Ideas on a self-sustainable flock?

[song of joy]

@Minky - Where are you located (state)? That will have an influence on what breeds may work best for you.

 

[Mrs. K]

The best of plans... one can plan and plan and I have... only other factors come into play, such as predators!

My advice, is give yourself 3-5 years to become self sufficient. There is a learning curve, and it can be expensive. Roosters are cheap, and generally easy to find, one can add them as needed.

One also does not have to the whole thing one way, what I mean by that is have a mixed flock of layers, some dual purpose, and maybe a dozen meat birds. If you like eggs, a few layers, birds that don't have much meat on them, but lay eggs nearly every day, are good to have in your flock. Some dual purpose birds, will lay eggs pretty good, combined with some layers and you have a reasonable supply of daily eggs.

Meat birds, generally need to be processed all at once. However, you get birds in the freezer, long before them become a favored friend. And they are meatier, more tender, and will taste more like you are used to. I got a picker head, that fits on a drill. Did a fantastic job, less than $100. If you like the whole deal, then buy or make your own picker. Picking by hand is incredibly tedious. And it seems like you just can't get rid of them all. Butchering is a job, and my first ones took a long time to get it done. I did 3 and was exhausted. But with time you get better, get a better product too. It just takes a bit of experience, and you can only get that one way.

Mostly, my advice is start small, get them figured out, the space they need, predator proof coop/run, a second coop/run, butchering equipment, extra pens... butcher a few, see how it goes, modify the set up, then try a little more. It will be more enjoyable to you both, considerably less stressful, and more successful.

Mrs K

 

[rjohns39]

The best of plans... one can plan and plan and I have... only other factors come into play, such as predators!

My advice, is give yourself 3-5 years to become self sufficient. There is a learning curve, and it can be expensive. Roosters are cheap, and generally easy to find, one can add them as needed.

One also does not have to the whole thing one way, what I mean by that is have a mixed flock of layers, some dual purpose, and maybe a dozen meat birds. If you like eggs, a few layers, birds that don't have much meat on them, but lay eggs nearly every day, are good to have in your flock. Some dual purpose birds, will lay eggs pretty good, combined with some layers and you have a reasonable supply of daily eggs.

Meat birds, generally need to be processed all at once. However, you get birds in the freezer, long before them become a favored friend. And they are meatier, more tender, and will taste more like you are used to. I got a picker head, that fits on a drill. Did a fantastic job, less than $100. If you like the whole deal, then buy or make your own picker. Picking by hand is incredibly tedious. And it seems like you just can't get rid of them all. Butchering is a job, and my first ones took a long time to get it done. I did 3 and was exhausted. But with time you get better, get a better product too. It just takes a bit of experience, and you can only get that one way.

Mostly, my advice is start small, get them figured out, the space they need, predator proof coop/run, a second coop/run, butchering equipment, extra pens... butcher a few, see how it goes, modify the set up, then try a little more. It will be more enjoyable to you both, considerably less stressful, and more successful.

Mrs K

Very well said. I've complicated my life a bit by choosing to go with endangered breeds for my layers, turkeys and ducks. I want to add geese, but there's an 18 month waiting list for the ones I want. Hopefully, I'll get some eggs in the spring and start with them. Processing birds can be exhausting and daunting. First time we did it, we did 30... We can now do 300 in a day, but then I need a week to recover. I chill them overnight then do 85% cut-ups. Then I make stock with the backs and feet. All I know is that when the last jar of stock comes out of the canner, I'm ready for bed and a long rest.

 

[aart]

***PS. Lazy Gardener- you lost me on the DR PR Cx R Pioneer etc etc.
I figured out Dual Purpose = DR but not sure about the rest. Can you explain?
thx

@lazy gardener I didn't get the C x R either.

