***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Ginger Assassin]

This is going to take some research on your part.  My advice is to start with one or two breeds first while you learn the ropes and get your setup working smoothly.  Look around and breed something you love that has appeal to YOU.  Also keep an eye out locally (craigslist, auctions, friends, etc) and don't breed what everyone else has a million of.  This is important: if you seriously want to breed, do it right with good stock, don't just settle for whatever you can get and be a chick factory.  High quality birds lead to happy and repeat customers and also referrals to new customers.  If it is an APA approved breed, study the Standard of Perfection for that breed and be familiar with general disqualifications you want to avoid in your breeding stock.  Also be aware good stock doesn't just appear, you have to search out the good sources and sometimes wait for them to have some birds available.

As for feed, we have 4 breeds and about 40 adult birds and go through about 2 bags of feed per week, with all our growers and babies we go through about 2 bags of chick feed per week. It adds up FAST so think it through, our feed bill is about $230 per month.  This includes that we allow one or two breeds to free range almost every day.  Chickens take up a lot more room than you might think if you are taking proper care of them, so take that into account. Between your breeding pens, two grower pens (one for younger and one for older growers), a chick brooder, feed and supplies, a quarantine pen, and a sick pen, it takes a lot of time and materials and space.  It's not impossible just don't get in over your head to start with.

thank you for the info do you think that silkie bantams is a good easy breed to start with?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

thank you for the info do you think that silkie bantams is a good easy breed to start with?

I'm a lover of large fowl myself. But as they take a lot less room and feed, bantams may be a perfect place to start for you. Silkies are nice because they have a high demand as a novelty and as pets, and also are frequently used as show birds. The one drawback is they are hard to sex, even up to 6 months old. If you want good stock, BetsyOK seems to have some of the best in Oklahoma. You might contact her to ask specific questions about silkies.

ETA: but you wanted to sell eggs AND chicks. If you want to sell eating eggs, bantams are not usually a good choice as they lay very small or small eggs. If you want to sell hatching eggs, then it may work but there is a lot less demand for hatching eggs than eating eggs.

 

[Ginger Assassin]

I'm a lover of large fowl myself.  But as they take a lot less room and feed, bantams may be a perfect place to start for you.  Silkies are nice because they have a high demand as a novelty and as pets, and also are frequently used as show birds.  The one drawback is they are hard to sex, even up to 6 months old.  If you want good stock, BetsyOK seems to have some of the best in Oklahoma.  You might contact her to ask specific questions about silkies.

ETA: but you wanted to sell eggs AND chicks.  If you want to sell eating eggs, bantams are not usually a good choice as they lay very small or small eggs.  If you want to sell hatching eggs, then it may work but there is a lot less demand for hatching eggs than eating eggs.

I also might get some EE's or are they everywhere ?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I find EEs are nice because people want variety in their egg color, but I don't sell a whole lot of them. I keep a few so I can hatch about 10 a week in the peak of spring and that's about it.

 

[Ginger Assassin]

But i also want to have eggs for myself so maybe some buff orpingtons.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

This is going to take some research on your part. My advice is to start with one or two breeds first while you learn the ropes and get your setup working smoothly. Look around and breed something you love that has appeal to YOU. Also keep an eye out locally (craigslist, auctions, friends, etc) and don't breed what everyone else has a million of. This is important: if you seriously want to breed, do it right with good stock, don't just settle for whatever you can get and be a chick factory. High quality birds lead to happy and repeat customers and also referrals to new customers. If it is an APA approved breed, study the Standard of Perfection for that breed and be familiar with general disqualifications you want to avoid in your breeding stock. Also be aware good stock doesn't just appear, you have to search out the good sources and sometimes wait for them to have some birds available.

As for feed, we have 4 breeds and about 40 adult birds and go through about 2 bags of feed per week, with all our growers and babies we go through about 2 bags of chick feed per week. It adds up FAST so think it through, our feed bill is about $230 per month. This includes that we allow one or two breeds to free range almost every day. Chickens take up a lot more room than you might think if you are taking proper care of them, so take that into account. Between your breeding pens, two grower pens (one for younger and one for older growers), a chick brooder, feed and supplies, a quarantine pen, and a sick pen, it takes a lot of time and materials and space. It's not impossible just don't get in over your head to start with.

I would have to agree

 

[Kassaundra]

A true gardening / cat story from today. I was replanting peanuts today, in spots where they had not sprouted from the first planting. I had dug away a small hole for the peanut and realized I did not have a shelled seed to plant so I reached for my little bag to shell a peanut to plant. My cat Pebbles had been "helping" me for some time and had been watching, as soon as I reached for the peanut bag, he came over to my small hole squatted and did his business and walked off.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

But i also want to have eggs for myself so maybe some buff orpingtons.

Buffs and ees lay great and they tolerate our weather very well both good choices and very friendly as well.

 

[TimsHens]

I am! It's BAD! Lol

My little Silkie turned out to be a roo. I have 2 French copper maran roos and I heard both of them crow then heard a 3rd I was like what the heck, then noticed his comb was getting bigger eats right out of my hand and hes about 10 weeks old

 

[NanaKat]

A true gardening / cat story from today. I was replanting peanuts today, in spots where they had not sprouted from the first planting. I had dug away a small hole for the peanut and realized I did not have a shelled seed to plant so I reached for my little bag to shell a peanut to plant. My cat Pebbles had been "helping" me for some time and had been watching, as soon as I reached for the peanut bag, he came over to my small hole squatted and did his business and walked off.

Just a little fertilizer...