Texas

[magpiesing]

No, he knows I will stress over 5 just as much as 50. He just don't think we are in an area that will sell eggs well, and so he wants to reduce our feed bill. I told him that since we used non-medicated flock raiser our eggs can be considered organic, it's all my chicks have ever eaten here. And that health food nuts will buy organic eggs from free ranged chickens. But he don't believe me that we can sell enough eggs to cover the feed costs.

He has no problem with me raising chickens for the freezer, he don't care if it's a hen or rooster as long as it is not a permanent addition to our flock. My hubby is a city boy, all this is new to him.

I will be selling chicken, duck, and goose eggs, and hatchlings or those as well as keeping some for our freezer. But I have to teach him while I am learning and that makes things difficult.

You can get more for your eggs than I do then. I sell mine for $2 a dozen. I could probably get more but most of my egg buyers are poor folks like me so I don't charge enough to pay for their feed. I also have 39 birds so it's not a good comparison for cost versus income from the eggs.

 

[magpiesing]

I can't sit still...gonna go back down to the coop and check on them again. I've even locked most everybody else out in the yard for now. I know my hens will want back in to lay so will see whats going on.

 

[sandiTX]

Ok...they sure do holler when she pecks at them and one has a red spot on it. I can't really tell if she is intentionally hurting them or not. What about the one with the bit of yolk sac left...will it be ok and absorb the remaing yolk ok? I'm used to normal hatches...this is very worrisome for me.

the chick with the sac should be fine. Just keep a eye on her, you may have to take them from her if she keeps it up

 

[Brookshire11]

Its all about how your market! (Honestly of course)
I haven't started selling extras yet, and I don't have enough birds for feed to be a huge bill.
a 40/50lb bag costs me like...$20 something. We do Texas naturals which is also gmo/soy free.
I don't know if it's technically organic, I'll have to check. They also eat a lot of or leftover local, organic produce we get from our co-op. Then they free range, and I don't use any lawn chemicals or pesticides just out of fear lol
I'll probably start adding that omega egg too next batch of feed.

So you could say "Local, Free Range, GMO/Soy Free Eggs" and probably get $5 a dozen (in the...yuppie area i'm in

) sell 5 do a month and I've paid for feed, not including treats or time.
Now, I'm not in the position where I NEED to sell to pay for them, because I only have 6.
So I'll give some to family and maybe sell to a few co-workers for $3 dozen.
I feel like healthy, nutritious food shouldn't be so expensive. I pay almost $3 for regular store bought with none of the goodness

 

[Starfire669]

You can get more for your eggs than I do then.  I sell mine for $2 a dozen.  I could probably get more but most of my egg buyers are poor folks like me so I don't charge enough to pay for their feed.  I also have 39 birds so it's not a good comparison for cost versus income from the eggs.

Well, we didn't go the non-medicated route because we wanted organic eggs. We did it because ducks and geese should never be fed medicated feed. It was easier to feed everyone the same thing than have 1 feed for the chickens and 1 for the ducks and geese. We don't even feed laying mash, we feed them the flock raiser and put calcium on the side, because the geese can't have that calcium until next spring when they lay.

But question, if I do use medicines when the chickens get sick or have mites or worms, are they still considered organic eggs if it's not a regular thing?

 

[magpiesing]

Well, all is quiet for now. Chicks are under her, I guess they are ok. Didn't want to disturb her any more so I didn't go poking around. Guess I will just see what happens and hope for the best. Belle has always been a good nanny. She has raised three good broods since last November even though she is a bantam and the eggs are from the big girls she's done a good job. I probably worry too much, but even a tiny life is precious to me.

 

[Brookshire11]

Well, we didn't go the non-medicated route because we wanted organic eggs. We did it because ducks and geese should never be fed medicated feed. It was easier to feed everyone the same thing than have 1 feed for the chickens and 1 for the ducks and geese. We don't even feed laying mash, we feed them the flock raiser and put calcium on the side, because the geese can't have that calcium until next spring when they lay.

But question, if I do use medicines when the chickens get sick or have mites or worms, are they still considered organic eggs if it's not a regular thing?

I THINK...they can be after the medicine works its way out of their systems.
Medications have a withdrawl period, like if you worm and have to wait 2 weeks to eat the eggs.
Can't give first hand advice because none of mine have needed anythingyet.
Knock on wood!

 

[magpiesing]

Well, we didn't go the non-medicated route because we wanted organic eggs. We did it because ducks and geese should never be fed medicated feed. It was easier to feed everyone the same thing than have 1 feed for the chickens and 1 for the ducks and geese. We don't even feed laying mash, we feed them the flock raiser and put calcium on the side, because the geese can't have that calcium until next spring when they lay.

But question, if I do use medicines when the chickens get sick or have mites or worms, are they still considered organic eggs if it's not a regular thing?

Why can't the other birds have the medicated feed? I thought it was to help protect them from coccidia? I only feed the medicated to the chicks for a few weeks then switch them to the regular feed. I also feed flock raiser with oyster shells free choice because I have so many different age groups. Don't know if it's the best feed or not or if it has any GMO or soy in it...I need to check, but my hens are healthy and the eggs are good and shells are strong and the chicks that hatch are fine.

 

[magpiesing]

How can you tell if a chicken is wormy? I've never dewormed my birds. Some of my birds have runny poo but I thought it was from eating green stuff or other treats.

 

[TherryChicken]

Magpie I have been told that if youve never wormed your birds then they have worms. You wont always see the worms but you might want to de worm them. I heard de worming 2 times a year is good. Due to a very nice couple, I have another chance at saving my birds. So when they are clear I plan do de worm before placing them in their new coop.