How does this sound?

[phoenixrises]

Not quite sure where to put this so I apologize if it's in the wrong place. I'm getting my first ever chickens when I move in July to a 5 acre farmette.

Here's my plan:

5 - Barred Rock Pullet (chicks)
1 - RIR cockerel (chick)

These have a nice coop and then will be free range during the day (plan to get more chicks after we make sure this all goes well)

25 - DP cockerel for meat (have a separate area for them - have a large dog run with shed for shelter)

OK those are pretty much definite I am getting - unless someone says that's idiotic.


Here's where I think I may be dreaming too big -

I'd like 3 turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas (so far haven't found a way to order just 3 but I'll work on that) My plan is to make them a pen out of hardware cloth and an old frame for a Trampoline and, some free range if they seem smart enough

I'd really like some sort of "protection bird" My husband won't let me get a farm dog (sacrilege I know) so I was thinking of getting 2 geese, as they are scary and loud and bossy. Is that idiotic?

Should I maybe just get the egg and meat birds and wait to see how I like it all?

 

[sourland]

Congratulations on your impending move. If you have the time and energy go forth with your plan. A more moderate way would be to just start with the two lots of chickens. Good luck in your endeavors.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You will probably want more pullets for your cockerel, to avoid overbreeding them. He will wear them out, not having enough ladies. It is recommended generally to have one roo to every 8 to 10 hens for most breeds if possible. Of course many people don't do this, but the reason I mention it is that your chickens will get along MUCH better if all raised together, and not some added to the flock later.

Also, just so you know, RIR roosters sometimes have a reputation for being mean. Any roo can be nice or mean, though, so if you really like the breed don't let it put you off. I have had mean roosters of breeds that were supposed to be nice! I have never had a RIR. There are quite a few RIR admirers on BYC. I only mention it because you are new to chickens, and I don't know whether you will be having kids do chicken chores.

 

[phoenixrises]

Ok so if I upped that to 10 pullets I'd be ok right?

 

[Mrs. K]

you know, I really think you have taken a lot on.

This is what I am going to suggest, I think I would get 20-25 dual purpose straight run chicks. Get those raised up, the reason they are dual purpose is that you get fairly decent meat, and fairly decent egg production. I would butcher the cockerels for meat, and save one for a rooster. You can figure roughly 50/50, give or take, but you should be sure left with 7-8 hens at least, leaving you with 15-18 for the freezer. If you are long on hens, (possible, but not likely) you can either keep a larger laying flock, or butcher some of the younger hens too.

This way, you get the experience, and it takes some.... with feeders, waters, fencing, and predators......without a huge investment and you can keep them all together, or later on, separate out the roos on the same feed. And you could use your other arrangement for the turkey's. The thing is, it looks like a lot of space, and it looks really like a huge space when you put chicks in it, but those chicks grow up, taking up considerable more space.... it works best, to see just how many birds get along when they are all grown up, a little at a time. It is ALWAYS better to have too much space, rather than not enough space.

I am glad to see that you picked DP birds, rather than meat birds, as meat birds need to be butchered in rather a narrow time frame, or you can start to get heavy losses. Butchering that many birds is an experience, this will let you do a few at a time, see how your freezer space works, or try some with a canner.

I guess, I think that starting with 20-25 is a pretty good start, if you have never had chickens before. I think you will have some to butcher, some to lay eggs, and maybe something for Christmas dinner. Then next year (believe me there is always next year) take on a few more.

Mrs K

 

[roostersandhens]

Ok well, everything sounds great to me, 10 pullets should do it! I think geese are awsome you shold get them, I'm not sure how great at gaurding they'd be. I got 6 chickens when I got my first chickens, 1 turned out to be a rooster, so I had 1 rooster and 5 hens, eveything was fine, 10 is PERFECT for 1 rooster. You don't want the problem I have. I have 6 roosters and only 14 girls, it's a problem, the girls backs look terrible, I may need to get more girls. Everything sounds great! It will take lots of responsibility, so make sure u can handle all that.
Good Luck!

 

[donrae]

Some things that jump out at me, in pretty random order....

25 birds take up a LOT of freezer space. Do you intend to slaughter those bad boys all at once? If so, do you have room to store them? Freezing or canning are pretty much the ways to go. Are you prepared for that?

If you order them in July, you'll be processing them in December. Is your weather good for that? I don't know where you are, but frozen fingers aren't conducive to bulk processing. It does keep the meat chilled, though

25 birds also take up a lot of space while alive. You say a large run, how big exactly? I'm thinking as they grow you're going to want at LEAST 200 square feet. Roosters raised together without hens usually get along well, but more space prevents pecking and cannibalism.

I also don't see paying extra for a cockerel chick separate. If you're buying a bulk buy, just choose one of them to keep.

I've also heard a lot about hatchery RIR roosters being pretty mean. I think management has so much to do with how a rooster acts, but basic temperament can't be overcome. If I were choosing a rooster to go over barred rock hens, I'd pick a buff orpington. They're known for gentleness as a breed, good size for carcass, good layers. Plus, the sex link babies from a buff orp roo over barred rock hens are just gorgeous!

Not at all saying your plan is idiotic! Just throwing things out there you've possibly not thought of. Voice of experience and all that.

I love turkeys! Just be warned you'll have to harden your heart against them and remember they're for dinner. They're some of the more personable birds, IMO. Friendly and just so dumb you can't help but love them. They free range okay, but be warned I've lost two to drowning. Watch ponds, water troughs, etc.

As for ordering, have you looked at something like a barnyard special from the hatcheries? I don't know how many turkeys come in that, but that'll get you turkeys and geese.

I hear guineas are great alarms, also.

