My first Fox attack that ended in a kill

[Shellz]

Interesting that you ask that. I just did that! I have 3 roos to 10 hens (bad ratio, I know! Working on that!) small bunches of different breeds. Now 1 good rooster should be able to keep about 8-10 hen's eggs fertile. If you want eggs from 20 hens to be fertile, get an additional rooster. The roos may need to be separated though. Not always, but sometimes. In short, as long as you're not selling & claiming purebred, there's no problem with that. Mutts are great! Hybrid vigor & all that! So I have some mutts in a brooder right now from hatchery stock parents. None of the chicks are pure, & that's what's so much fun! You don't know what you get, & they will grow & feather out to whatever! The fun is in watching them grow. If any have debilitating deformities, well they don't get to breed. So far my chicks appear perfectly healthy. I have 3 more due Saturday. Yay!

 

[Mygirls20]

but there wont be anything wrong with them right? I am going to end up with weird looking eggs lol I have white/brown/blue ones

 

[Shellz]

I suppose there are certain genetics with particular breeds. Dorkings have a lethal gene, but what happens is, the embryo fails to thrive early on in incubation 1/4 of the time. They call those quitters. I had some of those, even though dorking was bred to another breed. I don't mind experimenting - I won't do it often. I've had 2 broodies that raised mixed, healthy chicks too. My mixed babies from them have grown to lay themselves. All normal. If you're really worried about it, start a thread about it on one of the other subjects here. You should get some good answers from others with more experience than me! This is my 4th year. Good luck!

 

[Mygirls20]

Thanks you have been so helpful!!! I really appreciate it. I would love to have a rooster and have my little girls (humans) watch them hatch. I am really trying to teach my kids to be more self sufficient. I think chickens are a great place to start. Was thinking about getting a mini milk cow (they only produce 2 gallons a day) so that we can make our own cheese and stuff. It would be nice not to rely so much on the grocery stores.

 

[Mygirls20]

Interesting that you ask that. I just did that! I have 3 roos to 10 hens (bad ratio, I know! Working on that!) small bunches of different breeds. Now 1 good rooster should be able to keep about 8-10 hen's eggs fertile. If you want eggs from 20 hens to be fertile, get an additional rooster. The roos may need to be separated though. Not always, but sometimes. In short, as long as you're not selling & claiming purebred, there's no problem with that. Mutts are great! Hybrid vigor & all that! So I have some mutts in a brooder right now from hatchery stock parents. None of the chicks are pure, & that's what's so much fun! You don't know what you get, & they will grow & feather out to whatever! The fun is in watching them grow. If any have debilitating deformities, well they don't get to breed. So far my chicks appear perfectly healthy. I have 3 more due Saturday. Yay!

congrats on your new babies

 

[frigginchi]

Thanks you have been so helpful!!! I really appreciate it. I would love to have a rooster and have my little girls (humans) watch them hatch. I am really trying to teach my kids to be more self sufficient. I think chickens are a great place to start. Was thinking about getting a mini milk cow (they only produce 2 gallons a day) so that we can make our own cheese and stuff. It would be nice not to rely so much on the grocery stores.

Goats are good for milk production and fun.

 

[Mygirls20]

Goats are good for milk production and fun.

How does goat milk taste?

 

[frigginchi]

Not baaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

How does goat milk taste?

 

[Mygirls20]

Not baaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

ha ha Well after that video I am now going to start building a pen for some goats lol I really want to try it out now they were so fricken cute!!!

 

[Mygirls20]

so I took a raw chicken breast (from the store) and cut it into 6 pieces making a trail to the live trap (placing a piece at the entrance and another piece halfway in) hoping at that point the dead full chicken would be to tempting.... The fox ate all the pieces including the ones inside the trap but never touched the chicken. so the trap didnt even go off. This fox is totally F****** with me. I am so mad!!!!