I have new people( friends of existing customers)that want eggs but.....

[chickchoon1]

they need to be educated on chickens slowing down in the fall!!!! I forewarn new customers(new spring customers) that the girls slow down in fall and I may have to cut back on their eggs(long-had customers get priority) but have friends/relatives of theirs wanting my eggs and I have to let them know it takes me several months to produce a layer! I have 3 pullets, 18 wks old, that were hatched from mutt dad/unknown mamas and don't know if they will start in couple months or wait until spring when warmer.I know I know they are mutts but certainly they will lay sometimes.Keep saying I will stop doing the layers for others then get sucked into the fascination of new breeds, etc. I have 7 six y/o hens still laying occasionally(long standing pets) so have to thin out the 3 yo redstars for next years new layers.

 

[Outpost JWB]

they need to be educated on chickens slowing down in the fall!!!! I forewarn new customers(new spring customers) that the girls slow down in fall and I may have to cut back on their eggs(long-had customers get priority) but have friends/relatives of theirs wanting my eggs and I have to let them know it takes me several months to produce a layer! I have 3 pullets, 18 wks old, that were hatched from mutt dad/unknown mamas and don't know if they will start in couple months or wait until spring when warmer.I know I know they are mutts but certainly they will lay sometimes.Keep saying I will stop doing the layers for others then get sucked into the fascination of new breeds, etc. I have 7 six y/o hens still laying occasionally(long standing pets) so have to thin out the 3 yo redstars for next years new layers.

I experiment in the spring with new breeds and so far have been very happy with my mutts

. The layers do slow down in the fall & winter, sometimes stop laying all together. I just tell my customers if I don't have any eggs and I explain why. We don't heat or have a great deal of lighting in the coop. I have not lost any customers because of this. They always come back.
Sometimes the grocery store runs out of things we need too. Just come back later, or go elsewhere for the time being.

 

[StephensonC]

they need to be educated on chickens slowing down in the fall!!!! I forewarn new customers(new spring customers) that the girls slow down in fall and I may have to cut back on their eggs(long-had customers get priority) but have friends/relatives of theirs wanting my eggs and I have to let them know it takes me several months to produce a layer! I have 3 pullets, 18 wks old, that were hatched from mutt dad/unknown mamas and don't know if they will start in couple months or wait until spring when warmer.I know I know they are mutts but certainly they will lay sometimes.Keep saying I will stop doing the layers for others then get sucked into the fascination of new breeds, etc. I have 7 six y/o hens still laying occasionally(long standing pets) so have to thin out the 3 yo redstars for next years new layers.

I have 8 Red Stars/Golden Comets that just started a few months ago. They are some egg laying machines! Already getting x-large eggs!

 

[chickchoon1]

I experiment in the spring with new breeds and so far have been very happy with my mutts

. The layers do slow down in the fall & winter, sometimes stop laying all together. I just tell my customers if I don't have any eggs and I explain why. We don't heat or have a great deal of lighting in the coop. I have not lost any customers because of this. They always come back.
Sometimes the grocery store runs out of things we need too. Just come back later, or go elsewhere for the time being.

I guess it depends on why you have chickens. I haven't separated any of my current "mutts"(maybe 4-5 birds? who knows now!) to see how they produce and Lord knows its not a money making hobby but selling the eggs does pay for their feed, at least. Glad someone else doesn't bother heating/lighting coops.And btw have ordered breeds for spring that I haven't had before but, of course, they won't be laying until late August at the earliest.

 

[chickchoon1]

I have 8 Red Stars/Golden Comets that just started a few months ago. They are some egg laying machines! Already getting x-large eggs!

I know! I fell for the Redstars at TSC because of their laying ability(got 8 free from CL prior summer!) and it is fascinating such a small bird can produce like that. I would like to make some of my own redstar/GC/other names they call em but haven't looked up the breeds used to create these dynamos. Next project!

 

[bobrut]

How many girls do you have??

 

[Outpost JWB]

I guess it depends on why you have chickens. I haven't separated any of my current "mutts"(maybe 4-5 birds? who knows now!) to see how they produce and Lord knows its not a money making hobby but selling the eggs does pay for their feed, at least. Glad someone else doesn't bother heating/lighting coops.And btw have ordered breeds for spring that I haven't had before but, of course, they won't be laying until late August at the earliest.

In the spring, my hens do produce enough eggs to pay for the feed. But summer, winter and fall, NO. In fact, I have come to the realization that my chickens are simply a hobby. Maybe some people can make money off of it, but not me. When DH complains about the expense, I remind him that his cigarettes are still more expensive than my chickens

 

[chickchoon1]

How many girls do you have??

Appx.50 and will take some out of flock this summer(older redstars,etc) as they will be replaced by 12 incoming pullets.And the hens STILL pay for themselves in the cold weather because altho I won't sell the eggs the eggs they DO lay are for our consumption. Haven't done commercial eggs in 11 yrs.