My general suggestion is to read on here as much as you can, including in the Articles section at the top. Keep an open mind though. If anyone, including me, tells you that you have to do something a special way or you will have guaranteed disaster, get a second opinion. There are so many different ways that work and we are all in a unique to ourselves situation that there is just no one way that is best for all of us. Try some things. If it doesn’t work be flexible, eat your mistakes, and try something different. And never be afraid to ask any question that pops in your mind. We all have to start somewhere and the only silly question is the one that is not asked.

....and take notes. I keep a Word file and a spreadsheet to keep links and notes. Add headings like coops, roosts, nests, incubation, integration, slaughter etc...for easier searching later.

You've gotten lots of good advice. It will take you a year or two or three or....to figure out what works best for you.

"If it doesn’t work be flexible, eat your mistakes, and try something different."
Wise Words There.

I will suggest you hatch out some chicks next late winter/early spring and see how it goes. If you don't have a cock/erel yet, see if you can get some fertile eggs locally.
This will give you experience in incubation, integrating the new chicks, and slaughtering of the extra cockerels. I harvest extra cockerels between 12-16 weeks, still tender enough for grill but before they start causing too much trouble.

I hatch out new birds every spring, then cull cockerels and older layers to get down to my winter population.

 

[Minky]

Hello Everyone!
Thanks so much for all the ideas, tips, suggestions.

Song of Joy- We live in southern Ontario. (about an hour from Toronto) We would roast or BBQ our chickens only.
Yes I will do lots of reading and taking of notes. I'm sure we'll make a ton of mistakes, but we got into this to learn and grow, and to give our kids an awareness of where food comes from, that has been lost. Its good for kids to see the cycle of life, to experience the good and the bad and for them to see that grown ups make mistakes, too!
I will googling :whizbang plucker, featherman ,yardbird and picker head. LMFAO

Still wonder what C x R means. Is there a "short form" dictionary her on Backyard chickens?

I would be open to raising meat birds instead of dual purpose if they are only around for 3 months I suppose. Its just that I saw a friend last summer who was raising meat birds, and they were all under this cage thingy that he moved every day, and they were all crammed in together, and they had lots of bald patches and didnt seem all that happy, and he said that every few days he finds another one dead- i think he said from heart attacks, or a thunderstorm etc... and it just made me a bit sad. I dont mind eating animals, but I like them to live happy lives, even if its only for 3 months.

If your meat birds are only around for 3 months, do they just stay in a coop? Can you let a bird that young free range? (we have foxes, fishers, birds of prey).

Thanks again for this conversation- I never thought I'd be this interested about chickens!

 

[aart]

Still wonder what C x R means. Is there a "short form" dictionary her on Backyard chickens?

For some reason the tag is not working for @lazy gardener.
There was a BYC glossary, but think it's gone funky and is non operable.
ETA: tag seemed to work now, let's see if she'll respond.

 

[oldrooster]

cxr is Cornish cross chickens aka supermarket type chickens breed for fast growth, usually kept in a coop since they grow quite fast and many times have leg problems due to the rapid growth and large amount of weight they put on. there are a few dp (dual purpose meaning combination meat and egg breeds they are not the best of one or the other nor the worst) look for the various "ranger" breeds or dp for free rangeing for meat.

 

[rjohns39]

When I've done them, mine are 3 weeks in the brooder and 35 days on pasture. As crazy as it sounds, my most successful batch had a silver spangled hamburg in it. The hatchery sent a free extra chick. Since it's only one batch, I want to play with the idea of adding same age dp birds to the CX and see if the mortality rate is repeatable. Since the hamburg was a bit flighty he ran all around the shelter and kept the other birds moving. End result is I didn't loose anyone from that batch.

