Growing my flock!

[FrozenFlock10200]

I have 5 pullets and a rooster, (18 weeks) none are laying yet. Hopefully soon. How long should I wait to collect eggs for incubating myself? I've heard the 2nd year layers have the healthiest chicks, is this true. Also If I do want to use a dual purpose bird for meat and eggs, how often should I hatch a new clutch? How do I avoid birth defects?Sorry for all the questions. New to chicken life

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to chickens!

If you browse the article section of this website you'll find a lot of good advice about hatching chicks and keeping a multi-generational flock.

 

[aart]

How long should I wait to collect eggs for incubating myself?

Best not to incubate pullet eggs wait at least a few months.
And make sure you have the housing needed to raise them.

I've heard the 2nd year layers have the healthiest chicks, is this true.

Well, the eggs will be bigger.

How do I avoid birth defects?

Healthy chicks come from healthy parent stock.

Also If I do want to use a dual purpose bird for meat and eggs, how often should I hatch a new clutch?

That's a big question. How big is your coop and run....and your freezer?
I incubate replacement layers every year, and also slaughter all the cockerels at about 14 weeks and a few older hens before winter to get the numbers down to fit my housing.
Think long term, go slow so you and your housing and storage are not overwhelmed.

 

[DobieLover]

and a few older hens

HOW do you not get attached??

 

[aart]

HOW do you not get attached??

I do with some of them.
Slaughtering hens is harder than those rascally cockerels.
The first hens I did I bought as adults, so wasn't too attached.
Other ones have been harder,
but it was the goal from the beginning to keep chickens for eggs and meat,
so I shoulder thru it for the good of the flock as a whole.
Space is limited here, to in order to add new layers older ones have to go.
I tend to be anti-anthropomorphic, that helps.
Chickens are not pets to me, tho I've liked to pet a few.

 

[Mrs. K]

@ Dobielover - It is hard not to be attached, but here are some things that have helped me.

I tend to keep a flock, where birds come in and go. I give them a good life while the are with me. As Bobbie says "Just one bad moment." I do allow myself to have a few favorites, but others I am more distant with. I think the longer you have chickens, you come to realize that loosing them is more of a fact of life with a much less life span that many other pets.

I do see posts where people are crushed by a loss, and sometimes question if chickens are a good hobby for such sensitive people. A lot of chickens will die of natural causes somewhere around 3 years of age. I know some people have birds much older, but I don't think it is a reasonable expected outcome.

Once I decide a bird has to go, I don't watch them. Just feed and water them. Distancing myself. The first one is the hardest, it does help to have moral reinforcements, but after a while, it is like pulling a sliver out, it hurts to do it, but almost immediately the flock is better.

Mrs K

 

[DobieLover]

@ Dobielover - It is hard not to be attached, but here are some things that have helped me.

I tend to keep a flock, where birds come in and go. I give them a good life while the are with me. As Bobbie says "Just one bad moment." I do allow myself to have a few favorites, but others I am more distant with. I think the longer you have chickens, you come to realize that loosing them is more of a fact of life with a much less life span that many other pets.

I do see posts where people are crushed by a loss, and sometimes question if chickens are a good hobby for such sensitive people. A lot of chickens will die of natural causes somewhere around 3 years of age. I know some people have birds much older, but I don't think it is a reasonable expected outcome.

Once I decide a bird has to go, I don't watch them. Just feed and water them. Distancing myself. The first one is the hardest, it does help to have moral reinforcements, but after a while, it is like pulling a sliver out, it hurts to do it, but almost immediately the flock is better.

Mrs K

I've been taking a different route for the time being.
I choose hens that I'm not particularly attached to or that I outright have come to dislike and I sell them at less than 2 years old. I have some from my original flock that I don't think I'll ever let go. They will die here.
As for the cockerels, I've lucked out and found homes for all of them.
The day will come that I will try my hand at raising the boys for food. But they are so damn pretty I find myself drawn to them. And none of these boys have been rotten. I think that would help with the culling if they made me hate them!