baeksu
In the Brooder
- Dec 6, 2020
- 7
- 13
- 18
TL;DR version:
Last spring, my sons talked me into backyard chickens. Surprised how much I liked it. Want more egg colors. Open to your suggestions.
Version for those who love to read:
Last spring with all the COVID measures, I tackled some long-procrastinated projects. Instead of tearing down my sons' backyard playset, my teenaged sons talked me into converting it into a coop and trying backyard chickens. I'm from Oklahoma City and grew up in the '70s working on my grandfather's farm, so chickens didn't really have any charm for me, but as always I gave in.
Well, I have to admit that it's been great. We have a large backyard, and the playset was converted into a large run (200 square feet) and smallish coop (25 square feet). Half of the run is shaded by a large elm tree. They free range daily in my large backyard, and they're pretty spoiled between my sons and I - table scraps, mealworms, etc. We bought seven in May: four Buff Orps, two Cuckoo Marans, and one Golden Polish.
The bad: TWO (!!!) of my "guaranteed" female chicks turned out to be roosters, which are illegal where I am, so we slaughtered and ate those... which was a great biology lesson for my boys, but not really why I bought these birds. Alas, the family terrier dispatched one of the young pullets as I learned the hard way about spots in the chicken wire that needed better fasteners.
But we have our four girls left - three BO's who my sons call The Heathers and one Cuckoo Marans named Marie Antoinette. They're all laying beautifully - consistently 4 eggs per day before winter hit, but even with the short days and cold weather we're still getting 2 to 4 eggs every day without fail. My boys are proud of their chicken idea and I enjoy them as well.
So my question:
I'm going to buy a few more next spring. I figure I can comfortably have a flock size of around 8 or 9. I'd like some white egg layers and some colorful egg layers - preferably blue. My youngest son wants Easter Eggers for some reason, and at this point I'm not going to tell him no, since his advice on everything chicken has been good.
But white egg layers? Good grief. To read all the internet reviews, they're all skittish and flighty. The California Whites look great, but you've got to order 10 or 15 at a time, anywhere you go? How do you guys do this? I really can't buy more than 4 chicks or 5 tops, and the only online places either do not carry Cali. Whites or make you order 15 of them or whatever. Leghorns are flighty, Sumatras are mean, Polish lay small eggs... they all seem to have drawbacks.
I'm open and appreciative of all advice and suggestions.
I've been a teacher for 25 years, so I think of my birds in terms of classroom personalities.
Pictured:
(farthest away) Heather Sweet, gentle, bottom of the pecking order, poorest egglayer, wants to please the teacher, sits in the back, might fall asleep
.
(2nd farthest) Heather Feather, the top of the pecking order, no-nonsense, bossy, it's a very rare day that she doesn't lay an egg, will be upset if she doesn't get an A.
(2nd closest) Heather Chungus, big girl, kind of just stares, slack-jawed, is either mentally challenged or intellectually gifted.. I can't tell which.
(closest) Marie Antoinette, lays beautiful eggs almost daily, definitely has ADHD, is compulsive, can't keep her mouth shut. Interrupts me constantly when I'm talking.
Last spring, my sons talked me into backyard chickens. Surprised how much I liked it. Want more egg colors. Open to your suggestions.
Version for those who love to read:
Last spring with all the COVID measures, I tackled some long-procrastinated projects. Instead of tearing down my sons' backyard playset, my teenaged sons talked me into converting it into a coop and trying backyard chickens. I'm from Oklahoma City and grew up in the '70s working on my grandfather's farm, so chickens didn't really have any charm for me, but as always I gave in.
Well, I have to admit that it's been great. We have a large backyard, and the playset was converted into a large run (200 square feet) and smallish coop (25 square feet). Half of the run is shaded by a large elm tree. They free range daily in my large backyard, and they're pretty spoiled between my sons and I - table scraps, mealworms, etc. We bought seven in May: four Buff Orps, two Cuckoo Marans, and one Golden Polish.
The bad: TWO (!!!) of my "guaranteed" female chicks turned out to be roosters, which are illegal where I am, so we slaughtered and ate those... which was a great biology lesson for my boys, but not really why I bought these birds. Alas, the family terrier dispatched one of the young pullets as I learned the hard way about spots in the chicken wire that needed better fasteners.
But we have our four girls left - three BO's who my sons call The Heathers and one Cuckoo Marans named Marie Antoinette. They're all laying beautifully - consistently 4 eggs per day before winter hit, but even with the short days and cold weather we're still getting 2 to 4 eggs every day without fail. My boys are proud of their chicken idea and I enjoy them as well.
So my question:
I'm going to buy a few more next spring. I figure I can comfortably have a flock size of around 8 or 9. I'd like some white egg layers and some colorful egg layers - preferably blue. My youngest son wants Easter Eggers for some reason, and at this point I'm not going to tell him no, since his advice on everything chicken has been good.
But white egg layers? Good grief. To read all the internet reviews, they're all skittish and flighty. The California Whites look great, but you've got to order 10 or 15 at a time, anywhere you go? How do you guys do this? I really can't buy more than 4 chicks or 5 tops, and the only online places either do not carry Cali. Whites or make you order 15 of them or whatever. Leghorns are flighty, Sumatras are mean, Polish lay small eggs... they all seem to have drawbacks.
I'm open and appreciative of all advice and suggestions.
I've been a teacher for 25 years, so I think of my birds in terms of classroom personalities.
Pictured:
(farthest away) Heather Sweet, gentle, bottom of the pecking order, poorest egglayer, wants to please the teacher, sits in the back, might fall asleep
(2nd farthest) Heather Feather, the top of the pecking order, no-nonsense, bossy, it's a very rare day that she doesn't lay an egg, will be upset if she doesn't get an A.
(2nd closest) Heather Chungus, big girl, kind of just stares, slack-jawed, is either mentally challenged or intellectually gifted.. I can't tell which.
(closest) Marie Antoinette, lays beautiful eggs almost daily, definitely has ADHD, is compulsive, can't keep her mouth shut. Interrupts me constantly when I'm talking.
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