Guilty for buying high production birds??

[HorizonSon]

Our one RIR hen is going through her second winter now. Even with the short days and her molting she only dropped from 6~6.5 eggs per week down to about 3.5~4.5 eggs per week. Her "husband" and herself will be going to chickie heaven this Spring/Summer, once my Delawares start providing my breakfast

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Quote:
Which is pretty much the norm for sex-linked birds in my experience. If you're not keeping them in a lighted, environmentally controlled barn (as in commercial egg farm) they act just like any standard bred chicken except that they'll outlay the standard breds if you feed them right.

The only down side to the sex-links is that they will not breed true if you hatch their eggs. You will most likely however still get a bird that lays pretty well if maybe not quite as well as their sex-linked parents.

There is a lot of blather on this board about heritage this and production that, but it really comes down to what you want from your birds. If you want a show bird then get a show bird. If you want eggs then get a breed or a cross that lays them well. Decide what you want and go from there. You won't be wrong either way.

 

[Wifezilla]

I have high egg production breed ducks (Welsh Harlequins). I just heard from someone with an 8 year old hen that is still laying 3 egg/week. This hen is happy, healthy, and her eggs are still fertile. I will be getting a drake hatched from one of her eggs this August.

Not all high production egg layers end up suffering or miserable. The production will drop off after about 3 years. The choice to cull at that point or just add another layer is an individual choice based on your goals as an owner or on the health of the individual bird.

Stop kicking yourself and enjoy your animals.

 

[donrae]

Quote:
Pls explain, how will the birds suffer? I've never heard this and can't figure it out.

If you wanted chickens for eggs, you made an excellent choice! They don't have "unnatural" egg production, they've been bred to naturally lay a lot of eggs. Their bodies will take breaks around 18 months old, normally, and I haven't heard of any long term health problems from sex-link or production hens. Yes, they will taper off laying after the second and esp the third year, but about all hens do. Plus, unless you're set up to breed quality birds, show and sell, why worry about having a heritage breed? Enjoy your girls and eggs!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

A friend of mine has a 13 yr. old hen that occasionally still gives her an egg.

I bought high production hatchery birds, well....because what do I know?!!

I'm getting half of what I was getting when they first started to lay. I don't have
customers per say. Just people more than happy to buy eggs when I have extras.
I'm fortunate that I can afford to feed pet chickens that don't produce. They have a
home as long as they're still tick'in and kick'in.

Just enjoy your girls. There's more value in them than their eggs!!

 

[PineappleMama]

We've got GSLs because they were available at the local feed store and because roos are outlawed and it's the only sure way of getting all girls. Would have loved to have other kinds, just for variety, but couldn't risk a roo.

Don't feel any more guilty for that than I do for caging birds period... I mean technically we're all messing with nature.

Also don't feel bad about having my doggies... I can't for the life of me picture them hunting down an elk in the wild... hehe actually NOW I can, pretty funny image too.

 

[Winisk]

You're near me! I had my friend give me some of his older production hens plus a few week old chicks from elsewhere. Turns out the chicks were RIR and three were roosters. Two of the older ones died this summer (no suffering) which was very sad for my young daughters. A good lesson though. This fall I had to get rid of two of the roosters, which was again saddening for my kids but I explained that roosters like to fight and need their own flock to be happy. So I took them to a market and sold them to "loving homes" while picking up a couple of Barred Rocks and two more RIR. Everyone is happy now. So the moral of the story is that it is quite easy to transition out of production birds and pick up some breeds that you would rather have over time. The children will not be traumatized by having some leave and new ones arriving. Just a thought.

 

[wood&feathers]

Is there some confusion here between breeds for egg production vs meaties? Cornish cross meat birds WILL have health issues as they age at an unnatural rate if free fed. Production layers are physiologically comparable to any other laying or multipurpose chicken. They just lay more eggs in the first year or two of life. If you don't add extra winter light, even that may not be all that different.

Let's face it, we all love looking at pics of the heritage breeds. But it sure is hard to resist a tub full of fuzzies in spring even if they aren't poster chickens for the Standard of Perfection! Love 'em all! You can even show production birds with your kids if they're in 4H. It's more about the kid's knowledge and showmanship than the bird.

 

[sovia]

My first flock was comprised mostly of "heritage" breeds. Frustrated with them being broody all the time, I decided to try some of the red sex links and I have to say that they are very sweet-natured and do they ever lay!

After having chickens for a few years now, I've decided to be honest with myself. As much as I wish otherwise, I am never going to be a breeder trying to preserve the heritage breeds. I just don't have the time/energy to do so, but I do want chickens with a nice disposition. Nor am I going to be showing them at major poultry shows. And, I want eggs - lots of them - year round. So, I am culling my entire flock this spring and starting over. I am going to get 12 sex links from Ideal - they have four colors to choose from - and maybe a couple of silkies for my daughter. I figure those twelve birds will lay just as good as 20 "heritage" birds. They might not be as much fun to look at, but I can deal with it, especially once they start laying.

 

[RedReiner]

ok I am a little confused. new to chickens sorry, have BBS orps, just 6 hens for now. why would they suffer after a couple years and the laying tapers off? cant they just hang out and eat bugs in the yard? does not laying an egg make them sick? I just like to watch them, eggs are a bonus, I have other livestock so if they eat bugs and flys all summer I am happy with that. if I want more eggs, I will get a couple more hens. I assume they dont live forever but still dont understand why a high production layer would suffer as she gets older...?