Starting my first mixed breed, heritage, self-sustaining chicken flock

[whitejerabias]

Katie (I'm guessing that is your name),
I came here recently with the same goals in mind. I'm only getting three acres though.

I am finding it a lot of fun to look through and 'choose' different breeds; but overwhelming. My plan is to go to a local state fair this summer and chat with the poultry showers. I am betting that there I could find sources for well bred, cheap chicks that didn't make the show-quality cut.

I think what I want to do is start with a core flock of about 12 layers and a rooster. Each spring I will let them hatch out 20-30 chicks and then process them in late fall, replacing layers as needed. I plan to choose my initial breeds based on these needs from most to least important: Egg production, calm/handle-able chickens, colourful eggs, pretty hens. From this forum I have found that there aren't that many 'meat only' birds and the conventional Cornish cross does not fit into my plan of sustainability. I learned that the Plymouth Rock can be a meat only bird if bought from the right breeding lines. I also came across this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=614417&p=1

Anyway, I plan to incorporate a few Plymouth Rocks (or other breedable meat bird) that have been bred for meat into the core group. Then I will hatch out primarily their eggs when I raise the meaties.

 

[saladin]

Quote:
Your plan sounds very workable. If you wanted a truly historic breed instead of a Rock (fairly new breed: nothing wrong with a Rock. It's just not that old of a breed.) then I'd suggest a Dorking. They've been around since before the Roman Empire and there's not a Rock on the planet that will give you the same quality of meat that you'll get from a Dorking. Honest.

 

[whitejerabias]

Dorking, check. Since I have not even moved yet (slated for early Feb), I have not begun my coop and all my ideas are still in that phase.

Would you suggest one or two roosters for my flock? I want to choose the roo/s very carefully as they will be my progenitor. Although, I suppose I could hatch out a new rooster to my fancy from whatever breeds I have.

I am imagining that once I can tell which hen lays which egg I can pick and choose who to hatch from.

 

[GhostRider65]

Good Idea's here so far, I will post later on what I'm doing but hubby wants the puter...... so will be back. Kim

Ok I'm back, anyway I started out with the same idea as you have, and I purchased day old chicks, I ordered 5 each straight run, of Buff Opingtons, Wyandottes, Delawaares, Speckled Sussex, Barred Rocks, Ancona's, well as my order was to ship they ran out of Ancona's so I said add 5 more speckled sussex to replace them, well only 5 shipped, 3 were DOA, no barred rocks at all ? White rock packing peanuts were added ect ect, so out of the 30 I ordered I ended up with another replacement/fix it order, and 43 chicks, well 34 were roosters....... so alot of butchering roo's was ok but still made me quite pissy. So I went to TSc and got 6 straight run babies 3 EE's and 3 Black sexlinks. well only 1 EE hen the other 2 were roo's. So all together I have 16 hens, and 4 roosters, the reason being as breeders for spring I kept a Delaware, a SS, my favorite EE and a White Wyandotte roo because I had to nurse him and so couldn't butcher him with all the boys. Well 4 roosters are way to many for 16 hens so 2 of them are running around loose in yard/barn, waiting on spring. and 2 have always been with the ladies. well even 2 are a bit rambunctious, my white hens the favorites are missing lots of back feathers so had to make saddles for them, argggggg So point being don't plan on everything being exactly as you planned, I've had no predators so far and haven't lost any to sickness, but initially it was a big pain in my butt.
But now that I have them if I could redo I would order, Delwares, Buff Opingtons, Barred Rocks, or white rocks if looking for good dual purpose, the WR roosters are mean though, the SS are small in size from the hatchery, EE's are not meaty, wyandottes aren't either at least from a hatchery anyway, my best dressed out roos at 20 weeks were my white rocks/barred rocks, at 6 to 7 lbs, the ss were 4 and 5lbs, and the buff orpingtons were scrawny as well, only 2 good sized roo's out of 4 weighed in at 6, but that was because I had so many roosters and they were not letting the smaller/ more timid roos eat. I really like my Delawares, they are the largest and nicest, also my ss are awsum hens, but scrawny for meat.
I would suggest though that you stick with a pea comb, or rose comb breed for your climate, I never thought about our severe cold winters but am worrying now about frost bite, on my single comb chickens. wish I would have thought of that, also I wish I would have known which breeds would grow best and lay good amount of eggs, even in the winter before I ordered, but ya live ya learn. I'm still getting 12 eggs a day out of my 16 girls give or take an egg or 2 once in awhile. So I can't really complain, I do let the light on from dark to 9pm because we have been having cloudy crappy weather, and they lay better. but it's been cold windy and nasty for the last few weeks, and everyone is doing pretty good. So read alot and i would have at least 4 different breeds for diversity. good luck in your new endeavor, you will love the chickens........... Kim

 

[saladin]

Quote:
One cock would be fine as long as you have a way to get another. Backups always come in handy.

