Hey Yorkshire,
Thanks for the welcome! I've made the decision to start raising more animals for consumption- I've become one of those odd ducks that prefer knowing where my food comes from. Have previously raised chickens, ducks, turkeys, and guineas.
Currently have a small flock of Midget White Turkeys- which I can't recommend enough to anyone. The friendliest and most personality I have seen in a turkey. Also have a small egg layer flock of mostly Brown Red Ameraucana chickens who decided to try to hatch out a clutch recently and had a whopping total of 1 hatch out. The chick is in the brooder along with 10 Black Australorp chicks I got to "keep him company".
Planning on this year mostly establishing my breeding flocks for the coming year. For the record, I am a fan of Heritage Breed poultry and want to focus mostly on that type to make a self- sustainable flock.
Meat Chicken Flock- have 75 chicks of various large heritage breeds ordered to arrive in early March, want to try to develop some of my own crosses. I don't wish to get into an argument / discussion on commercialized Cornish Cross strains- they are great for what they were developed for but they are not for me. I am aware of the project of creating one's own Meat Bird crosses, and follow that sub-thread pretty closely, but I have a lot of time and space and want to give it a shot.
Ducks- Anconas coming in April-May, possibly some Silver Appleyards if I find a source I like. Keep small flock for eggs and hatch a few dozen ducklings for meat.
Quail- Jumbo Coturnix in april-june, still in the debate between buying hatching eggs or take the 5-6 hour round trip to pick up chicks from south of the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metro area.
Turkeys- Have the MWs, debating on getting a few more of a different type like Bourbon Reds or a mix from Porter's. Maintain a small "breeder flock" and raising out some poults each year.
Thanks
-Doc