Ideas on a self-sustainable flock?

[song of joy]

@Minky - You have a very nice variety of breeds! With a small number of hens of so many different breeds, you should be able to easily track egg production by individual hen. I have done this and I've found it very valuable in identifying my best layers. Those are the ones I use for breeding, especially hens that consistently lay well for at least two or three years. I've found that EE are some of my best egg layers, as are some of my other barnyard mix hens.

 

[Minky]

Hey, thanks! And thanks to all for the input on breeds and how to get a flock that is self sustaining. Its all been really interesting for me. I'm really excited to breed my girls, to figure out who lays what, how many etc. Try and get different coloured eggs, birds etc.. Are there apps to track your layers??, so I can stop making ticks on a sheet of paper LOL.
The Barnevelder started squatting about 10 days ago, maybe 12? She has not laid yet. The Buff Orpington (Big Red) has been laying for about 3 weeks now, almost an egg a day.I agree- I thought Zucchini (the Barnevelder) would have been laying by now. Ill be checking my trail cam in a bit.
The Blue and Splash are the only 2 who aren't squatting yet. They look at the others like they're all nuts-o whenever they all squat and freeze. Hahahaha

I'm wondering if any of you who breed your own birds could suggest what type of rooster I could get to breed with my flock?

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm not very good at breeds. I just wanted to say that you have a beautiful flock and a nice, colorful egg basket. I'll admit, I'm kinda jealous!

 

[Foristers]

Foristers!!! this is a great post! Thank you. My goals with our chickens are vastly different from yours and from the OP but I do so appreciate your emphasis on observation, data and clarity. Thanks for taking the time to lay out your process.

You are very welcome! I am glad that it could help. I guess I am a meticulous record keeper and statistical analyst. I let it pour over into chicken keeping and my formula has worked even better than I expected for my area.

 

[lcwmt]

You are very welcome! I am glad that it could help. I guess I am a meticulous record keeper and statistical analyst. I let it pour over into chicken keeping and my formula has worked even better than I expected for my area.

I keep notebook/calendar records of weather, migratory birds, wildlife, the gardens etc. The chickens have their own book: who is laying, what the feed is, general observations as well as coop temperature/humidity etc. As we go forward it will be interesting to see how my record keeping impacts decision making <G>.

 

[black_dove2]

How I do it is that year one 1) I got 6 hens and a roo (I thought). Turned out to be 5 hens and 2 roosters. I choose the biggest and best rooster to be the breeder for the flock and culled the other at about 22 weeks, which was still a good age and tender meat for my breed. The other rooster went on to live long enough in the early spring to fertilize all hens eggs. Year 2) Once I had 2 hens go broody in the spring, I culled the other rooster. He was 40 weeks by that time and not as tender so that guy had to be sent to the crock-pot with pintos & onions or chicken & dumplings, etc. (Some slow cooker recipe).
The two broody hens each sat on about 6-8 fertilized eggs of which 12 hatched and 9 survived to adulthood. I don't use incubators as I wish the flock to be self-sustaining like you are talking about. Plus I don't want all that work. I let the chickens do their thing and I simply manipulate the outputs occasionally. I keep mothers and chicks separated from the rest of the grown flock, in their own fence pen with overhead protection, until they are about 8 weeks old.
So of the 9 chicks that hatched: 4 were females and 5 were males. I let the roosters grow up with the flock and interact with the hens until they are about 10-16 weeks of age, depending on several unrelated factors (including convenience for me) and then I put the males in a "chicken tractor" and move them daily on fresh grass. Then hens keep on laying int eh hen house which has access to 2 large "yards" that I switch them back and forth from seasonally, after I grow some more vegetation on the one not in use.
Like in the video I mentioned, I weigh my roosters and hens to see who is progressing well. I culled the smallest 2 roosters at about 15-18 weeks and the meat was very good - as long as it is allowed to age in the fridge dry or in brine water for about 3 days. After that they can be eaten fresh or frozen for later. I culled the next smallest rooster at 20 weeks; still good meat. I left the last two because they were very close in weight. I let them all free range during harvest season (roosters and hens together), by that time in the fall, and they gleaned the cornfield for me - which also prevented attracting (more) mice. This gave me time to observe behaviors and see who was the better leader of the flock. I had a clear winner and as it turned out he also out-gained the other rooster and I culled the last rooster and I was down to one rooster as the breeder for year three.

