The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[Beekissed]

Mtnlaurl, I think that was the most honest and comprehensive answer to those questions I've ever received...even on the SelfSufficiency.com forum. I've asked these questions of many,many people on BYC, on the SS and on BYHs and this is the most well thought out and honest answer that I've ever received.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Why, thank you, Bee. I take that as high praise coming from you.

You've got a unique ability to make people look at the entire picture. This thread has made me see some of my initial errors and is certainly warning me of impending pitfalls should I not change how I'm doing things.

And I sure appreciate it, too!

Sandy

 

[Alibabe]

Tell ME why most of you are getting into keeping chickens and I can tell you the right breeds for the needs expressed, in regards to eggs and meat. For ornamental/bantam/game bird breeds that people get as pets or to preserve the breed, I can't really relate to that. All my breed knowledge is based around plain ol' working breeds that produce eggs, eggs and meat or just meat.

A bit of background to help make sense of my post

I am a cat lover but my hubby dislikes domestic pets - cats, dogs, birds in cages like budgies etc so we don't have pets. My DIL has had chickens for the past 3 years and used to give me her eggs which were awesome. My son knew how much I wanted a pet and kept nagging at me to get a pet. My granddaughter got in on the nagging act as well so ...... they persuaded me to get chickens.

After getting my two hybrids - one looks like a ISA brown and the other is a light sussex (both mutts) I started reading this forum and getting more and more drawn into the whole chicken business. I love talking to my chickens and strangely enough, my hubby loves them as well. Suddenly a whole new world of chickens opened up to us. We have since rescued some bantums from my DIL who gave them up after experiencing losing about 15 chicks to a mink. So now we have 5 bantums (3 are a trio of gold saberports but after looking on google, the girls look like the Belguim beared D'Uccles and the rooster looks like a Barbu D'Uccle but what do I know

) 1 lavender pekin and 1 'brown' pekin and of course my two layers.

I am trying to find out if my bantum trio is worth breeding to sell the chicks and I would like to expand my number of egg layers and start selling the eggs. We are trying to find a farm to rent with the idea of susistance farming. My hubby wants to get into pigs and I would like to expand into eventually raising chickens for meat as well as eggs. I would also like to raise ducks (I have always wanted ducks for as long as I can remember) and possibly turkeys but of course this is all in the future. This whole plan is going to take a while to get together as we are currently living in a house in a rural 'ish' area but cannot really do much more than backyard at the moment.

But in the meantime, I read and read and read so that I can learn and do what is right for my animals in the long run.

Hope this makes sense and apologies if not.

 

[Ashdoes]

We got into chickens for our own, evolving reasons. We had lived on bases for the past twelve years, and I wanted to do something off the wall. I wanted fresh eggs, which I had never had, so I picked assorted layers. That way I could see which I liked more, and go from there. Then I decided I needed yard candy. With such a big piece of property why not have walking ornaments? And that's where the Cochins and Silkies came in.
It's going pretty well. We know which breeds are good, and have figured out the ones we do not like. After this winter I'll know if my others will make the grade as well.
We have a huge barn, and even though we've talked about other animals, I don't think we'll get anything more than chickens. So, it's like a living experiment, try a few breeds at a time and keep the ones we like. Our first hurdle will be eating these Wyandottes, they might be pretty, but they aren't fun at all.

 

[Beekissed]

We got into chickens for our own, evolving reasons. We had lived on bases for the past twelve years, and I wanted to do something off the wall. I wanted fresh eggs, which I had never had, so I picked assorted layers. That way I could see which I liked more, and go from there. Then I decided I needed yard candy. With such a big piece of property why not have walking ornaments? And that's where the Cochins and Silkies came in.
It's going pretty well. We know which breeds are good, and have figured out the ones we do not like. After this winter I'll know if my others will make the grade as well.
We have a huge barn, and even though we've talked about other animals, I don't think we'll get anything more than chickens. So, it's like a living experiment, try a few breeds at a time and keep the ones we like. Our first hurdle will be eating these Wyandottes, they might be pretty, but they aren't fun at all.

