NY chicken lover!!!!

[why do birds]

my favorite version of this tune. Gary Moore who left us far too soon and BB. SO SO SO GOOD!

Just curious, how are you able to get the copy and paste for a you tube video to come up in blue like that?
We're big into music here, the title "why do birds" from close to you by the Carpenters. Love Lindsey Stirling and the Black Violins. One of my kids got to see BV in concert and loved it! We play a lot of music here, have 2 drummers, and I play classical piano. Not to mention the vocal auditions! These little birds start scratching around, looks like they're dancing, so we start singing "rockin robin" or another bird song to them..."I'm like a bird", "freebird", etc. What a kick!

 

[stonykill]

Just curious, how are you able to get the copy and paste for a you tube video to come up in blue like that?
We're big into music here, the title "why do birds" from close to you by the Carpenters. Love Lindsey Stirling and the Black Violins. One of my kids got to see BV in concert and loved it! We play a lot of music here, have 2 drummers, and I play classical piano. Not to mention the vocal auditions! These little birds start scratching around, looks like they're dancing, so we start singing "rockin robin" or another bird song to them..."I'm like a bird", "freebird", etc. What a kick!

right click the link on the top of the you tube page, in the address bar, and then paste it onthe page here. Comes up blue

 

[Cass]

Sorry I'm in East Syracuse, quite a ways from you.

You're not that far, really. I have relatives in Canastota and hmm...well, somewhere out there with a weird name.

 

[rancher hicks]

Is it really that bad?

What about selling hatching eggs? This is so sad to hear.

How are other people making it work out? Is it that food for chickens is too expensive? Yikes, what are we in for?

We saw a you tube tutorial where a turkey farm lady was making $$$$. She seemed to have a system down. I would think that an egg business is good but now I'm rethinking. We were thinking that longer term, we would make food ingredients, eggs, herbs, etc. and sell the cooked items, something people like to eat, and do some kind of catering. It's a LOT of work but hey everything's a lot of work. I find that people in my area would rather buy the cooked burger than the raw dead cow. Maybe sell cookies, or cakes or something?

There is a location factor here. We have the Farmers market. There are a number of folks who sell eggs, but I believe them to be production birds, which I don't care to have. I also don't have a set up for 100 birds. As for hatching eggs, folks don't want to pay for them. At least no one in my area. To ship them safely it means an expense for bubble wrap.

I'm right now working up my Birchens maran flock. However I've believe there are quite a few unscrupulous sellers out there and I prefer not to work that way. My Maran chicks had crooked toes as did the other chicks with the order. The breeder got real upset when I complained, though I'm sure they lost money, after it was all over and done with. I simply can't work that way. I'm working now to improviing the line.

Selling eggs can be a good business if you have a market. In the Syracuse area there are many folks who have chickens and sell eggs. To diversification is key. This means shipping if you can, plus like some at the market selling there too.

At our market there are, at least two who sell for dogs, two or three soap makers, many bakers, two or three seasoning sellers, at least two organic beef and chicken meat sellers, one wool, chicken, egg seller. (she's very nice). Two or more cheese sellers. One milks seller, that I saw yesterday.

I can't be sure how many dozens of eggs are sold each week. I haven't asked. Folks would prefer extra large to large eggs. Production birds lay these. I don't keep them. Heritage birds lay average a large egg.

As folks on this thread can tell you, folks don't want to pay for unsexed chicks such that it makes it worth the trouble. Perhaps if you intend to process non sellers, but you'll have a freezer full in no time I suspect.

Many even here prefer to buy from hatcheries that can sex chicks. It's expensive for individuals to buy boxes and sell chicks. 25 is the going count for safe delivery and in some cases even then there are casualties. The USPS for my last three deliveries were late with over night. One resulting in an entire shipment being doa.

Sellers of eggs, blame everything on the PO. However I've had good hatches and bad. There are many things that can affect a hatch. Some being the health of the chickens, fertility, line and freshness. This last hatch I got two chicks and they are runts. I hatched my own too as a control. My chick is larger and fluffy.

Some other thoughts.
I had a friend who was keeping Golden Comets and RIR's . His last flock of 100 birds didn't lay well, so he sold them all. He was getting $3.00 dz. However the chicks he got must not have been a good line. Breeding is very important and there is IMO inbreeding going on. Especially in the show lines. If you can hatch your own and dispatch roo chicks like hatcheries do then you may do well.

You need to know your competition. Store eggs are still cheaper and you have to figure what the market will allow.

Too you need land lots of land and structures. I have no barns and while I am legal not to the degree that I can keep 100's of birds. It would mean bigger and more coops.

Too you need to have age on your side. My kids are grown and some live out of state. I can't leave DW to take care of things, it's just not fair. She is supportive but I must be fair. Lord knows she does far to much now.

Now in your case don't be discouraged. Keep good records and have a business plan. If you can do some market research. If you buy chicks, pay for good chicks. Keep good breeding records. Keep a closed flock. Take loses in stride and carry on. Keep in mind that folks don't like to say things aren't well. It takes time and money to build a reputation. Good or bad.

