Freezer Camp For The Whole Flock!!!!!!!!!

[harryg6167]

Quote:
Its your choice, they are your birds, but if you give them as much time and attention as you say you are, then you should want what is best for them. If not, then kill them and eat them, just don't get anymore chickens if your expectations are so hi. You will just put yourself in the same situation. Again...they are animals....NOT MACHINES!

Bless you. I agree. Some people should not have any animals. They do not understand the nature of living things. Or they didn't do their homework.

35 weeks old and no eggs? I don't think anyone can guarantee George that his chickens are laying.Maybe they are and again maybe they have not
started laying yet. I like having my chickens and love fooling around with them as often as I can every day but in the end they are really on
my place for 2 main purposes; eggs and meat..Food.
Some people should not have animals? Why, just because they choose to butcher them? Nothing better than a home raised chicken,beef calf or hog, that
we butcher ourselves to put food in the freezer.
But it does seem as if this post was put her to get ya'll all riled up as it seems killing and processing our own animal seems to stir some people up on here.

 

[wjallen05]

if you birds are from Jan. there is something going on, egg eating, hiding them, or you just have poor layers, I realize some birds are slow but 11 months

The ones that haven't started laying yet are my Silkie and Ameraucana hens. They are from eggs I hatched out that I bought from a wonderful breeder with show quality stock. I also have two Rhode Island Red and one Leghorn hen from Ideal Poultry that are the same age and haven't started laying yet either. Everyone else has laid at some point or another but most have stopped or slowed down with the cold weather.​

 

[Jess N Jeff]

"35 weeks old and no eggs? I don't think anyone can guarantee George that his chickens are laying.Maybe they are and again maybe they have not
started laying yet. I like having my chickens and love fooling around with them as often as I can every day but in the end they are really on
my place for 2 main purposes; eggs and meat..Food.
Some people should not have animals? Why, just because they choose to butcher them? Nothing better than a home raised chicken,beef calf or hog, that
we butcher ourselves to put food in the freezer.
But it does seem as if this post was put her to get ya'll all riled up as it seems killing and processing our own animal seems to stir some people up on here."


Its not that I disaggree with him processing his birds. I've processed my own. My issue was the mass "offing" of all his birds out of frustration and haste. What is the point of "freezer camping" that many birds when he could give them a little bit more time and get exactly what he wanted...eggs!"

Then the comment of "starting over next spring"...why do that when he will be in the exact same spot a year from now.

It was not to stir up the kill or not kill animals for food. Its the idea of stepping back and thinking about what you are really doing and what you truely want to accomplish. It was getting eggs...correct? Well then let people on here help you!!! If you chose not to do that then yes, his expectations are too hi. Plane and simple.

 

[MTtroutwithwings]

Quote:
Chickenmaven has a very good point! I generally keep my girls in a fenced area about 500 sq ft around their coop where they lay while fenced in BUT...when they're allowed to free range outside that area on my 7 acres I find eggs all over the place because they have no desire to return just to lay an egg. And if they break in the process they will turn and eat them, leaving literally no evidence! Now there is no free ranging until they've completed their coop chores!

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

Quote:
What exactly is the vent and where is it located on a chicken????

Also referred to as "the poop chute"

(My son and I learned that our first year of 4-H when we attended a chicken clinic on how to handle a chicken and identify body parts. To a 10 year old, that's pretty funny. To the mom - I thought it was pretty funny too)

 

[harryg6167]

I do agree however that I wouldn't "off" all of them. I see where everyone is coming from on that point.
If George got chickens for the eggs wouldn't it be a disappintment to process the chickens only to find eggs ready to be be laid
present in them. (I know that's how my luck would go). Danged if you do and danged if you don't.
I know a few of mine from a June hatch have laid but it was few and far between so far.
I know without artificial light, they will slow down so I am so far deciding to not put the lighting in to
increase their laying capabilities. Just going to wait until spring and reap the rewards then.
Also agree if George were to wait he will probably have more eggs than they know what to do with come spring.

 

[windyridgefarm]

I have been told that extending the day length with additional lighting, prferably in the am, will help to keep the chickens laying as the days shorten. I think It would also encourage them to start laying if they had not started to. There are also some breeds that are known to be better winter layers, see one of the topics on here. I havent seen any decrease in my flock (knock on wood) Randy

 

[ParadisePoultry]

Seriously, I don't think Chicken George is even checking this forum anymore. So you all are just wasting your breath(fingers?) Some people already have their minds made up and don't want to be confused by the facts

bj

 

[gsim]

George,

Unless you positively know that someone is home at all times and that no one is coming into your coop, I am guessing that you have a two-legged prankster/thief. There is very little chance that some of your flock is not laying. It has to be a thief or they are all roos; which cannot be because you have raised chickens before and would know the difference. Egg-sucker preds leave some shells behind so you would see that evidence. Can you borrow a game cam? Have you called tha hatchery to see if this has ever happened before? I bought from Meyers in Ohio and they have a consumer line with a live person that knows about chooks to talk to. You could call them and just say you got yours from them and what do they recommend.

I have black aussies and barred rock too, along with RIR and B comets. Flock size is 24. I got mine in Early June and they began to lay in Early Oct at 4 months old. They are now 6 months old and lay around 16-17 eggs a day. My coop is locked and would have to be physically broken into in order for anyone to steal my eggs. Is your coop under lock and key? Secure it to where any thief will have to leave evidence if he comes to get eggs. Do you free-range? If so, have you searched for eggs anywhere around the place? Most chooks will not return to the coop to lay eggs while out free-ranging, especially if they are far from the coop.

 

[smarsh2]

i had a rooster named george, i ate him; mean rooster. yeah George has left us, i am not sure why he ever joined. Just venting i guess. i cannot imagine a breed of chicken that is supposed to be a layer going that long without laying. i suspect there are eggs being layed or we don't know the whole story. Even poorly fed chickens of that quantity should have layed an egg by now. If he hasn't gotten eggs, i don't blame him. i would love to see a picture of those chickens.