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Don't second guess yourself. This is a great decision to make. And if you are like me, you'll get very quick at building arks... and you'll never have enough, and will only build them in crisis. Crisis farming we call it.
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Absolutely. You will find your eating habits will change radically once you start enjoying the fruits of your own labor.
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For 3 dozen eggs per week, you will need 10 hens. For 2 dozen eggs per week, you will need 6 hens.
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Not really. The feeding requirements for broilers is vastly different from hens. The two can share a brooder for about 2 weeks, then you will need to separate due to different feeding and space requirements.
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The coop size depends on the size of run they have outdoors. 4 sf per bird is fine as long as they have plenty of room in their day pen. Also, wherever you put the birds, they will strip it of vegatation in a couple weeks. I suggest portable field shelters and portable electric netting and use a roation. For great poultry netting, only order from here:
http://www.premier1supplies.com/fencing.php?mode=detail&fence_id=96
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My customers prefer brown and they tend to believe they are better for you. In reality, there is no difference. What sells best is to have the dozen mixed in size and shades of color. Irregularity is our strength, where as homogony rules in grocery stores.
The best layers are Red Sex Links, Golden Sex Links and Black Sex Links. They vary in proprietary name, such as Red Star, Golden Comment, Black Rock, etc. They are hybrids and are unsurpased in vigor and production.
However, most back yard people like a variety. Pick a breed that looks pretty. Where do you live, by the way? That can make a big difference in my suggestions.
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There is only one meat broiler which is used for commercial production, which is the Cornish Cross. It's sometimes called a Jumbo Cornish or other proprietary names. If you have never done meat birds, it's a good starting point to learn the ropes... and unfortunately, the pitfalls. Mortality can be high. They will also very quickly be 15 pounds live weight before you even have arrangements to get them processed.
I personally use Freedom Rangers since they are far better suited for ranged production and have far less health problems.
Just want to know if this rooster is safe in this hen house LOL