I'll still keep some chickens I suppose, just tailor my focus more. Perhaps on my marans and Dels. To become a good breeder it takes hundreds of a breed to develop a good line.

Jody in PA, Hinkjc has the best Orps but she keeps lots of birds and has a husband who helps. Check out her web site. She has great pictures. It can be done.

 

[why do birds]

Wow! That was most informative! TY! I would have thought that Syracuse area would be ripe for the organic egg market! It seems that there has to be some kind of creativity with this business. What about sales of extra eggs to local restaurants?

We haven't moved yet, but are putting together an infrastructure with buildings on land we purchased. We do have a barn and it was a working farm several years ago but we are in the repair process. Currently we have the 3 chicks in the bathtub in the house. It would be nice to get into poultry farming.

I agree with you on the closed flock. We hatched these from Ebay eggs and would do that again. This way we know the chicks are healthy, no exposure to sick birds. We were brain storming what to do with the eggs, sell hatching eggs, incubate ourself and sell chicks, cook the eggs and sell the finished food item at our farm store, sell eggs to a restaurant, or find local buyers in our community for finished food products, or even make dog treats. Sometimes it seems one has to think way outside the box to be sustainable.

I have 3 business plans developed, 1 for beef cattle but I'm not crazy about cows as they are large and scary. 1 for the mohair/wool/lamb/goat industry which would be really nice if it could be sustainable. 1 for poultry if we can get the numbers to come up right. Really, the numbers only come out correct when catering is added to the mix. We have to ask what people in our area will buy, and the answer keeps coming up prepared food. We aren't cooks so this is going to get interesting really fast! For poultry we do have a stream and pond so maybe ducks? Who buys ducks? Aren't they just for lawn decoration?

I've heard such good things about the orps, very nice birds. Will check out the site. Always good to see success! BTW do you like the marans personalities? I've read some mixed reviews. Are they flighty or nervous? Are those the brown egg layers? I thought of marans at first but then heard so many good things about the orpingtons. What would you do if you had the buildings and acerage? Any thoughts on structure modification or fencing? We have nice pasture, gorgeous flat fields that would be easy to fence off areas. Thanks for the info!

 

[armorfirelady]

I have a BCM and a BCM mix. The BCM is very friendly and talkative. She just started laying a few weeks ago. She layed 6 eggs and stopped over a period of 2-3 weeks. I think the cold has something to do with it. The mix stopped laying as well. They both went thru a molt so that is part of the problem as well I am sure. They have never been nasty birds. Sometimes flighty if cornered. I don't pick up my birds often so they run if I try to. But if I sit out with them & throw scratch they come right up to me.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Well I've managed to collect 3 eggs from the big coop - 1 from Stella the Lav Orp and 2 from the BR. My Buff Orp was in there today but she got out for a minute while I was adding hay to the coop and Gru got in there. Not sure what that was all about. I took some pictures of him in there cuz I thought it was just so weird he was trying to cram in there.





Silly thing...I definitely can't give him up yet.

Pretty Girl !

Was he making a cute noise too ? kind of like a growl ? He is trying to get your hens to go Broody !
My Samatra Roo does this once in a while ..It kind of looks like hes trying to lay a egg .
these are your nesting boxes right ? Are the tall enough for your hens to stand up ?

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
Great Clip ! I like yours better than mine .AND They were also having SO much fun .
We kind of wander off chickens sometimes...ducks , rabbits, predators ....we wander back .
This is a word game we play on this thread . Someone says a word or makes a statement that reminds us of a song .
Stony knows alot more songs than I do ..
Rancher Said " The thrill is gone ...He was talking about his chickens ..LOL...it made me think of the song

 

[Gramma Chick]

Well a Opossum wandered by our house & coop / shed tonight ...Light came on ...so I looked out .
It was digging in the snow for stuff ...Probably left over snacks that the chickens didnt get ..
Seeds , veggies ...It seemed to have no interest in the coop ..Just what was on the ground

A couple hours later I heard a noise outside..I thought my cat was still out ..
Somehow with the snow bank the opossum had got in our garbage can & couldnt get out ..
He didnt hiss at me or anything ..so I knocked it over so he could get out ..
he went under my car & off away ...

 

[Glasshen]

Rancher, on your dilemma, I think it winds up being about how much enjoyment you get from raising, having, researching, hatching, and connecting with people about chickens. It seems to me, from here you enjoy all of that a great deal. You are an animal lover. When you decrease your work load, a week later you are buying or hatching again, so you must love it. I also understand that caring for the chickens is expensive and a lot of work, and that your body protests, especially in winter.

My thought is to decrease your flock, but still keep some of your favorites, perhaps Marans and delawares, which are rare and you have a history with them, and keeping strictly to those. Your workload and expenses would be cut to a more manageable amount. Hobbies are not free, nor do they usually make money.

But, perhaps you could offer a hatching service. You enjoy it, and are good at it, have the equipment, and many of us would love to collect our eggs, or procure some, hand them and some money over to you and magically get back a bunch of chicks in three weeks or so.

Just my assessment and a possible moderate route. And if you got out of chickens, your body would get stiff and creaky without the exercise, AND YOU WOULD MISS US.