I also weigh the hens (as I do the roosters) and I only breed the largest and healthiest. One thing to keep in mind, also mentioned in the video I suggested, is that you should be selective in choosing your "breeders". I only collect fertilized eggs from the three largest and healthiest hens. DO NOT allowed fertilized eggs from sick, weak, or small hens to go under a broody hen (or into an incubator). Over time this improves your flock. Over time you breed a particular flock to your specific property; whatever diseases are spread to them by wild birds, whatever insects are common, etc. If one or two hens show a natural immunity to those harmful aspects that come with any specific area, you want to breed that into your continuing flock. This is the best bio-security feature that you can do long term for a self-sufficient flock - selective breeding.
This is where you should be spending your time and effort, not in maintaining an incubator (IMO), but in gathering data from your flock so that you can choose your best "breeders".
Year three I had 4 hens go broody in the spring, who each sat on 8 eggs of which 26 hatched and 22 survived to adulthood. It was an even split 11/11 male/female. Same routine: chick & mothers separated until 8 weeks, males in a chicken tractor at 11 weeks, etc. All the same. Had alot more meat; had alot more eggs. Started having to sell eggs so they did not go bad. Built up a client base and now the chickens more than pay for themselves.
But most importantly, each year when I weigh my chickens they are getting larger and by appearance and behavior, they are getting much healthier. Each new generation is better then the previous one.

A few more pointers in regards to your 2nd post - Fertilized eggs cook up and keep the same as unfertilized eggs. 2) A fertilized egg is technically good for 10 days but I have personally hatched out 18 day old eggs kept a little below room temp. (from a broody hen, not an incubator) 3) Eggs you plan on eating should be refrigerated. Eggs you plan to hatch out should be kept at about 50 degrees to room temp.
4) Processing your own meat birds shouldn't cost you anything. It doesn't cost me anything. 5) I am rather frugal with my chicken raising and so I do not keep a rooster all year. After the spring breeding season, which funny enough I reintroduce my "breeding rooster" back to his hens on Valentine's Day (haha), I cull the last rooster. The frugal part comes in because by March/April - if a chicken is not laying an egg for me than I do not continue buy feed for it. You guys might run your flock differently though. WHo knows. 6) You'll know if a hen goes broody if she doesn't leave the nesting box for a couple of days. Most heritage breeds might start doing this in the spring, as mine do. But in the chicken calendar year, this is the right time to renew/refresh the flock anyway.
Good luck.

I think you should take your response and create an article with it.

 

[venymae]

this thread is a fabulous read! fan-tastic!

 

[rookhomestead]

I know the topic was originally chicken, but I have to say, I've raised the Cornish cross chickens, butchered past the recommended 6-8weeks. They were good, I just bake them wrapped in foil. BUUUUUT, I prefer my muscovy duck meat, also baked(we usually get 2 meals from one male bird, female scovy are smaller). And they can tolerate cold or hot, there's no issue with males being aggressive. In the spring, there are plenty of eggs, if you want a broody hen, there's none better, with clutches from 10-20 up to 4 times per year. Just my preference. As others have said, just pick a topic and reasearch. Like incubating/broody bird. Or Cornish vs ranger vs Toad. I like having chickens, ducks, and guinea. They all have something to offer. Leghorns for constant eggs, Americauna for colorful eggs ducks for giant eggs, guinea are alarms, ducks for meat. (and dogs to snuggle) as far as butchering goes, don't make hubby do it alone. We do about 5 at a time. Both pluck then I, the woman, guts them as man finishes plucking lol. It takes us about 2hours from head chop to fridge. Still mastering the technique. Home-stealing is Trial and error. Just research and wing it. Theres always something to learn.

 

[rookhomestead]

Steading*.... Not stealing

 

[aart]

Steading*.... Not stealing

There is an edit function I use it often.