That is definitely a wise approach when you are first starting out and you don't really know what breed to choose out of several likely breeds...get a variety and see how they work for you. I've done that all along and slowly have built up a list of those I like and those I would never have again. When you have the space to do this and can have larger flocks, it's a good way to learn fast what you like or don't like. While you are learning you are also making meat for the freezer and learning to recognize certain body traits that naturally come along with a good DP breed.

Excellent start! This is also the first response I've heard of that nature from a newbie, where they intentionally are carving out their choice breeds through hands on experience...the best kind.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

When I first thought of getting chickens, the first thing I did was decide on what breed I wanted. I don't have a single bird of that breed. I am so glad we ended up with a mixed flock. They may be hatchery/ mutts, but I have learned so much in the 8 months we have had them. I don't even think I will know what breeds I would like to end up with until I have been through a whole year's cycle with these birds. Yes, these will all go "over the rainbow bridge" eventualy, some sooner than others and for different reasons. And no, I won't let them go into declining health without putting them out of their misery. I may overlook some lesser offenses with these, afterall they are our first. But no, there isn't room for a geriatric chicken retirement community here. And since there are no replacements in the near future, there is no desire to fill the freezer at this point. I can't imagine what it would be like to have had all one breed. I don't ever see us having anything else but hatchery/mutts. I could not afford it in the first place and I do not have the confidence to risk screwing up super good birds.

 

[maryhysong]

I've come to the realization that these girls will need to go to the stew pot in about two years. And I need to reconsider the breeds I choose - and add a roo - so that I can replenish my laying flock from within itself. No, I don't want these girls to waste away from old age and illness and not be able to utilize them. That seems a sin after all they've already provided to us.

I'm pretty much a realist and was raised in a farming community. While meat wasn't on my original list of why I got into chickens, I think it's the next logical step and is certainly where I'm headed.

perhaps next spring getting a few straight run DP breed chicks would ease you into it. You could keep the girls as replacement layers and keep the best looking boy to breed your own chicks the next year.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

"Noni" I shouted,,, "That's illegal!" she responded..."who owns plants of the earth, only God"

I, too, have been known to 'help myself' to a cutting or 2...

I'm with Noni on this one

 

[mlowen]

I am waiting for my tax refund to see if I have the where-with-all to build a "Fort Knox" coop & run. My little town just passed an ordinance to allow HENS (up to 12!) in residentially zoned areas. I want chickens for eggs, poo, and bug eating. I have raised beds in my front yard (souther exposure) and want poo for the garden. I am far from self-sufficient, but what I eat matters to me and that what I eat is raised right (healthy & happy until the end) matters, too. I will end and eat those hens who reach retirement age. I will not be breeding my own; unless/until I retire and move onto an actual farm. My lot is not even a quarter of an acre, but I got me some GOOD tomatoes and garlic, this year! I want hens that will lay consistently, but not high production. I am alone & don't need that many. I want them to lay in their season and for years.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

I am waiting for my tax refund to see if I have the where-with-all to build a "Fort Knox" coop & run. My little town just passed an ordinance to allow HENS (up to 12!) in residentially zoned areas. I want chickens for eggs, poo, and bug eating. I have raised beds in my front yard (souther exposure) and want poo for the garden. I am far from self-sufficient, but what I eat matters to me and that what I eat is raised right (healthy & happy until the end) matters, too. I will end and eat those hens who reach retirement age. I will not be breeding my own; unless/until I retire and move onto an actual farm. My lot is not even a quarter of an acre, but I got me some GOOD tomatoes and garlic, this year! I want hens that will lay consistently, but not high production. I am alone & don't need that many. I want them to lay in their season and for years.

I had to chuckle, or maybe that is cluckle? I too have beds in the front with southern exposure and I too wanted poo for those and the vegie boxes. It was a grand idea until I started letting the girls free-range. They have all but destroyed everything! Somehow the herb garden still looks good. It will be interesting to see what survives this spring as far as the flower beds go. LOL The second crop winter vegies are now all in the form of eggs. BUT there are darn few dried up dead weeds in the front and I know the bug population is less than it has been. If I lived in town I might be concerned how the front beds look. Be prepared to defend YOUR territory. It's all worth it though. Along with Fort Knox, you are going to want "keep the chickens out" fencing for sure.