not a newbie yet needs advice

[tidewillroll]

hey folks, i've really been enjoying ya'lls website. i am thinking about getting some chickens to put on my property which is located about 10 miles from my house and i only go over there about every 4 days or so. i am comfident that i can build a coop and run to keep out the foxes, coyotes, coons, etc, but i am curious as to how often the eggs have to be harvested before they go bad. also, what is the edible difference between a fertilized egg and a unfertilzed one. these questions may sound a little dumb but honestly i don't have clue. should i just stick with the piggly wiggly?

thanks,
tide

 

[Mrs.Puff]

Harvest every day or at least two in cooler weather. No difference in edibility.

 

[gpamela3499]

To the forum

From california

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

from TN

 

[b.hromada]

and

from S. Florida.

 

[Schultz]

Welcome from Indiana!

First, you should collect eggs daily or every other day like Mrs.Puff said.
Second, your flock should also have access to fresh food and water daily, in my opinion.
Lastly, Say no to the Piggly Wiggly!!!!!
Good luck!

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
I would recommend against it. Eggs should really be collected daily and chickens, like all livestock, should be looked after.

However, if you are intent on this, why not fill the feeder with enough to last while you are away, get a foolproof auto waterer - and just let them run free?
Build them a secure coop that they have to fly up to for entrance, giving it an armored bottom section.
Then allow them to just roam around - no run.
Ther is little you can do about the wild birds and the smallest of critters, but this might just keep the biggies away.

And as long as they are free, they can fly and generally get out of the predators' way. Well, for the most part.
And while your results are unlikely to be as good as were you there, you can make up in numbers what you lack in quality rearing.

I remember a few years back, some chckens had gone feral in Florida and had literally taken over one smal ltown. So they can take care fot themselves.
The only real problem is that chickens are actually half wild to begin with. We've only been seriously breeding them, large scale, for a few hundred years. And Im fairly convinced we havent shaken the wild out of them by very much for all our efforts. Like pigs, they are adaptable and go wild pretty quick.
You just might come back one day to find your chickens have, literally, flown the coop.

Seriously, chickens serve you best if you steward them closely. But this could be interesting...
I'd like to hear more about your plans.