How often do you get new birds?

[igorsMistress]

No, because it's way faster to get good gelatinous bone broth...3 hours vs like 12-15.
Plus, I can't stand the smell for that long.

Yea, I know what you mean

Honestly, I find beef to be worse.

 

[Kessel23]

I get new birds in the spring. Usually at least a few every year.
For old birds, I let the bird stay around as long as it wants, I have a relationship with them that is more pet than livestock and the only healthy birds I have killed are aggressive roosters and birds I got for the purpose of meat production.

 

[GC-Raptor]

My original thought was to get day old chicks every 2 years in the spring and cull for freezer camp around 28 months.
Well nearly 35 months later I still have 3 of 5 original Hens and a second coop with seven 6 months old Pullets.
I don't know what I will do. One of the Hens retired from laying last May.
One molted this winter and didn't lay for 3 months. The other molted but only slowed to 3/5 a week. Both of them are back to full production and gave me 13 eggs last week.
My new Flock of 7 Barred Rocks gave me 44 eggs last week.
I had to find new customers and contact the others i cut off before the new girl's started to lay. GC

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Good thread!!

 

[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.

 

[aart]

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

Sad enough to build more coops and runs?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sad enough to build more coops and runs?

He probably would agree to that, don't give him ideas!

 

[aart]

He probably would agree to that, don't give him ideas!

Ah, smart keeper you are!

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Yea, I know what you mean

Honestly, I find beef to be worse.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't stand the smell of bone broth. I thought I was just weird.

 

[aart]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't stand the smell of bone broth. I thought I was just weird.

It's not just bone broth, per se, but anything(with meat?) cooking for hours and hours and hours...like roasting a whole turkey on Thanksgiving. Olfactory Overload.