Replacing my flock

[dlaciv12]

My girls are all a year old this week. I have 3 black sex links and 3 amber sex links. We are in New England and I got pretty good egg production all winter using lights on a timer. I don't really have a plan except I got 2 RIR and 2 Barred Rocks chicks today. I want to keep about 6-8 layers through out the year as we are BIG egg eaters in my family. I figure I will get 2 of the older ladies in the pot this fall, after the 4 new girls are up and running. That will leave me with 8 through the winter, 4 young and 4 old. Then in the spring I guess I will get 4 more chicks and go through the same cycle.

Is this what most people do? I am looking for your stories about rotating through your layers for best results. If you are in New England I'd love to your story with details.

Thanks,
Dave
PS. I know egg production is supposed to decrease in the second "season" but how do I define "season?"

 

[PunkinPeep]

I think your schedule is a little early on when to send the "older" girls to the pot.

I haven't done this myself yet, mind you, but i have read that some will start the new chick process when the older girls are about 1 1/2 years old and then butcher slower older girls when they are about 2 1/2 years old - that gives the new pullets some more time to get things in gear.

 

[CMV]

PunkinPeep has the right of it.

Start with 6 girls, raise them up for the first year. In the second year get 6 more girls and raise them up. So second year you have 6 pullets laying and 6 babies growing. Third year get 6 more girls and raise them up. Third year you have 6 mature layers, 6 pullets laying and 6 babies growing. Fourth year cull out your old layers and get 6 new babies to raise up. Continue on for infinity. This schedule should ensure that you always have 6 mature layers, 6 pullets laying and 6 babies growing. This is the schedule for keeping your birds in optimal laying condition.

 

[PunkinPeep]

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On this schedule you're culling right around 3 years? Did i read that right?

 

[CMV]

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Yes.

 

[dlaciv12]

I don't think I have enough room for the 6 mature and the 6 pullets. I am comfortable w/ 6 or 8, 10 is tight but doable and 12 is just too much. Instead of putting 2 in the pot I could probably sell them away on Craigs List since they would be good layers for another year.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Shifty Joe]

Sell your extra hens instead of making them into soup. Hens go for about $8-$12 on craigs list.

 

[blacktailsmom]

Hmm. I wonder how I can fit 6 more chicks in next spring.

 

[goldeneggtees]

i like that idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[bigredfeather]

If your black and amber sex links are anything like my red sex links, you will find that they will not lay nearly as consistantly in the next year. Mine did great the first year, but this past Winter, anytime it got really cold, despite having lights on them, they quit laying. Knowing this ahead of time, I got their replacements when my current ones where just at a year. So, I think you have the right idea. I plan on butchering my two year old girls this Fall.

You could always build a small addition to your coop. You can never have too many chickens. LOL