More customers than eggs

[suburbanminifarm]

Darbysmom, check out this chart to decide which breed to get:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/breed-chart

 

[darbysmom]

All these suggestions are awesome, guys!

I don't expect to get rich from doing this, but would like to make a little 'egg' money (yucca, yucca, yucca

). I appreciate the heads up on another web site about different breeds. I looked in on a hatcheries web site, so that's the reason I came up with the leghorns and orphingtons. But as you guys know, I need consistent layers, as well. My husband 'loves' birds, and we had chickens when I was little, so it's been a while for me. We live in LA (lower Alabama) and it is rare that we drop below freezing down here (maybe three or four times a winter, at max). I'm mostly concerned about the heat getting to them in the summer.

What do you guys think about a small wading pool and/or pond for the summer? Do chickens like the water enough to get into it?

As you can tell, you are dealing with a 'real' newbie here.

And I looked in on some organic feed sites and checked out prices.

At this point, it looks as if I'll be having yard eggs! When do your chickens get too old to lay anymore?

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Those are great ideas, thank you. Do most of you deliver or have people pick up at your house? Do they call before they come or just come by?

 

[Slywoody]

Quote:
The odds of chickens going in the water are pretty slim. You might be better off having a mist sprayer system set up for them.

 

[Slywoody]

Quote:
I deliver some and sell from home too. Mostly people call, but, most people know i'm home all the time and if my van is here they stop. I sell laundry soap out of the house too so, sometimes they get both. I'm making more off the soap than i'll ever make off the eggs. Never dreamed soap would be in such demand. 4.00 per gal. is cheap though. I think that's what drives it. That's all done word of mouth too. I never advertise, even on bulletin boards. I like to chat with the folks personally.

 

[jojo54]

Quote:
Almost all phone and them drop by. I haven't delivered any.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Thanks! I live off the highway so that would be easy for them to just come by. I would like a call first.

 

[gsim]

Quote:
Sometimes in really hot weather chooks will wade in water to cool their feet which cools them. I think it has to be 9-plus tho.

Regards age, they slow down the 3rd year but can be laying at 10 years of age, but maybe only one or two a week at best.