Flock Update Chickens & Ducks - A Positive Post

[OldGuy43]

First the chickens:
Twelve Red Sex-Link hens. No problems since we got them as adolescents about a year ago. We lost 3 early on to predators before we got their run secured. They give us 9-12 eggs a day. Don't do much special for them. Feed and water them twice a day, and most days cut some weeds and grass for them as greens.

The ducks:
One adult Khaki Campbell hen, Sunsinger. I usually don't name the livestock, but she's special. We got her as an adolescent from the local feed store with a broken leg. We put her in a cage that was small enough to keep her from moving around a lot, gave her calcium and vitamins, and now she gets along fine with the chickens. She does limp, but she's giving us one egg a day, once in awhile two.

Eleven Khaki Campbell ducklings, five weeks old today. Doing fine. We did lose one early on because of my own stupidity. It jumped out of the wading pool brooder and the dog caught it and tried to bring it to us. Added a cardboard wall after that.

I'm posting this for the benefit of the newbies that, after reading all the problems that show up here might think that raising poultry is a lot of work.

No one seems to post "Everything is fine. I'm just enjoying my poultry!" Understandable, I guess.

 

[WI FarmChick]

Great Idea!

We have 40 black sex links, We are lucky to have a hatchery near by. They only have a few birds to pick from.
(Made it easy for me, lol)
So I was able to go to the hatchery and pick up ours chicks when they called me. It was Peep...Peep...Peep....Peep...Peep...Peep...All the way home. LOl

I have raised other flocks like Meat and egg layers with store bought feed before. But I really wanted to try feeding our new flock whole grains. So I researched AND researched. I was able to find some great info.

But I was scared to death!

I figured I was going to kill the flock off ......point blank! straight away Dead!

Well I didn't............. Hurray!

I started by figuring out what I needed for grains and started mixing and grinding whole grains and giving grit and water and growing greens....and before I knew it they were 9 weeks old and looking just awesome. I do realize that me feeding grains is an on going experiment...... but I am happy I started my Experiment. I feel they are better for it! And Me too!

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

 

[tweetysvoice]

Wonderful!!! My four 6 week old chicks are doing wonderfully! They have found the joys of going outside and scratching in the grass! They were too scared to leave their inner pen and explore the 20x20 pen for the first week, but now they are jammering to get out and play in the grass! They are also learning to put themselves to bed as well! If we go out just as it's getting dark, we will find them in the coop all ready to be tucked in. Happy chicks make a happy mama!

 

[mandelyn]

So far this year is off to a great start here too! Bought 10 shipped Serama eggs, and ended up with 3 pair, all calm, tame, and sweet! They're 10 weeks old now. My favorite crows his idiot head off and it's no worse than a parrot. Not at all like the big boy crows I can't have. Still debating on who to keep.

Saxony ducks are doing well. I took your idea on the pool brooder for 2 ducks I'm growing out for someone, I surrounded it with fence. A pain to clean but a ton of space! They stand as tall as they can to see into the Serama house, so cute! They're 3 weeks old now.

Another batch of eggs in the incubator, due the 22nd, with 10 more 3 days later. Hatches have been going great and sales have been reliable. I've had a local add running since March for hatching eggs from the ducks, but everyone wants ducklings. So I keep a dozen fresh eggs turned and ready, and everything in the incubator ends up spoken for before they even hatch. I didn't expect that and it's great news. It's a good feeling to have a waiting list after you've changed your feed to the non-GMO natural stuff that's $22 a bag.

Birds are doing great on the new feed, worth the cost with how good they look and how little of it they waste. We have a local chicken group that all goes in on the order, so shipping on it ends up being $1.65 a bag.

 

[damselfish]

The chickens: 7 adult hens, with one four-year-old still here from my original batch of 4 (long story, got straight run when we were newbies, ended up with mostly roosters!). The other six are two years old (or is it three??? Time flies when you're having fun!). 4-5 eggs a day at this season, sometimes more.

10 happy three-week old pullets in the coop's brooder room, waiting for their first outdoor excursion this afternoon after the coming rainstorm passes us.

20 guineas who are in charge of bug patrol and inspections of any and all new or changed items appearing on the property.

These birds are living the good life, for sure!