I'm sure there's more, but I'm tapped for the moment. Remember to keep things simple enough you don't get overwhelmed and burn out. A place that size is just big enough to be a lot of work, and you need to remember to have fun!

 

[Beardie Girls]

Let me share my experience with RIR roosters, as it may give you a little more to go on. Our first chick purchase included 19 supposedly straight-run RIR chicks from a local guy. Seventeen of the nineteen chicks turned out to be roos. Needless to say we didn't buy from that guy again. Anyways...the first rooster to turn dominant was insanely so. He was mean to anything and everything, hens included, so was the first to go. We did our butchering a few at a time. We would memorize the combs or mark the feathers of the most aggressive and problematic roosters, and continued to weed them out this way, until we got down to 4 that were really mild-mannered. Was still too many, so the smallest two went. The two we kept are always polite and calm, and looking out for their hens. My son even pets his favorite one, and it follows him around. So the moral is that you can certainly get an awesome RIR rooster - but the best way to find him might be to start with straight run so you have a few.

Also, each of our RIR roosters has a harem of 5 hens, and ChickensAreSweet is right - 5 is not enough. All have feather damage, many of it really severe. I have most of them in saddles now, waiting for all my new young hens to get old enough to start to take up some slack.

 

[phoenixrises]

Thanks everyone for your ideas! This is exactly what I was looking for. I should have said in my first post that I'm absolutely NOT new to animal husbandry, just chickens. I've been a horse trainer, rider and competitor for many many years (more than I'd care to admit) and while I do realize there is a far cry difference between a horse and a chicken, the basics of how one cares for an animal and the dedication that requires I'm very used to.

I really like the idea of getting 25 straight run and going from there. I was originally set on the Barred Rock because they were pretty and my son really wanted to get into 4H and I figured they were easy enough for that. But now that I think about it maybe I should just do the 25 DP Straight run that gives me a mix of breeds, then maybe we can decide on our favorite.

This is so exciting!

Our farm is in Southern GA so December processing is completely doable. And I do have a large bulk freezer. We hope to keep it well stocked with deer and chicken, and rarely need to get meat from the grocer. My plan is to find someone to process the first batch but let me watch and help, and then I can do subsequent batches. Except maybe not the turkeys. One I've been warned of the pet issue and 2 they're huge, and while I'm a strong 130 lbs, I'm not quite sure I can do the deed physically and my husband will be NO help.

If we had more acreage I'd add some meat goats, but I think they'd just annoy the horses and me if I can't keep them separate.

I would love to wait to get two until after I've got a handle on these 25 but then I'd have to source locally. That brings a completely new set of questions! Is it possible to source at the local fairs? Go to the poultry tent and either buy from there or talk to the competitors? Are they usually a friendly lot? Horse people aren't always known for being on their best behavior at shows so just wondering!

And that was a book. Sorry. Again thanks to you all. What we've decided so far is I will get 25 straight run DP with a mix of breeds. Turkeys, geese and everything else is in a holding pattern until we can be sure I'm not a murderer.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thanks everyone for your ideas! This is exactly what I was looking for. I should have said in my first post that I'm absolutely NOT new to animal husbandry, just chickens. I've been a horse trainer, rider and competitor for many many years (more than I'd care to admit) and while I do realize there is a far cry difference between a horse and a chicken, the basics of how one cares for an animal and the dedication that requires I'm very used to.

I really like the idea of getting 25 straight run and going from there. I was originally set on the Barred Rock because they were pretty and my son really wanted to get into 4H and I figured they were easy enough for that. But now that I think about it maybe I should just do the 25 DP Straight run that gives me a mix of breeds, then maybe we can decide on our favorite.

This is so exciting!

Our farm is in Southern GA so December processing is completely doable. And I do have a large bulk freezer. We hope to keep it well stocked with deer and chicken, and rarely need to get meat from the grocer. My plan is to find someone to process the first batch but let me watch and help, and then I can do subsequent batches. Except maybe not the turkeys. One I've been warned of the pet issue and 2 they're huge, and while I'm a strong 130 lbs, I'm not quite sure I can do the deed physically and my husband will be NO help.

If we had more acreage I'd add some meat goats, but I think they'd just annoy the horses and me if I can't keep them separate.

I would love to wait to get two until after I've got a handle on these 25 but then I'd have to source locally. That brings a completely new set of questions! Is it possible to source at the local fairs? Go to the poultry tent and either buy from there or talk to the competitors? Are they usually a friendly lot? Horse people aren't always known for being on their best behavior at shows so just wondering!

And that was a book. Sorry. Again thanks to you all. What we've decided so far is I will get 25 straight run DP with a mix of breeds. Turkeys, geese and everything else is in a holding pattern until we can be sure I'm not a murderer.

Everyone has brought up great points in their posts! You have gotten a lot of good advice here.

For sourcing the chickens, I highly recommend getting nice fresh chicks from a hatchery or feed store. You will have a LOT fewer problems most likely with poultry diseases that way. There are all kinds of nasty diseases chickens can get, and some of those transmit through the egg to the baby chick, and others render chickens asymptomatic carriers but then give your other chickens a respiratory disease after mixing with them.

Now there are plenty of reputable breeders out there who cull at the first sign of disease and maintain a healthy flock. But unless you know that you are dealing with someone like that, I'd stay away from anything but fresh chicks - especially for your first chickens. It is a totally depressing thing to buy a flock infested with worms or some chickens that need antibiotics constantly.

Just as a side note: buying from a hatchery or feed store doesn't guarantee disease-free, either, but it is generally safer as there is a lot of chronic respiratory disease going around the backyard flocks and some people don't know that they should not be selling those chickens to others.