WestKnollAmy
The Crazy Chicken Lady
Well, I found out it is easier to start off with more than you need because accidents happen and sometimes they don't all make it.
Also, hatcheries make mistakes and when you order pullets, they sometimes send you roos by mistake. Easy enough then to put those in the freezer as we are going to do this fall with all the pullets that are actually roos. However, that is less laying hens for us.
We wanted eggs and meat so we found the breeds that laid the brown eggs we wanted and made a list of those, then found out what was dual purpose and added a few then thinned that list by what we considered a pretty flock of birds. Now we have ~about~ 91 birds in all but some are going into the freezer come fall and others will lay nicely for us.
Next spring we hope to hatch out 75 eggs or so and all roos will go into the freezer and any hens not producing well may join them and we keep the pullets to see if they will do better. Some may be "mutts" but that is alright with us. We do have several roos that are the same breed as some of our pullets for egg color or good meat production.
Another note. It is sometimes difficult and stressful (to you and them) to add birds to your flock later on if you feel you haven't enough for eggs and meat. But we have land to work on and I understand when others are trying with limited space.
Good luck!
Also, hatcheries make mistakes and when you order pullets, they sometimes send you roos by mistake. Easy enough then to put those in the freezer as we are going to do this fall with all the pullets that are actually roos. However, that is less laying hens for us.
We wanted eggs and meat so we found the breeds that laid the brown eggs we wanted and made a list of those, then found out what was dual purpose and added a few then thinned that list by what we considered a pretty flock of birds. Now we have ~about~ 91 birds in all but some are going into the freezer come fall and others will lay nicely for us.
Next spring we hope to hatch out 75 eggs or so and all roos will go into the freezer and any hens not producing well may join them and we keep the pullets to see if they will do better. Some may be "mutts" but that is alright with us. We do have several roos that are the same breed as some of our pullets for egg color or good meat production.
Another note. It is sometimes difficult and stressful (to you and them) to add birds to your flock later on if you feel you haven't enough for eggs and meat. But we have land to work on and I understand when others are trying with limited space.
Good luck!
