My SHTF flock

[Karoo permaculture]

I'll be following along here as it's something I'm definitely interested in. We have just bought a 5 acre block and will hopefully have the house built and moved there by mid next year. Once I get set up there I can start breeding some chooks. I plan on keeping everything we have now but also breeding some Barnevelders. Once I see how the neighbours react to roosters I'm hoping to start a separate flock that will be developing either a full free range flock or semi free range but with better instincts and foraging. I won't know till I get there though. My idea at the moment is to use Mediterranean breed hens (Leghorn, Minorca, Andalusian) with an Old English Game rooster. I have 2 acres I reckon they could utilise but I don't want to annot the neighbours with noisy roosters.

Please do chip in as you progress. I would be keen to see your progress.

Mediterranean breeds are also very hard to find here. I would have loved a Leghorn or two to be mixed in.

We bought this piece of land 4 Acres a year ago. Moved here in Jan, lived in a caravan for the 1st 2 months while the house was built. Moved into the empty shell and doing the rest of the stuff ourselves. It has been an awesome journey

 

[Logar]

I love these threads as this is something I would love to be able to do in the far future. Can’t wait to see how everything works out for you

 

[Cammo77]

Please do chip in as you progress. I would be keen to see your progress.

Mediterranean breeds are also very hard to find here. I would have loved a Leghorn or two to be mixed in.

We bought this piece of land 4 Acres a year ago. Moved here in Jan, lived in a caravan for the 1st 2 months while the house was built. Moved into the empty shell and doing the rest of the stuff ourselves. It has been an awesome journey

Will do. Even if I can't go full free range survival chicken I'd still like to develop some that are cheaper to feed and a lot hardier.

If you struggle to find Mediterranean would you be able to get hold of some Egyptian Fayoumi?

Would of been nice to get into the house after being in the caravan. You'd be saving a good amount by doing most of it yourself. Price of building has gone up 60% over the last 5yrs over here. It's ridiculous. I feel sorry for the younger generations trying to get a start in housing here.

 

[Karoo permaculture]

Will do. Even if I can't go full free range survival chicken I'd still like to develop some that are cheaper to feed and a lot hardier.

If you struggle to find Mediterranean would you be able to get hold of some Egyptian Fayoumi?

Would of been nice to get into the house after being in the caravan. You'd be saving a good amount by doing most of it yourself. Price of building has gone up 60% over the last 5yrs over here. It's ridiculous. I feel sorry for the younger generations trying to get a start in housing here.

1st time I have heard of Fayoumi was on this forum. I have not seen any available in our country. I can get some Leghorns, but only from show breeders and they come at a crazy cost. They are also not close by so need to send them with an animal courier that charge half the price of the chicken.

I'm 35, my wife 33 and we have 3 small children,7,3 and 2 years old. We feel like pioneers here. Yes saving a ton by doing it ourselfs, problem is to try and find balance between finishing the house to some degree and getting the food forest started all while having a full-time job. But we are greatful for what we have, we are beyond blessed

 

[Cammo77]

1st time I have heard of Fayoumi was on this forum. I have not seen any available in our country. I can get some Leghorns, but only from show breeders and they come at a crazy cost. They are also not close by so need to send them with an animal courier that charge half the price of the chicken.

I'm 35, my wife 33 and we have 3 small children,7,3 and 2 years old. We feel like pioneers here. Yes saving a ton by doing it ourselfs, problem is to try and find balance between finishing the house to some degree and getting the food forest started all while having a full-time job. But we are greatful for what we have, we are beyond blessed

I was talking to a guy on the FB group that Bullfrog set up on survival chickens and he said that Murray hatchery has Fayoumi. I went to a rural poultry and produce market today and was very tempted to buy some brown Leghorn pullets but my coop is full currently. I'm getting impatient haha

That's a good effort to get all that done with 3 little ones.....mind you it would be impossible if they were teenagers haha

 

[McChooky]

Because the Aseel didnt really give me much of what I was looking for(I guessed it before I got him but had to try something), he also moved to a friend, might use him again at a later stage, although I very much doubt it, but he was too precious to cull.

I got a New Hampshire rooster, he by accident broke an egg and the hens loved it, Im guessing he loved that feeling and try as I may I couldnt get him to stop. So he is no longer with us, this left me with a big conundrum as I now had no rooster(except for my wife's bantam cochin which im not interested in adding into my project)

A friend came to my rescue and gave me this Barred rooster(claiming it is pure bred Potch koekoek) but the barring is "off" and the legs are the wrong colour. This doesnt bother me, im just giving some context. This rooster is amazing, a real flock master. The perfect rooster in every way.

View attachment 3962657

I have him with 3 dark cornish hens, the hope is to get some well formed chicks with proper breasts, but a bit smaller then the cornish hens. This will be my 2nd strain. Two of the hens are currently sitting.

Your rooster appears to be a Rhodebar mix

 

[McChooky]

I was talking to a guy on the FB group that Bullfrog set up on survival chickens and he said that Murray hatchery has Fayoumi. I went to a rural poultry and produce market today and was very tempted to buy some brown Leghorn pullets but my coop is full currently. I'm getting impatient haha

That's a good effort to get all that done with 3 little ones.....mind you it would be impossible if they were teenagers haha

He seems to have perfected the survival chicken using a mix of various birds.I don't think he's a big fan of the fayoumi for what its worth. I wouldn't mind have a flock of gamebirds but I'm too attached to my domestic flock to get rid of any of them

 

[Cammo77]

He seems to have perfected the survival chicken using a mix of various birds.I don't think he's a big fan of the fayoumi for what its worth. I wouldn't mind have a flock of gamebirds but I'm too attached to my domestic flock to get rid of any of them

I think he's got his lines going pretty well now and he does mention in his book about closing the flock if you can. It's all horses for courses, if it suits you then that's all that matters. I've been thinking of getting some bantam game but I think I'll just wait till I get set up properly. I've got a mixed pen at the moment I may have to split up.

 

[Karoo permaculture]

I think he's got his lines going pretty well now and he does mention in his book about closing the flock if you can. It's all horses for courses, if it suits you then that's all that matters. I've been thinking of getting some bantam game but I think I'll just wait till I get set up properly. I've got a mixed pen at the moment I may have to split up.

The horses for courses is very true. Although most of these threads have the same underlying goal, I believe it is the small differences that makes it interesting.

For example I would prefer my flock to return to their coop at night instead of tree roost.

Im also looking for a small bird then the Terror fowl, with a more upright stance, but not as much as an Aseel. From what I have seen of his Cracker line, I very much like that, just a tad bigger.

I think what also makes it interesting is the birds available to different people in their Location.

 

[Cammo77]

The horses for courses is very true. Although most of these threads have the same underlying goal, I believe it is the small differences that makes it interesting.

For example I would prefer my flock to return to their coop at night instead of tree roost.

Im also looking for a small bird then the Terror fowl, with a more upright stance, but not as much as an Aseel. From what I have seen of his Cracker line, I very much like that, just a tad bigger.

I think what also makes it interesting is the birds available to different people in their Location.

Yes for sure. In such a polarising society it was nice to hear Bullfrog give the advice that every situation will be unique and you do what's best to suit you. Give people the information and tools to make the best decision for themselves and their flock.

Even if I don't go down the fully free range road I will definitely be working towards a flock that is a very low maintenance utility breed rather then a bird that is correct to an SOP but high maintenance. If the breed I've chosen can't acclimatise to my block I'll probably start my own line.