My expansion plans...will this work?

[RedheadErin]

I have definite ideas about what I would like to add to my flock over the next year or two. My reasons are a combination of practical and whimsical. I like to pick up strays and rescue things. This is what I have in mind, and I would like you all to tell me if I am setting myself up for problems:

I already have:
2 roos
6 hens (2 leghorns, 3 RIR's--supposedly, but they look like Buff Orpingtons to me, and a pet)

What I want:
3 easter egg hens
several more laying hens from a battery farm or shelter
5 or 6 guinea fowl to eat bugs in the garden
2 female ducks to lay eggs and look cute in the pond hubs has been promising me
A male turkey to look cool (I hear they also keep other birds from fighting)

I have the kind of shed that you can keep adding on to, and 3/4 of an acre yard. I don't plan to go out and get all these critters tomorrow; rather, I am keeping my eye out on Craigs list, Free Cycle, and Petfinder. I suppose it will take me a couple of years to gather all these up.


Please let me know what you think. Alll thoughts and criticisms are welcome! Thanks!

 

[Time-Out]

Just make sure you quarantine...

 

[RedheadErin]

Definitely! I am also watching out for a large dog crate I can put in my garage, do I can first quarentine, then move it out next to the shed so they can look-dont-touch if they need that.

Funny how "They're so cute MOM, can I keep them?" has turned into an obsession--sand so fast!

 

[nwfl]

you will enjoy EE or ameracaunas. some of my favorite birds have been EE. love my buff orps. they are the most gentle and well mannered of all my birds but buff orps look nothing like rir. good luck!

 

[nickie]

Ducks are fun, lots. A little heads up on the pond though, a pretty little waterfall using a pond pump becomes a pain during molting. If you think chickens have a lot of feathers you ain't seen nothing yet.

 

[RedheadErin]

My little dumb pet hen has been voted a Bantam RIR by other BYC folks. SHe looks nothing like the 3 new hens, who I was told were RIR's. I found a pic of somebody;s Buff Orp and thought, Hmm...that looks more like my hens than anything else I have seen." So I googled pics of RIR's and buff orps. To my inexperienced eye, my hens look more like the Buff orps. They are rounder and fluffier than the pics I have seen of RIR's, and they have that nice "strawberry blonde" color. My RIR is more of a chestnut-auburn color, like me!

THe roo that came with them, however, looks just exactly like pics of the RIR roos. No question there at all!

What kind of ducks might I be looking for? I saw some crested ones last summer that were beyond adorable. I understand the the possible problems with keeping male ducks alongside hens, but will the females be OK? Will the roos care about them? (OMG< I just read an article about how ducks mate and ---EWWWWWWW!!!!! Females only, please! )

As for the guinea fowl, should I get all females or one cock? ANd again, if I do get one boy, will he have a problem with the roos?

I found out there is an egg farm in the next town, and I intend to call them to see if I can buy some of their spent hens. I would think 3 at a time from a place like that is enough to take on at one time, does that sound right? (I will want t take them all, but I know I can' t save everybody!) If that fails, there are always more embryology chicks.

And the last question, where could I get Amaracaunas or EEs other than a hatchery? SInce I can only take hens, I owuld rather get mature birds, because 1) i know for certain they are hens and 2) I have the willies about buying any animal form a system that must routinely butcher about half the individuals that are born. For this reason I have never owned a purebred anything. My dog, all my cats, even the rodents and most of my sons mice were rescues, strays, and intended-for-food animals. (It's sort of like the Island fo Misfit Toys around here!)

Thaks all yu guys for your help. You are so wonderful!

 

[nickie]

I have Pekin ducks. I don't know anything about crested, so I can't help you there. I do not have a Drake, yet, but I am planning on getting one in the future. The ducks and the chickens get along fairly well as ling as my in charge duck doesn't feel like the chickens are taking more than their fair share of the scratch then she puts a little smack down. Pretty comical. I do not house my ducks either. They have a shelter to come and go as they please, but are never contained or forced to be locked up (it wasn't worth the struggle to me every night to do it after a while and we are all much happier for it).