Remember the Number One Rule to keeping chickens:

Chickens die.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Quote:
Hi

You've received a lot of good answers already. I had some of the same goals, when I started out almost 12 years ago.
If you want hens to raise their own chicks, don't buy from a hatchery. Hatcheries and many breeders don't want broody hens and breed that trait out of their chickens. If you want broody hens, buy from a breeder who has broody hens.
Hatcheries are not the place to get a decent heritage breed meat bird. If you want good size, buy from a breeder. I don't know if anyone mentioned, or if you know, that most heritage breeds take months to mature to a size big enough for eating as a meat bird. By the time they are mature, they are roasting birds, not fryers. If you plan to market these as a meat bird, there is less of a demand for these old fashioned chickens. I'm raising Delawares because they do mature a bit faster than older heritage breeds. You still have to feed them longer than you would if you were raising the current commercial Frankenchicken Cornish crosses or Freedom Rangers. So they are less cost efficient and not truly sustainable in that you have to feed them so long.
The Delawares also lay lots of nice big brown eggs.

I raise heritage breeds because I love the breeds and want to preserve their important part of history. I had hopes of making some money selling eggs & meat with them but once I got into it, I realized that I had to make a choice between production or quality. I chose quality and am working on that long road ahead. The farmers who want to make money usually have commercial breeds.

Joel Salatin doesn't have heritage animals but I really like his books for some great ideas that you can adapt to your situation.

Best wishes,
Kim

 

[katiemdenne]

Wow! I am so impressed!!! I didn't think anyone had responded, or would, and here you all are, open and honest, and HELPFUL!!!! I am so appreciative!!! Thanks!!!

So a few things.....
Yes, my name is Katie

Delawares seem like a hit! I'm debating on them or the plymouth rock. I will for sure get a few dorkings as there is a breeder close by and they produce a white egg (which will complement my colourful egg basket

)
As for the who senario... I'm still trying to figure it all out and have been doing A LOT of research. My mind has turned to mush because of it! BUT, I will continue!!!!

My plan so far.... thoughts?


Come Spring.... build a big coop and big attached pen, get 20-25 chicks from a breeder (thinking about Ameraucana's, Rhode Island Red's, Australorps, Marans, Orphingtons, dorkings, and maybe a second potential meat bird---- I'd prefer at least 4 breeds)... raise chicks at my house until they are old enough to go to the farm.... then I will go twice a day to let them in and out/feed etc....... so let them grow up together, butcher the unwanted roos as necessary, collect eggs, yum.... THEN... when we want more chickens for meat, have husband build a second coop/run (poor husband), transfer the dorkings/rocks/or delawares to the second pen with a rooster(s) and let them brood away. Bingo, Bango, Bongo... baby chicks!! Then keep the best potential hens, and eat the rest. THEN... when we want fresh layers, we let them brood and make more, we eat the unwanted roos and the cycle continues.... yes? I guess an issue lies with creating mutts, but I could fix that with separating them come baby making time, no? Husband buils more coops?!?!? haha He'll be thrilled! lol

Even just writing that out helped! I am so glad that I joined this forum!!! I'm sure I missed responding to some of your questions, so I do apologise

I tried to touch base on it all! hahaha

Thanks for all the info!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

By the time you get to year 2, you'll have a much better handle on everything and be able to answer many of your own questions.

All you say is workable.

I suggested starting with some started pullets and then chicks because say you get chicks in April, you'll be waiting till September for eggs. That's just in time for them to slow down. That's why I raise chicks in fall and winter so they start laying spring and summer.

At least one second coop/pen fairly far removed from the main one/s is important so new or sick birds can be quarantined. You can't have too much housing.
A primary housing area is simplest to operate but that can be divided into breeding units/pens to prevent mutts.
Mutts are hardy and lay well also, so not that big of deal. It just depends on your wishes. You'll figure it out by then.

 

[galanie]

Just a note concerning the above, if they start laying in fall, they lay all through the first winter with no slowdowns has been my experience these last couple of years. It's as if their bodies ignore the shorter days if they're just starting out and keep on going, producing eggs anyway.

 

[Moonlight Piano]

Quote:
I would go for Wyandottes, and Plymouth Rocks for good hardiness in winter times. Since it's damp where you live I would also try and look into Marans. The Marans were bred in a very marshy part of France, so they handle a more damp climate better than most other breeds. Also Easter Eggers are another option because they are pretty cold hardy too.

As far as buying chicks, eggs, or full grown birds; I would look into getting chicks or started birds. Full grown birds can sometimes carry unwanted disease to the farm, and it is very difficult to get rid of.

I would buy from small breeders. They have birds of better looks and health than hatchery, and they also have the same productivity as far as eggs. They will also be of a larger size.
How many roosters you need will depend on how much breeding you are planning on doing. Grown roos never have much problem integrating

infact I would say it is harder on the hens more than anything

I would invest in a good incubator. You can also use broodies but the nice thing about bators is you can control when you put eggs on to hatch and when they hatch. But hens can raise healthier chicks than you can, no offense

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I don't know much about butchering

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Living in Canada I would focus on comfort during winter. Make sure that you have a well enclosed winter home. Here in GA we had a 26 deg. night here, and my friend had three chickens to die. But here our pens are open and airy because even during winter it is usually in the 40's to 70's so we really don't have to worry about much really cold weather. As far as how many to build that will all depend upon whether or not you want to breed many different kinds of chickens or just a few.

Hope this helps

oh and

God bless,
Tyler.