Red Sex Link?

[feather13]

Drumstick Diva: Is it possible to fix a chicken's broken wing? I'm woefully ignorant about chicken health. I grew up on a farm where my parents either put their animals down or left them alone to heal themselves (or not). Should I have taken her to a vet (I'm in a suburban area, so don't know if there are any vets that will treat chickens) or could I have fixed it myself? Because of all the predators that prowl our backyard (raccoons, stray dogs, cats, hawks, and opossums) the chickens are kept in a coop and large run all the time unless I am able to supervise them for very short amounts of time. She doesn't need to fly since I built a wide ramp for her to get up into the egg box without hopping. Thanks!

 

[jrob53]

OK I have a ? about Red Sex Links, I can get 7 not quite 2 year olds for $7 and am wondering roughly how many eggs per\
week I should get from them

 

[feather13]

I get a decent-sized egg from my Black Sex Link every day, even in the winter. If you can manage seven more chickens, I would say go for it.

 

[Michael OShay]

OK I have a ? about Red Sex Links, I can get 7 not quite 2 year olds for $7 and am wondering roughly how many eggs per\
week I should get from them

Based on my personal experience, at a little under 2 years old, I would expect about 6 eggs per hen per week from them assuming they are getting plenty of light throughout the day.

 

[jrob53]

These would be my first chickens I'm building my coop and run and should have it done in a week and he'll have the chickens in November.
He has a large flock they have no run strictly inside not caged I'n building a 4x8 coop and 8X12 run should handle 7

 

[donrae]

OK I have a ? about Red Sex Links, I can get 7 not quite 2 year olds for $7 and am wondering roughly how many eggs per\
week I should get from them

These birds are going so cheap because they're going to molt and not lay eggs for the winter. The seller doesn't want to feed non-productive birds through the cold months.

If you buy these hens, don't expect eggs until next March or so, as the days start getting longer. Or, you can research supplemental lighting and try that in your coop, see if you can force them to start laying again after they molt.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

These birds are going so cheap because they're going to molt and not lay eggs for the winter. The seller doesn't want to feed non-productive birds through the cold months.

If you buy these hens, don't expect eggs until next March or so, as the days start getting longer. Or, you can research supplemental lighting and try that in your coop, see if you can force them to start laying again after they molt.

x2

Be aware that the commercial hybrids, in particular the Red Sex Links of any type of name..Red Star, Red Comet, Isa Brown, etc., are very productive their first two years. laying pretty much every day, and then after that first molt will decrease about 25% (not all but most). Then after their second molt, will decrease more, usually by 50%. My RSL's typically look pretty spent by year 4, so I too phase them out at 2 years of age for about $5 a bird. (I make it clear to the buyer the nature of the RSL).

You should have a decent laying year left in them, 4 to 5 eggs a week from each bird, but they will likely sharply decline after that second molt with long periods of no laying to come into lay again spring/summer and out at fall/winter. (Not all, some lay decently well into senior citizen status, depends on the parentage used for the hybrid).

I find my Black Sexlinks don't spend out so quickly. They lay a little less prolifically than the RSL, but lay more consistently longer. By 4 years of age, I still have a fairly decent BSL layer and healthy looking bird with a great personality.

My experience.
LofMc

 

[jrob53]

Yes I am aware they do cut back on their laying how much was what I was wondering. The farmer
that is selling them sells eggs commercially at markets and their roadside stand and can't take the
hit in production. Me I just want enough eggs for wife & I, and our moms. So enough eggs for 4 people.
I was kind of figuring keep them for 1 year butcher and buy another batch from him. If I get too many
eggs I'm sure I can sell some to make up our cost of feeding. Maybe I can use eggs to barter labor in the
future I just paid a guy to work on our solar thermal system with 4 bulbs of garlic and hour.

Thanks for the information

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes I am aware they do cut back on their laying how much was what I was wondering. The farmer
that is selling them sells eggs commercially at markets and their roadside stand and can't take the
hit in production. Me I just want enough eggs for wife & I, and our moms. So enough eggs for 4 people.
I was kind of figuring keep them for 1 year butcher and buy another batch from him. If I get too many
eggs I'm sure I can sell some to make up our cost of feeding. Maybe I can use eggs to barter labor in the
future I just paid a guy to work on our solar thermal system with 4 bulbs of garlic and hour.

Thanks for the information

That can be a good plan...it gets you ready made layers without the brooding of chicks. Just be aware that you also risk more parasites and worms and possible disease when you bring in older birds, but if you get it all from the same farm year after year, the risk will be lower as you are dealing with the same farm and farmer (vs. getting older birds from a number of places).

Typically, with layers averaging between first year and second year of age, of commerical types, during winter with no artificial lighting, in good health (no worm or parasite overload problems and not a flock wide molt), you can conservatively plan on about 1/2 the eggs as the number of chickens...so if you have 10 chickens, you'll typically get 5 eggs during the winter, closer to 7 to 8 during summer. 70 to 80% lay rate is pretty good for backyard production.

Just be aware that there will be little worthy meat off a RSL at the end of 3 years, and what you get off of them will be broth or stewing quality for tacos. Simmer slowly with liquid...the term Coq au Vin is literally old cock simmered in wine so the tough old buzzard is edible....the Provincial French cooking term makes it sound quite elegant but in truth it is a factual necessity for use of old stock.

LofMc

 

[jrob53]

They would all be coming from the same farmer. I work there now that I'm semi-retired going out today to
help digging, washing and packing potatoes. I wanted to get into Buff Orpingtons but don't want the bother
of messing with chicks or paying the money for slightly older birds. We do make some soups, stews at times and
chicken salad they may work for those purposes. I also heard if you keep them in the fridge for a couple days they
tender up a bit. I guess like we did with pheasant soak in salt water in the fridge a day or so.

I love the part about Coq au Vin never checked the origin of the name very interesting.

Thanks Again lots of good input