I've been reading through all the previous posts trying to work out whether I should replace the two birds that got eatten last week. I fear that "Farmer Joe" who sold us the 8 we bought originally, saw us coming, and sold us one-step-up from pigeons. I was at the feed store yesterday looking at the POL's which were 18 weeks old - the same age I was told ours are. Except the ones at the feed store were twice the size of ours. So, I'm wondering should I replace the missing birds - I don't think our family is going to get enough eggs from just 6 birds. And if so, I've read about the need to quarantine the new ones - is this just adult birds? And what age constitutes "adult". And if not quarantining them, then how do I intergrate them? Last question - if I was going to buy a book, so I could stop asking stupid questions - what would be the best book to buy?
6 chickens should give you a enough to feed your family, you will average i think about 4-5 a day. If you do buy more you do need to quarantine them but not too sure for how long since they are young. i see no need to buy a book everyone on here is very nice and are willing to help plus you can use the search bar at top right and i am sure what ever questions you have most likely has been covered on here once or twice.
Gail Damerow has written some really good books. I recommend Chickens in Your Backyard & The Chicken Health Handbook. I have both & have referred back to them over the years continuously. She really knows her poultry. You'll get a real education if you read these. Good luck!
Thanks for taking the time to answer. I should have said, our family is 11 people. We have 9 kids - including 5 teenage boys - so if we were all to have eggs twice a week we would need about 50 - 60 eggs. Thanks also chicklady, I'll see if I can find those online.
ALL birds , no matter the age should be quarantined when you bring them on your yard from outside your yard. Watch them to see if they eat and drink like healthy birds or if they are listless, limping (mareks?), blind, stumbling, snotty nose, bubbly eye, trembling, can't stand up, pasty butt or stinky breath. Two to three weeks will usually give you a good idea of the health of your new birds and also you will get to know them a little and what they like to eat. Birds that have only been fed grain will hardly eat pellets or mash and birds that have only eaten crumbles, mash or pellets will be slow to eat grain. This quarantine period is a good time to dust, worm and get them eating the choice of feed YOU use. Save the eggs during this period and boil them for your other fowl to eat. One way you can ALWAYS tell how your fowl are feeling is by watching their POOP! It will tell you the state of their health anytime.
Oh my! So much to go wrong Poop worries me, I'm off to try and find the thread that defines good poop.
