The Real Question, to or not to Replace Your Flock

[xIndigoSkyx]

I have 6 leghorns which when I got them, were old already, now their egg production has dropped, I'll get maybe 3 eggs a day from all my girls. Should I or should I not replenish my flock? Sell them at an up coming auction sale and just buy Easter Eggers. They also look pretty grubby because they love to roll in dirt. I love them because they were my Forsy chickens but I sell eggs to people and isnt it a waste to feed chickens of no use? Maybe I could keep the ones that are laying and then sell the ones that aren't. How would I find out who isn't and who is? Any suggestions to my dilemma?

 

[canesisters]

Wow, so many variables to consider.
Regardless of feed costs, is it worth it to you to keep non-laying chickens?
They will most likely be dinner if you sell them? Does that bother you? Would you rather eat them yourself?
Do you have ROOM to start a new flock AND keep the old one?
Just to ask a few..

 

[xIndigoSkyx]

My coop isn't very roomy, but I let them open range. I think I would prefer eating them myself but leghorns aren't that full of meat. I've been trying to find a solution the the coop thing, I don't know though. I can't find the right coop for me. Something not insanely fancy and not totally primitive plus my dads not much of a handy man and neither am I

 

[jackhorn01]

You have to think outside of the box when facing that dilema. Look for something that can be refurbished maybe. I fell in love with my neighbor's set up. He had a very nice coop and huge run. I wanted one just like it so bad but am limited to funds at this point in my life. Me and my fiance were sitting on the picnic table having our morning coffee one morning facing an old tin garage on our property then wam, it hit me between the eyes. I was looking at my new BIG coop. All it took was a few 2x4's to frame the opening in the front with some hardware cloth nailed to it and the other three walls were already there. You can find big doghouses to convert and all sorts of things. Some people go collect free pallets from work locations and bang those together. Take a few minutes to pick your brain, think outside the box, and get crafty, and I bet you can come up with something like I did.