Oregon

[OR4-hmom]

I think I may be catching something. My first attempted at hatching.


2 girls and a boy BLRW

 

[Zanna]

I think I may be catching something. My first attempted at hatching.


2 girls and a boy BLRW

I think you may have caught it already. And I must warn you, it is permanent and the symptoms/results only get worse! They are adorable, congrats

 

[M-I Chicken]

I think you may have caught it already. And I must warn you, it is permanent and the symptoms/results only get worse! They are adorable, congrats

I've been feeling symptomatic lately, as well. My symptoms include looking at Silkies and other broody hens in a different light, justifying in my mind that chicks don't count in my cities 5 hen limit and I have a persistent chuckle when I realize you do not need a rooster to get chicks.

 

[bigboy70]

Ha my roo crows when it gets pitch black not in the mornings ***

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Ha my roo crows when it gets pitch black not in the mornings ***

Mine do from the minute their light comes on at 130am till about 9am lol then when ever they feel like it throughout the day lol ugh

 

[OR4-hmom]

I'm feeling lucky that mine (5), don't start until 4:30 am. I think my hens actually make more noise with their egg song than the boys. I wouldn't mind getting rid of the cheerleader, she goes all day long in the coop.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Haha yes I have a few cheerleaders too! I also have 5 Roos.

 

[Noncentzter]

I have a few more than five roosters and they start crowing around 5AM, sometimes sooner, but they do start crowing as soon as I let the dogs out of the house anytime after 5AM. I'm not consistent in getting out of bed! LOL!! I am looking forward to the time leaping forward so that they aren't crowing as early!

 

[Mandy87]

Hello all I am new here (and new to chickens!). I am currently trying to get some chickens to raise for meat, as well as some nice hens for eggs. I am really trying to buy chicks that come from a good humane hatchery. One that doesn't kill off all the males or produce on a massive scale. Are there any places like this here in Oregon? A big part of my decision to raise my own meat is the fact that industrial chicken farms treat their birds horrendously. Please don't be offended, this is just my personal outlook on the issue. Any suggestions for where to get some red ranger chicks? Has anyone bought from Petes Oregon Peeps Unlimited in Estacada before?

 

[birdnbeast]

Hello all I am new here (and new to chickens!). I am currently trying to get some chickens to raise for meat, as well as some nice hens for eggs. I am really trying to buy chicks that come from a good humane hatchery. One that doesn't kill off all the males or produce on a massive scale. Are there any places like this here in Oregon? A big part of my decision to raise my own meat is the fact that industrial chicken farms treat their birds horrendously. Please don't be offended, this is just my personal outlook on the issue. Any suggestions for where to get some red ranger chicks? Has anyone bought from Petes Oregon Peeps Unlimited in Estacada before?

Oh dear, I so don't want you to feel like I am attacking your naivete ...... but what do you think should be done with the no less than 50% of 'layer' boys that get hatched. Sadly, yes, they are re-purposed as quickly as it can be determined that they have NO purpose beyond that day. Try raising lovely chicks of both sexes that are family and farm utility types and see the cost each of those boys takes to raise and the pen space, etc. Then try to compete in cost of selling a decent pullet on the open market. You then must factor in the cost of the same or more boys with no re-sell value. What do you think is the attractiveness of a 'sex-link' half-breed chick is -- it is to readily identify the layers from the just 'eaters' as layer-boys do not make 'meaties'. Add to that, most layer boys get pretty scrappy quite young so you must have many, many, many pens to keep them from fighting constantly or harassing the growing pullets.

If you want some nice hens for eggs and are willing to dispatch and process the extras (males) then just get a nice big bodied heritage style breed(s) and raise them up. These are commonly called "dual purpose" breeds and we have many, many breeders of these close by. I know a very dedicated breeder that will hook you up with doms (pretty muted grey smutty barred and hardy in our climate) insert big grins for Heaven here. The dual-purpose breeds mature a bit later, lay a few less over the year, lay for more years, and are generally a bit more laid back in personality. The 'production layer' breeds and mixes mature to lay rather quickly, have light bone and frame, lay more eggs the first year, and still do for a stewing hen or broth/soup when lay-ed out. But, like I mentioned, the production layer boys are also light framed, high energy, rather scrappy and huge eaters for the amount of useful meat obtained.

That is the most helpful info I can give you in the 'kindest' way I know how.

welcome to the wonderful and interesting world of backyard and small farmyard poultry
k/