Things that make "me" go HMMM!!!

[kickenwing]

Hi all,

I have so many questions I really dont know where to start but here's a few to get me going.

I would like to raise chickens for both the eggs and the meat so I'm looking at the dual purpose breeds. So I was woundering:

Is it possible for a BYCer to raise a self sustaining flock?
If so, how many birds would I be looking at (hens/roos)?
Would it be better to stick to one breed or have multiple breeds for genetic diversity?

Where would be the best place to order my birds from?

I've read about the minimum square foot requirement per chicken for the coop. Is there a maximum?

 

[cackydoodledoo]

I can't answer your questions and I don't raise mine dual purpose but I can tell you there is no maximum that I know of. But be aware that when chicken math takes over that your maximum won't be so maximum anymore!!!


Sorry edited to add

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Quote:
Oh boy! There are many dual purpose breeds, road island reds, wyandottes, barred rocks, Dominiques, buff orpingtons, Australorps and many others. I suggest you start out small Maybe 10 hens and 1 Rooster and increase your numbers by breeding and hatching your own eggs. I have 49 chickens and I have them in 3 groups...3 years old go to meat processing, 2 yr olds are great layers and brooders, and the young 1 year olds who are also great layers. Keep removing the old hens and add new chicks every year. This way you'll always be at your peak of egg laying as well. If you have an incubator you can add new chicks when ever you like and if you have certain breeds you would like to add to your flock you can order them. Good luck!

 

[kickenwing]

I was thinking 10 hens and 1 roo also. Would that be enough to be self sustaining? Is chicken genealogy different (dad or grandad roo can fertilize eggs without any ill side effects)?

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Quote:
For the first 1 or 2 generations you'll be fine, after that you'll want to do some new bloodlines on the 3rd generation. You would want to breed Father-Daughter or Mother-Son. If you breed brother-sister you end up getting some bad traits from each bird. If you do some searches on breedings and genentics here on BYC you'll find tons topics on this subject. It starts to get very complicated!

 

[chickened]

One way to do it is cross a dual purpose good egg layer to a dark Cornish of hatchery origin. This will put a nice carcass on a skimpy egg layer. Mine still lay very well like 250 eggs per year and when I cull they actually have some meat on them.

 

[onthespot]

If you mean by self sustaining, no feed bill, gonna feed themselves and you too, and reproduce and produce well on just bugs and weeds, no.

If you mean a well fed flock that will produce quite a lot of eggs for you, occasionally go broody, and heavy bodied enough to be worth butchering when you want meat for the table, there are a lot of breeds that will do that for you. I have several breeds, and I'd say the Sussesx are great, Marans, and believe it or not my bantam cochins had quite a bit of meat on them and were great broodies. Orpingtons are good meat birds, lay well and have strong brooding tendencies.

 

[kickenwing]

@ Domestic_goddess: Thanks, thats kinda what I'm looking for. I did a search and there must be 1 gazillion

things (information overload going on for me).

@ onthespot: I guess what I mean by self sustaining is, a flock I would never have to add any outside birds from again. I think now though that this idea should be something to worry about a little further down the road. I'm thinking I should just start small and then venture out as I learn.

 

[naakte]

If I were you, I would only buy NPIP cert. merek vacd. from a reputable place in your area. Ask the people in your area what diseases are prevelant in your area and vac your chicks for it. My favorite breed that I own is the barred rock (sweeties) least favorite is white leg horns peck one another way to much and 2 have lost tail feathers and are looking blue right now from the blue cote

Donna in Branson

 

[JMidJr]

Thanks to th OP for posing this topic! You're thinking much like I am; want dual purpose flock that broods it's own replacements. I'm wondering how best to manage such a flock if it's mixed breeds? Say you had some RIRs that lay well but don't go broody, maybe some BOs who do go broody, maybe some others (BR, or Wyandotte, etc). Which breed roo do you choose and. How do you decide? How often do you add "new blood" and is that w new hens or new roo?

Don't mean to hijack your thread but it feels like we're thinking along the same lines.