The road to quitting chicken keeping?

[Danny188]

I'm trying to make up my mind about if I should quit chicken keeping or not. Nothing bad has realy happened except for a dog killing 6 of my 23 a year ago. Since then I have hatched more and am back to 22 hens and one rooster. I'm in high school and tired of having to be home to put them away, and if I'm not home worrying about somone in my family putting them away. Its just stressful worrying about them and what I am going to do when they get to old to lay eggs. 16 of them a 2 years old and 7 of them are a year old. I have been trying to distence myself from them to detach myself. I still have afew that I'm attached to. I'm not worried about selling them to someone I'm worried about how they will be treated and protected. I know everything will die in the end I'm just worried about how they will live before they die. I can control what I do but I can't control somone else. When 3 years rolls around ilI don't know if anyone will want them so its sell them now or put them down/butcher them next spring. I'm thinking I should jump the gun and sell them now before fall rolls around. $150 for the hole flock doesn't sound like a bad price especially with the 7 one year olds. I think I'm going to sell them all or nothing so I don't get stuck with our rooster. I could care less what they do with him but don't want to know. I don't know how do you guys cycle out your old hens, have any of you gotten rid of hens but are still on this site that can help me out. I feel like the first week will suck but then I will start forgetting about them.

 

[Weeg]

Are you not allowed to keep them once they stop laying? Chicken keeping is stressful, and I'm sorry you may have to give up your flock. If it helps, you can but automatic chicken doors that will close and open at certain times to solve your locking up problem. You can also win auto doors in certain BYC contest, but I'm not sure if any of the active ones are giving them away right now.
I totally get the no control factor. Its very important to give them to someone who knows what they're doing, because a lot of people don't realize the true responsibility of keeping chickens, nor are they willing keep up with the responsibilities, were it seems like you do.
Maybe post on your state thread and see if any educated BYC members want them. I was able to re-home 3 of my older hens who don't lay much to an educated BYC member, who has now socialized them the point that they jump on her shoulders. I know they have a great home and life.
Is there anyway that you would still want to keep your flock? Or is it just to stressful in general? I get that.
If theres anything I can suggest, or ways you could think would help you keep your flock, I, and other members would be happy to offer suggestions.

 

[Danny188]

Are you not allowed to keep them once they stop laying? Chicken keeping is stressful, and I'm sorry you may have to give up your flock. If it helps, you can but automatic chicken doors that will close and open at certain times to solve your locking up problem. You can also win auto doors in certain BYC contest, but I'm not sure if any of the active ones are giving them away right now.
I totally get the no control factor. Its very important to give them to someone who knows what they're doing, because a lot of people don't realize the true responsibility of keeping chickens, nor are they willing keep up with the responsibilities, were it seems like you do.
Maybe post on your state thread and see if any educated BYC members want them. I was able to re-home 3 of my older hens who don't lay much to an educated BYC member, who has now socialized them the point that they jump on her shoulders. I know they have a great home and life.
Is there anyway that you would still want to keep your flock? Or is it just to stressful in general? I get that.
If theres anything I can suggest, or ways you could think would help you keep your flock, I, and other members would be happy to offer suggestions.

I can keep them as long as I would like but when they stop laying I will have to start footing the feed bill. My parents buy the feed now becuse I charge them $2 per dozen they eat and keep track of all that and I also sell eggs, if they don't eat as many eggs some months I will give them the money I owe from egg sales. It used to be a way for me to make allitle money but now since I have a job its just another uneeded stress in my life. An automatic door wouldn't work becuse I count them evry night to make shure none are missing. It helps me sleep at night knowing they are all secure in the coop and one dident make it in for whatever reason. I'm just tired of it and am looking for a way out without emotional stress but obviously that is a hard option to find. I wish I dident care about my animals so much lol.. If I make the decision to sell them I will check on byc first before facebook marketplace, thank you for that suggestion and all of the others.

 

[Danny188]

Actually I know a kid at school who has a poultry business, he makes alot of money off it and haches his own chicks so I will have to give him a deal on them but I will know they will be in a good home till then stop laying and then he will do what needs to be done with the least amount of stress on them.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I think you are wise to be thinking ahead. College may be ahead for you or any number of different life changes. Your chickens may or may not be able to be a part of that future until your life stabilizes. Planning ahead for your chickens is the responsible thing to do, even if you don't have to do anything in the next days or weeks.

Some chickens continue to lay eggs well into their 5th or 6th year or even longer, depending on breed, though they may slow down. Placing them now means you wouldn't be trying to find homes for completely spent hens.

Looking to home the entire flock sounds to me like your best bet. That would be the least traumatic for the flock if you can do it, and like you said, would most likely assure a home for your roo as well. Would also, IMO, be the best option for you emotionally. You'd have a pretty good assurance the flock was going to a good home, and it would be a clean break for you, being a "one and done" sort of deal. I wish you luck in all your future endeavors.

 

[aart]

Actually I know a kid at school who has a poultry business, he makes alot of money off it and haches his own chicks so I will have to give him a deal on them but I will know they will be in a good home till then stop laying and then he will do what needs to be done with the least amount of stress on them.

This sounds like excellent solution for you, if he's interested.

Huge Kudos on being mature and pragmatic enough to realize chicken keeping is not the best thing for you at this point in your life.

 

[CluckerFamily]

This is very responsible of you to think ahead.
I like the idea of contacting the kid who has his own business. You may have to give him a deal and you may not, you can first see if he is interested.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Agree. They have become a source of stress which you can alleviate by selling them, at fair price, to a responsible home, where they will continue to live out their purpose in the keeping of one you know. I'd say that very "adult" of you, but many adults are do not so well rise to life challenges.

As you look to the future, perhaps college, perhaps continuing with a job, remember this time and its lessons - the stories of your chicken business, its ups and downs, will help separate you from other candidates, to your benefit.

Hopes for positive outcomes for all - you've done your research, this is likely the best odds you will see. Roll the dice.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think that you've come up with a good plan of action.

The circumstances of your life are changing and sometimes that means your hobbies have to change along with them. At a later point in your life your circumstances will change again and you may want chickens again.

For me it was a job where I worked long hours -- for much of the year I left home just after sunrise and got home at dusk. I retired my in-town flock and didn't get more chickens until last summer after we'd moved to a new home and I was in a new job with fewer hours.

 

[saysfaa]

I agree with the others.

Another thing is that stopping now, while it is going well but it just makes sense given all the things you said, will make getting back into it a lot more enjoyable. If you ever wanted to get back into it.