I think I have a few too many

[Joplus]

I'm considering rehoming a few hens because I really don't need this many and I have chicks on the way too. I originally wanted two of each but now maybe one. And my older girls I love and they're still laying nice huge eggs so I don't want to do that either. I just can't decide and I'd like to keep them all but it's a lot. Here's what I have:
4 Buff Orphington (3.5yrs, 1.5yrs, and 9 months)
3 RIRs (3.5yrs, and 5 months)
3 Marans (black, blue and wheaten 4 months)
2 Black Austrolorps (3.5 months)
White Ameracauna (3 years)
Mixed Ameracauna (9 months)
Barred Rock (3.5 years)
Leghorn (5 months)
Black Sex Link (5 months). Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[keesmom]

How big are your coop and run? How many chicks do you have coming?

 

[Joplus]

I have a large run 25 feet by 100 feet. Plus 4 big coops. My coops each are not too big with all the necessities, nest box, roost, etc. They eat feed under the coops. There's a river rock water dish area.

 

[Mrs. K]

sell the young ones, you can make a little money to pay for the new chicks coming in, then, as much as you like the older birds, more than likely they will naturally begin to die, and you will need new birds next year.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

What is that other animal in there......where are you located?

I stew or sell my older hens(2.5yo) every fall to make room for new layers.

 

[Joplus]

What is that other animal in there......where are you located?

I stew or sell my older hens(2.5yo) every fall to make room for new layers.

I'm in Arizona. That's a Patagonian Cavy (it was a gift). But of course he needs a little space in there too. There's a guinea pig in there too. I think we should eat my older ones but that's a tough choice. I'll see if my husband agrees. The older girls are such good layers still. I want like 5 less hens but I don't want to end up eggless at any point either. We use a lot of eggs and share with our neighbors.

 

[aart]

Quote: It's hard to balance the number of eggs you need/want, the number of birds that you can healthily house, the ages of birds, and when to hatch and when to harvest/trade.
I think I've settled on those numbers after a couple years of operation/observation.
I have a very tight budget, they need to pay for their feed and bedding with egg sales, and limited amount of coop/run space.
So they give me eggs for a couple years, then they give me meat and I always have fresh group of pullets to lay thru winter.
I'll keep 2 age groups thru winter and 3 during spring/summer, harvesting in fall either for stew/stock or trade for finished meat birds.

 

[Joplus]

Oh I see. I incubated the young ones and already sold the roosters and two pullets, so sort of paying for themselves. I want every one I have but that leaves no room for keeping any hens out of the batch of eggs in my incubator now. Maybe I'll just keep one. There's barred rock, ameraucana, leghorns, and RIRs in my incubator but who knows what I'll get out of 3 dozen eggs. Thank you for your advice.

 

[aart]

When I hatch, I eat or sell all the extra cockerels by about 15 weeks old......sell/trade the extra pullets and keep the number of pullets I need.

 

[ladyearth]

This all reminds me of the "Twilight Zone " episode.. "To Serve Man"

.I wonder if those aliens used "restraining cones".. I would like to have asked Rod Serling....
I know I know I wont get into that argument