I have friends who let them free range, but they're easy targets as they don't move quickly once they start putting on weight. He also moved the food trough around to encourage exercise. My mortality rate without the extra chick runs 3-5% with an avg carcass of 6 pounds. When I restricted feed to what they could eat in 30 minutes, I had a 1-3% mortality rate with 4.5lbs carcass weight. When I offered free choice for an hour it was 10% 7-8lbs carcass. I also give them 2sq ft per bird for those 35 days and if they seem crowded I'll give them more. The standard I kind of use is: If they all fit in the back half of the shelter when they go to sleep at night they're ok. If not, time to split and add on another shelter. Using this approach they generally don't take up more than 2/3rds of the back half when sleeping.

 

[simplify]

Hi folks
Im a newbie. Got a mixed flock of 7 for eggs. Currently 3 have started to lay.

I'm thinking ahead and starting to plan how to have a self sustaining flock, that provides my family (family of 5) enough eggs (15-20 a week will be enough for our personal use) and also provides us with enough meat birds for the year. I dont like the idea of eating my layers (who all have names and eat from our hands etc) but next spring we'd like to raise 30-40 chickens for the freezer as well.
On top of this, I know that after a couple years egg production decreases, so would like to raise my own layers in time to take over from the older girls.

Now, to me, it makes sense to get a Rooster- but then, will there be enough genetic diversity? Do I need 2 Roosters? Do people swap Roosters for their "services" ;-)
How would I breed 30-40 eggs (for freeezer birds) does a chicken still only lay one egg every 26 hrs even when they are fertilized? Does that mean all 7 of my egg layers would have to be laying fertilised eggs and sitting on them all day for weeks on end and then all chicks would be hatching one per day etc etc?? Sorry if these are really dumb questions. Ex- city girl here.

How would you manage a flock that you wanted to get 15-20 eggs from each week all year, and raise 30-40 meat birds from March - June??

Important to me- all my meat birds would be free ranging on our land, supplementing with feed.
They would be dual purpose breeds, not those ugly birds that are somewhat featherless and raised just for meat.

Ideally, we'd process the meat birds a few at a time as needed (my husband would do it) but we arent sure if thats practical. The other option would be to drive all 40 to someone else who would process for us, but trying to not incur any costs, and truly live off our land like the olden days...

Any tips, ideas, suggestions welcome. Thanks!!!

Hi Mindy,
I think you are smart in making your plans and how to achieve them. There is tons of info on the net from about every kind of person you can find. Regardless of what responses you get don't get discouraged, you will find that raising chickens is easy enough, not too labor intensive, cost ok.

Here are my thoughts. Select a breed that is considered a layer / meat bird and lays during the winter. From my research the Rhode island red fits the bill. (I have just bought 15 chicks for this exact need.)
Buy a roo and breed to fill and restock your flock.
Use an incubator so you can control the time of year for hatching.
Plan to eat your retired hens and cockerls from hatching or you will have to dispose of them. Do some research on hatching here on this site. Great info. Also, you tube has lots of info for making your own incubator. I made one and have done two hatches with it so far.
Remember that it takes about 5-6 months from the day the egg is put into an incubator or broody hen before you will get an egg from that new hen.
Be prepared to have predator issues, snakes, possums, Hawks, etc.
As for butchering. Look at YouTube, lots of videos and ideas on it. One guy skins them instead of plucking, obviously a Time saver. Once all my stuff is set up it takes me almost an hour to dress out 1 ckn.
I believe you are on the right track doing your research. Good luck.
Daisy

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I don’t know anything about how to help you but id just like to defend the ‘ugly’ featherless birds. I’m that one person that loves ALL animals no matter how they look and I’m a little hurt by this. I have an adorable Naked Neck cockerel that we will sadly have to give away since we do not want a rooster, but he’s going to a farm that won’t kill him. His name is Cashew and he’s the sweetest thing. He likes to play with my shoe laces and run around me like a little kid. Even my own family members say he’s ugly but I think not a single thing is wrong about him. He’s adorable, I love him, and they are exactly the same as any other fully feathered bird. I even think it’s upsetting that people actual bred them to be this way so they would be EASIER to kill and pluck. Nobody wanted him or his little black Silkie mix friend, so I took both of them. And I love them.