NY chicken lover!!!!

[vmdanielsen]

I am thinking of doing this next time I need a few chickens, but I have been very unsuccessful in finding local chicken folks. I drove an hour to Jamestown to adopt a cochin rooster from someone here on BYC and despite them being good birds from a good breeder, and the best behaved roos I've ever met, she was unable to find homes for months. I think she still has two extras. I am nervous about running into that situation and don't want to irresponsibly hatch some birds out only to not have homes for them all. I'm not set up to house too many.

You sound responsible. I eat my culls(roosters,and pullets that I don't think will make good breeders, for whatever reason). If you don't want to breed because you don't want to eat them, come fall, someone always has a favorite pullet or hen that they don't want to eat so if you are willing to drive, you may be able to get it quite cheap!! AS far as roosters go, they are hard to give away and I take comfort knowing that while mine lived they didn't spend their short life in a cage or so crowded that they could barely move. One could be over run with roosters very quickly....like the time I set 16 eggs and 11 hatched...9 cockerels and 2 pullets.

 

[Glasshen]

All good info, thank you Rancher. I think I will hatch some of my own eggs this year, and, I guess I will learn to butcher the boys. But, it looks like Reveille may get a new home. A fellow from Toggenburg (I see chickens in his future) said he found a young co-worker who wants a younger rooster as his elderly one is not doing the job. I believe I have just the rooster for him! And another friend is now interested....but she is not set up yet...so things are looking up for that boy.,

 

[vmdanielsen]

Oh, sure - now that I no longer have two spare SS roos, somebody comes along and wants one.

Welcome to the NYS thread!

But they tasted good didn't they? HHHmmmm, I think I will take a chicken out of the freezer.

While I have set eggs to hatch, very few are 2.0 or less. I have two EE's that lay a nice 2.0+ eggs. Keep in mind folks that hatcheries buy every egg they can get there hands on. IMO. I don't think they look at the depth of the gene pool. Point being if you got a dud from the hatchery don't be surprised.

This is why it's good to hatch your own. Even if you need to use a broody hen and give away or cull the roosters.

Also keep in mind that hybrids are better layers than pure and a hybrid can be any mix. Which may be why EE's lay better than pure Ameraucanas. I always give away my crossed chicks.

Your "Tetras" "Golden comets" and the like are sex links simply for the reason the hatchery can tell the boys from the girls just by looking at them. They then toss the boys down a chute and grind them up alive.

Further your Rhodebars and any of the "Bars" are also crosses that hatch feather sexed. Though in this case the roosters and hens of the "breed" can be bred together.

If you'd prefer to do this yourself, get yourself a few Del hens and cross them with a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and all the rooster chicks will have the Del pattern and the hens a solid red feather pattern.

Would covering a dell with a buckeye, produce similar coloring? I don't want to do this, I am just curious!

EEWW!! I have hatching fever!!! I was going to put the light out in the coop but with this week's anticipated cold weather, decided to wait because I was going to put the nipple waterer out there with the aquarium heater in i,t but didn.t know how it would hold up with the -0 temperatures. I can hold off another week, I can hold off another week...really I can.

 

[vmdanielsen]

sorry double post

 

[stonykill]

But they tasted good didn't they? HHHmmmm, I think I will take a chicken out of the freezer.

ate 2 Saturday and 1 went in the freezer. 3 more are freezer bound today as they just finished "resting" in the fridge. Selected the next 3 bound for freezer camp. 16 roosters lighter since Thanksgiving.... so far.....

Now I want chicken and I see pork is already defrosting..... darn....

 

[Adoravachick]

You sound responsible. I eat my culls(roosters,and pullets that I don't think will make good breeders, for whatever reason). If you don't want to breed because you don't want to eat them, come fall, someone always has a favorite pullet or hen that they don't want to eat so if you are willing to drive, you may be able to get it quite cheap!! AS far as roosters go, they are hard to give away and I take comfort knowing that while mine lived they didn't spend their short life in a cage or so crowded that they could barely move. One could be over run with roosters very quickly....like the time I set 16 eggs and 11 hatched...9 cockerels and 2 pullets.

This is also my fear, too many roos. I've for several right now, 2 breeders, and the rest are grow outs. I find myself feeling very annoyed with them, they are Jerks! Boys being boys. I cannot bring myself to eat my silkies, the black meat just doesn't sound appetizing to me. Maybe an asian market would be willing to take them, then I worry that they will not be handled in a humane way.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Ginny---I know that itch. I have two new incubators just begging to be used! I keep saying I can wait, I can wait...

Didnt get much snow but holy cow who installled the freezer! I think it was minus something when I went out to release the beasts. Everyone got scratch and I see no frostbite on any combs or waddles. They all pounded outside to get their scratch and cabbage so I guess they dont really care about the freezer conditions. Even the silkies ran out this morning. They got hot water with their cool as they dont have heaters so I bring in the indoor ones at night. They will get boiling water when I leave as no one will be home till bedtime for them.

Rancher--hybrids are good egg layers. Our 5 red sexlinks are machines. We will be hatching out black sexlinks (rir roo x br hen) so we shall see if they are as good. I have to say the rir hens are also good egg layers. Someone (or two) are laying the most beautiful dark brown eggs I have ever seen. Not as dark as Marans eggs but dark.

Nambroth---if you arent squeamish, its not hard to process your extra/unwanted chickens. They are tasty and as Ginny said, at least you know you have given them a good life for however long you raised them. No added water, preservatives or coloring either!

Stay warm everyone. Its going to be a long, frigid week this week!

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Adorava---got a coop of 5 silkies, four of which are boys and 3 are up for sale. I cant eat mine either. Love my boys but they really need their own home! They all stare at Little Mans run, lusting after his women. Sigh...hoping maybe later on I can find them homes, even if I have to give them away.

Stony--you almost done processing??? Seems like you have been running freezer camp for a long time now. Dont you ever close for vacation???

 

[rancher hicks]

Who are you talking to ?

Any one who'll listen my dear.

You don't think if you're addressing someone in particular I don't read it do you? You might say something about someone or something I can use. Believe me I have too.

 

[stonykill]

Adorava---got a coop of 5 silkies, four of which are boys and 3 are up for sale. I cant eat mine either. Love my boys but they really need their own home! They all stare at Little Mans run, lusting after his women. Sigh...hoping maybe later on I can find them homes, even if I have to give them away.

Stony--you almost done processing??? Seems like you have been running freezer camp for a long time now. Dont you ever close for vacation???

not sure. With the broody's hatching from March till September ...... and I stopped counting at 25 broody's...... adds up to a lot of freezer bound roo's. 10 more might put me in pretty good shape, until it starts all over again.