Ok so heres the deal, I really want some hatching eggs of a sertain breed (brown leghorn), and the cheapest price Ive found is 24.95 per dozen, which is pretty cheap if you ask me compared to others ($5 per egg! ) and so I want to purchase a few dozen of theese. Anyways, I have about 23 chickens that Ive had since they wer chicks and I am thinking about selling all my chickens to get enough money to buy those eggs. The thing is, theese chickens that I have, Ive been there all the way with them, from chicks to chickens and it just seems sad to have to sell all of them theese wer more of a hobby type chickens, great layers,some were great tasting just a fun bunch of birds. Now these eggs I am planning to order, are also to me, a big investment and a big hope. Well as everybody knowes, times are hard and money isnt just lying around anymore. A great example of that, my aunt came to visit today and told me of the family summer project she has planed out for this year, making a shed in her backyard, out of adobe, adobe really? yes, bricks of mudd and straw dried in the sun, being made buy all the kids & cousins stomping in the mud and throwing staw in while a hose is on to make it muddier. Now to tell u the truth, I really do think that sounds like a fun project but it also proves a point, money is hard to get and the economy is at its worst, but I am planning for my leghorn eggs(once hatched) to be big layers, as leghors alwayas are and to supply us with eggs, send our aunts an uncles, cousins and all other relatives eggs, so it is one less thing to worry about, sell any surpluss, sell as hatching eggs, hatch in my bator to replenish flock, and maybe eat a few chickens. Now this seems a bit drastic so I would like to see what you think, any answers are very appreciated, thank you.
Sounds like you got it all figured pretty good. Starting completely over is a big step. If you sell all of them you would defiantly have enough to get the eggs. Just make sure to order enough eggs (especially if they will be shipped). Shipped eggs don't always have a great hatch rate, 33%-50% is normally about average and great from shipped. I can't afford to start completely over, so I am slowly replacing my chickens with the ones that I really want. Plus, with the slower integration I don't have to go without eggs. Good Luck with what you do.
Questions.... How old are your current chickens? Are they good layers? Can;t you keep both and just get fewer leghorns? Also are you set on the leggies? RIR's are also great layers, mine pretty much lays every day and they are cheaper to buy too. Mine was about $1.50. And... your new babies will not be laying for at least 4 to 6 months or more so you would be buying, , eggs from the store. Also, wait another month and the prices should fall as more and more chicks and eggs become available.
Quote:My chickens are about a year old, fairly good layers, but we havent been getting much since its winter and they arent the superlayer type. I am now planning on keeping both, because my nabor just hired me to watch her pets, her and her family are taking a vacation to napa valley and shes paying me quite a bit (although I cant exactly remember how much) i think more than $20/30 bucks a day, Thank god for this opportunity and I guess I can get RIRs, imean why not? thanks for the advice, Merry Christmas
A dozen brown leghorn day old chicks from McMurray is less than thirty-five dollars. Personally, I'd go that way, cause you won't have to worry about a bad hatch rate on shipped eggs, plus what on earth do you do with a leghorn rooster? Seriously, not much meat there. Just sayin'
I would like to see what you think, any answers are very appreciated, thank you. Well I would expect Don Schrider of the ALBC to have the best BL. If you can get some of his I would do that. Now I usually give away my older hens to anyone who wants them. I do keep Dual purpose breeds for that reason. I don't know that BL are a dual purpose breed. Are they? If so Don would have the best. If you want to keep your birds for a long time then I say go with a good dual breed. Yet remembering the potato blight in Ireland, yes I am that old, they planted only one kind of potato. Had they not put all their eggs in one basket they might have survived. Understand where I'm going? Don't lock into just one breed. Try to keep two or three if you can. If you intend to breed, mark any bird that gets sick and cull them. Only breed from older birds two yrs. or older. These will be your hardiest birds. I wish you well and hope to see your pics of what you decide, Rancher
I have 2 RIR bantams, 1 wyandotte, 2 ameracaunas, 2 astralorps.. I am glad to have a variety. I love some more then others, they all have such different personalities. Also some lay better, some are more like pets. So I would never get just 1 type. Keep the ones you love and get fewer of the new ones. Plan to wait for awhile for babies to grow, which is so hard to go back to the store eggs. Good luck
thanks everybody for the advice, I am keeping both, but will eventualy sell of my dear mutt chickens that Ive had for years the ones I dont sell (*the hens) I will probably have to give to my grandma, because she lives with my aunt (the one who wants to build the shed) and is probabaly going to convert it into a chicken coop knowing my grandma, and this probably has nothing to do with my previous post, but my aunt threw away the adobe Idea for her shed, I thought thank GOD but then said she will build it out of chicken wire and styrofoam and she is serious guess I'll see how that goes.....
