I'm from Delaware, from Kent but living in Sussex.
This is my first time raising chickens, or birds of any kind, or any animals of my own (except a few dogs and a guinea pig that weren't entirely mine). I took animal classes (in the agriculture high school pathway and for pre-vet) so I consider this my hands-on experiment. We're also going to be gardening like crazy. Have our own little self-sufficiency thing going on this year.
We're starting our own organic chicken flock. Or, mostly organic, I think the starter feed isn't quite organic. Anyway. We're starting a flock that isn't pumped full of hormones and steroids. One that will give us eggs that are better for you and fresher than the grocery store ones.
I worked at a chicken plant for around 7 months, and got to see firsthand what commercial birds go through. It's kinda sad.
I currently have 4 Cornish/Rock chicks, 4 Australorps, and 6 red sex links. From what I hear, the Australorps and red sex links are excellent layers. I just hope they really are. The Cornish/Rocks are not staying with us too long, since they're a meat chicken. I might be getting more, I'm trying to resist the temptation. Truly, I am.
For the bad part, we can't keep them in town, but for the good part, 2 blocks over there is an old commercial chicken house we can let them run in. I have 14 right now, my m-i-l has 24 (12/12 Cornish/Rocks and Australorps), and her father has 32 (all red sex links). He used to raise tons of chickens back in the day
hence the houses.
This is my first time raising chickens, or birds of any kind, or any animals of my own (except a few dogs and a guinea pig that weren't entirely mine). I took animal classes (in the agriculture high school pathway and for pre-vet) so I consider this my hands-on experiment. We're also going to be gardening like crazy. Have our own little self-sufficiency thing going on this year.
We're starting our own organic chicken flock. Or, mostly organic, I think the starter feed isn't quite organic. Anyway. We're starting a flock that isn't pumped full of hormones and steroids. One that will give us eggs that are better for you and fresher than the grocery store ones.
I worked at a chicken plant for around 7 months, and got to see firsthand what commercial birds go through. It's kinda sad.
I currently have 4 Cornish/Rock chicks, 4 Australorps, and 6 red sex links. From what I hear, the Australorps and red sex links are excellent layers. I just hope they really are. The Cornish/Rocks are not staying with us too long, since they're a meat chicken. I might be getting more, I'm trying to resist the temptation. Truly, I am.
For the bad part, we can't keep them in town, but for the good part, 2 blocks over there is an old commercial chicken house we can let them run in. I have 14 right now, my m-i-l has 24 (12/12 Cornish/Rocks and Australorps), and her father has 32 (all red sex links). He used to raise tons of chickens back in the day
hence the houses.
