Greetings from Sackville, New Brunswick.

[hankyknot]

Hi everyone,

I've just moved to a rural farmhouse outside of Sackville, New Brunswick and I'm looking into getting a few chickens primarily for their eggs.

I have zero experience so bare with me if my ideas sound a little crazy and don't be shy in telling me so.

I understand that in order to have eggs year round you need somewhere warm for the chickens in the winter. What I was wondering though is if there is any reason not to get hens in the spring and then get them processed for meat at the beginning of winter, at least for the first year or two while I get the hang of things. I would imagine it only makes sense if you get hens that are both good for meat and for eggs but will freely admit these are just thoughts written down based on zero knowledge.

I'm planning on building some kind of chicken tractor and moving it around the field on a regular basis but if things go well then building a more permanent hen house is definitely do-able.

So am I crazy or does this make sense, also are there any folk in my area that wouldn't mind sharing their experiences and advice it would be great to hear from you.

 

[RodNTN]

I am glad you joined us! No, you are not crazy, it makes sense! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Or just hop over to the Learning Center:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

And if you want to chat with some folks around your area, just check this thread out:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you
I hope you enjoy BYC and find it helpful, best wishes!

 

[Flock Master64]

Hello, welcome to Backyard Chickens.

The Links RodNTN provided for you should be useful.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings, hankyknot, and

! Pleased you joined us! Yes, great links provided by RodNTN. Best wishes and thanks for joining our community!

 

[N F C]

Your plan isn't crazy at all...there are people that do as you are considering. You'll want to get the chickens early in the year so they have time to get to a laying age (unless you go with purchasing point of lay...POL...hens). Another thing to think about, a lot of people are surprised to find they grow attached to their chickens and consider them pets so they find the extra work to get them through the winter worth it.

Thanks for joining us, if you have questions always feel free to ask. And using the Search box in the upper left corner of the screen will help you find topics you are interested in exploring.

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under hankyknot [Good username btw, I like it!]

Welcome!

Living in Aus, our winter is not something we really need to plan for but I did just want to say that I hope you enjoy BYC. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun. Unlike non chicken loving friends, family and colleagues, BYC’ers never tire of stories or pictures that feature our feathered and non feathered friends

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[hankyknot]

Updates from Sackville.
Chickens ordered.
Chicken tractor almost finished!

 

[BantyChooks]

Looks fantastic. What breeds are you getting?

Also, you don't need heat on chooks in winter. I live in a climate like yours and they lay fairly well thru winter with no heat. Them chooks are hardy.

 

[hankyknot]

As this year is more of an experiment about whether chickens and I are compatible I didn't pay too much attention as far as breeds etc go. I've ordered 2 brown and 2 white from the farm shop in Amherst. Next year will be the year-of-doing-things-properly if things go well this year. It will include re-making the tractor out of cedar and ordering chicks that are good for both eggs and meat. Also working on a design for brooding box monitor that I can use to keep an eye on temperature, feed and water levels that will include some automation aspects.