The Middle Tennessee Thread

[DMRippy]

Quote:
The black breese are not dual purpose they lay white eggs and look more like a leghorn. The white breese are the meat birds and lay a cream color eggs.... go figure they lay different color eggs.... egg production is totally different.

Brown leghorns should lay a white egg but not high production..... actually leghorns come in all kinds of colors. Cuckoo, black, blue, lavender...... RED I saw some on FB that looked like NH! Pretty birds. Not sure what other colors are out there.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Just a myth. Also one that says red ear lobes lays brown eggs..... but my Ameraucanas lay blue eggs and have red ear lobes.

 

[JtownCickenCoop]

Ill look for that

 

[DMRippy]

Welcome to all the new people!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

[quote name="Holcombes Chick" url="/t/440277/the-middle-tennessee-thread/13410#post My question is...is anyone going to have RIR pullets who are "Coop Ready" in a few weeks to sell? We really don't want to mess with chicks to restart our coop, but we also have no problem getting hens that are not laying. The last auction we went to the poultry prices were ridiculous! I refuse to pay $20 a head for a chicken! (It was seriously that much).
[/quote]
Actually, $20 is a fair price for a quality, point of lay pullet. To get one that size you either have to hatch them out (cost of running an incubator) and raise it up (cost of brooding) or buy it as a chick either through a hatchery or locally (around $3-4). Then you have to feed it for 5-6 months ($10-12 worth of feed), not to mention cost of cocci meds or wormers if you dose them up (and since cocci is very prevalent in our dirt it is wise to do so). So at minimum a breeder has $12-15 in that bird already, not to mention their time. Paying $5 so you don't have to brood is pretty much a bargain for 6 months worth of work.

 

[Holcombes Chick]

My DH, the truck driver, said you're only 1 1/2 to 2 hours from us. Thanks heavens he's not geographically illiterate! LOL Not a bad Sunday drive.

 

[cacooley]

I'm originally from Tullahoma! I'm in Memphis now. I'm shopping around for my first chicks. I am considerig buying two juveniles and two or three chicks to start out with in my backyard.

 

[DMRippy]

I think this is an Olive Egger chick.... interesting coloring for a Marans/Am cross.... looks almost Mottled.



Found this WHOPPER in the CCL pen today..... I needed to hatch it too... It is next to a large/XL WL egg. Thinking it might be a triple LOL.

 

[Holcombes Chick]

Actually, $20 is a fair price for a quality, point of lay pullet. To get one that size you either have to hatch them out (cost of running an incubator) and raise it up (cost of brooding) or buy it as a chick either through a hatchery or locally (around $3-4). Then you have to feed it for 5-6 months ($10-12 worth of feed), not to mention cost of cocci meds or wormers if you dose them up (and since cocci is very prevalent in our dirt it is wise to do so). So at minimum a breeder has $12-15 in that bird already, not to mention their time. Paying $5 so you don't have to brood is pretty much a bargain for 6 months worth of work.

Well then we got ours for a steal last year! $6 a head at auction! No kidding! So you can imagine my price tag shock this year! (And I'm glad the cheaper birds ended up being my learning curve and (unfortunately) my dog's lunch!LOL Thus the reason for the new "fortified" coop built on the outskirts of our brand new invisible fence! We were also discussing the fact that the younger they were, they would probably be cheaper, and we would know more age and origin-wise if we were getting them from a private sale. I just don't think we have what it takes in our household right now to start with chicks. We are definitely not set up for a brooder or bator! If I hatch my own in the future, I plan on it being by way of a broody hen!

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: All my POL pullets are $20 MINIMUM. That would be for like a WL or Reg breeds like RIR or BR. (my BR are higher they are Heritage). Most of my birds are $25, $35, $50 and up for like a Choc Eng Orp Pullet. Chickens really cost to get to POL.

I was talking with @TinTennessee and he has like 13-15 laying chickens. Uses 50# of feed a month. I got through 50# - 100# of feed a week in a brooder with 20 started birds. I fill up a cat litter bucket about every 3 days. They are HOGS with feed through the teens.