I had planned to do about 300 cornish cross meat birds on pasture this year....150 starting May 1 and then 150 starting Aug 15. However, since we're being forced to move, the 1st bunch never got started. I was planning on selling 250 of them, too.
However, I do have 14 meaties in a movable pen that DH made for me out of a cap to a pick up. So, at least I'll have a few for our freezer camp. Prayerfully, I'll be able to do a min of 100 more to help pay for them and to make sure we have enough chicken until next spring.
I also have about 36 hens laying now and 3 grown roos for their protection. I have 18 Easter Eggers hens in the little hen house. They are 4 weeks old and will lay green and blue eggs. Then, I have 27 other chicks in a brooder in the garage. What am I going to do with all these birds (84!), Now?!
Of the ones in the brooder five little hens were supposed to go elsewhere....she can't have them now. Ten of the chicks were straight run Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. Hopefully, at least 7 are hens and I will dispatch 2 roos. Five are Red-sex linked hens, 2 are Easter Egger Roos to go w/the EE hens. 7 are types of Polishes (3 white crested, 3 silver, 1 buff).
http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...h+hens&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701 They're going to be so cool looking! 1 is a Golden Laced Wyandotte. 2 were "rare, but unkown" freebies w/the order.
I'm praying for a place where we can continue to free range our birds. To have to pen then would mean one big dirt patch!:yuck: And, a huge feed bill along with a ton of fencing! Right now, they range on 5 acres and control all the bugs. The eggs are fab! They are the only source of income on the farm at the moment. However, I pray that will soon change.
I could conceivably cut the flock to 18 mature hens and 25 immature birds, but I really don't want to do that! My entire flock would bring in about $3000/year in income after expenses, and not including the dozen eggs per day that we go through!
However, I do have 14 meaties in a movable pen that DH made for me out of a cap to a pick up. So, at least I'll have a few for our freezer camp. Prayerfully, I'll be able to do a min of 100 more to help pay for them and to make sure we have enough chicken until next spring.
I also have about 36 hens laying now and 3 grown roos for their protection. I have 18 Easter Eggers hens in the little hen house. They are 4 weeks old and will lay green and blue eggs. Then, I have 27 other chicks in a brooder in the garage. What am I going to do with all these birds (84!), Now?!
Of the ones in the brooder five little hens were supposed to go elsewhere....she can't have them now. Ten of the chicks were straight run Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. Hopefully, at least 7 are hens and I will dispatch 2 roos. Five are Red-sex linked hens, 2 are Easter Egger Roos to go w/the EE hens. 7 are types of Polishes (3 white crested, 3 silver, 1 buff).
http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...h+hens&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701 They're going to be so cool looking! 1 is a Golden Laced Wyandotte. 2 were "rare, but unkown" freebies w/the order.
I'm praying for a place where we can continue to free range our birds. To have to pen then would mean one big dirt patch!:yuck: And, a huge feed bill along with a ton of fencing! Right now, they range on 5 acres and control all the bugs. The eggs are fab! They are the only source of income on the farm at the moment. However, I pray that will soon change.
I could conceivably cut the flock to 18 mature hens and 25 immature birds, but I really don't want to do that! My entire flock would bring in about $3000/year in income after expenses, and not including the dozen eggs per day that we go through!
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