasty option.

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
Get these they are what you REALLY want, and the roos taste good, not as big as a cornishX but they will do the job, you may have to make dumplings as filler, but still a tasty option.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Whats the breakdown on ee to barred rocks? and are you sure your getting pullets?
I would consider this option if heavy on the barred rock side.

 

[hcammack]

I was thinking 2 or 3 BR's and 2 EE's and they are 10 weeks and they are hatchery sexed pullets with one roo in the bunch so I am not sure of the chances but I do like blue's and dark eggers

Henry

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
You could always get these then start working on gettting the 15 turned to a 20, remember the 15 use to be 12

 

[chickens4jojo]

I would go ahead and get the marans and ameraucana's that you really do want even with the possibility of a few being roos.

If it were me, I would definitely not get any leghorns. I have two of them & well, they just don't make good pets to me~~so I am finding them a new home. LOL

That's my (very) humble opinion.

Best wishes on whatever you decide!

 

[hcammack]

LOL true but I would need another coop or a bigger one the 15 is a bit crowded in a 6x5 coop I do have the other tractor but I am leaving for college in 2 years so my mom will just keep a small laying flock of ameraucana and marans probably while I am gone probably only about 10 at most maybe even only 6 birds so IDK 2 years is a long time but I am not breeding they are just kinda layer/ maybe chicken stock when I convince my mom.

Henry