How often do you get new birds?

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I just got my first ducks today so I usually get birds every two years to replace my culled flock.

 

[MagpieDucks]

Wow! Do you raise birds for meat?

Umm...no. I just happen to get several batches of birds. Order dux, hatch some dux, order chicks, hatch some chicks, get some adults, etc...

 

[rosemarythyme]

My plan is to get chicks every 2 to 3 years, depending on how egg output is looking. We just need enough eggs for 2 households of 2 adults.

 

[Hufflefluff]

As to the original poster - don't cull them, SELL them as laying birds. Do not feel guilted into keeping birds you don't like for whatever reason. A lot of people like a mature bird that they don't have to raise up.

Once the bird is theirs, it is not your repsonsibility. Truthfully even dual purpose birds are not that great of meat birds. If you want to raise chicken for meat, get meat birds. I will never go back.

I keep a flock, have had one for years, the birds, they come and go in the flock.

Mrs K

This is an excellent idea! I'm actually not sure why I didn't think of this- thank you for bringing it up! I'm not sure how much luck I'll have selling layers where I live, but it's absolutely worth a shot. And I've wanted to raise meat birds, but the rest of the family isn't too keen on the idea- the 14-year-old gets upset about the idea of raising baby chicks to kill (but is fine with me culling adult birds?? Someday I'll figure out how his logic pans out)

 

[Hufflefluff]

We started with 6, that quickly changed and we now have 57.[cut]

I get new chicks about 4 times a year.

Wow! New life goal: live somewhere where I can do this

 

[Mrs. K]

As to the original poster - don't cull them, SELL them as laying birds. Do not feel guilted into keeping birds you don't like for whatever reason. A lot of people like a mature bird that they don't have to raise up.

Once the bird is theirs, it is not your repsonsibility. Truthfully even dual purpose birds are not that great of meat birds. If you want to raise chicken for meat, get meat birds. I will never go back.

I keep a flock, have had one for years, the birds, they come and go in the flock.

Mrs K

 

[SomeChickinTN]

I had planned on doing a three year rotation, with new chicks every spring, but based on what I've read on this site, I'm thinking it's better to go with a two year. I have these older birds I'm supposed to process, but I'm pretty sure they are in their 4th year, so I'm wondering if they are too old to even eat if it's better to do it by 18 months.

 

[SueT]

We have a monthly poultry swap here. (Joplin, MO) I enjoy going there, and plan to sell some of my 2 year old hens this spring. I did not lose any chickens in 2018, and my coop space is maxed out.
I am not raising new chicks this spring, but hope I'll have a broody that wants to do the work for me.

 

[coach723]

I generally get chicks every other year, but that's not set in concrete. I sometimes buy, sometimes hatch with a broody hen (have not incubated yet, still thinking about it). If numbers take a dive for some reason I will add more often. I currently have 28 birds, about half are still laying, 8 just started that were purchased last fall. Chicks are addicting, but adult birds a problem if overcrowded, so will power is necessary. Or never ending expansion. My hens get to live til they are lost to natural causes/illness, the extra cockerels go in the freezer, the good ones get to stay and be breeders and flock guardians. There is really no set answer for how often to add or how long to keep them, it just depends on what your goals are and how you view your birds (pet, livestock, somewhere in between). I started with 2 hens, and chicken math has taken over.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It's a fine balance between how often I want new chicks and how many new chicks my husband will tolerate!

My husband is the opposite - he's always encouraging me to get more birds if I want, while mentally I'm screaming, "We didn't build big enough for that! And who will eat the excess eggs?!" (He at least volunteered to eat all the eggs.)

He's also sad because last time I said I'd try to get him a Sicilian Buttercup and then I didn't buy one (hatch date schedule was too spread out) so I'll have to make sure to aim for getting one next time we raise chicks.