Topic of the Week - What is the purpose of your flock?

[NorthwoodsChick]

Dual purpose and eventually breeding. I keep one roo and plan to replace hens every 2 years. I’m still waiting for that very expensive first egg. They have really stepped up on bug elimination, so that is a huge bonus watching then snag a deer fly midair, Mr Miagi style

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Purpose = happy wife. End of story.

Very wise indeed!!!!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Egg laying mostly, though we do have a lot of hens who are well past egg laying age that we keep around because they're lovely old girls. We let the older girls that go broody hatch the next generation

Ditto, love my sweet seniors, even grumpy old Roo, he tolerates my pets & fussing over him better now.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I originally bought chickens for eggs but they are now more pets with benefits. I always say I could just have chickens without the eggs and be just as happy I enjoy sharing my life with them and they bless us with their wonderful gifts (eggs).I also plan to breed in the future.

I let 10 eggs hatch out 2020 spring, when covid shut work down...my 1st chicken egg hatch! Truly one of the best experiences of my life, the loving care of broody mama's, the beauty of new life hatching, precious fuzzy chicks, hilarious antics discovering live mealworms. I can hold & hug all 10 adults today, 5 hens & 5 Roos, love them so much!

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I let 10 eggs hatch out when covid shut work down...truly one of the best experiences of my life, the beauty of new life hatching, precious fuzzy chicks, hilarious antics discovering live mealworms. I can hold & hug all 10 adults today, 5 hens & 5 Roos, love them so much!

Ahhh so sweet little can't wait to hatch, I am planning on hatching in a few months so I am super excited! I have raised chicks twice (the first batch 2 died as pullets and now I have 4 2 week olds in the brooder) they have always been the sweetest of my flock.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I've a triple purpose flock. Eggs for my family and a few neighbors, meat for my table, and breeding a better dual purpose bird (for my conditions) - because "better" is highly subjective.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Ahhh so sweet little can't wait to hatch, I am planning on hatching in a few months so I am super excited! I have raised chicks twice (the first batch 2 died as pullets and now I have 4 2 week olds in the brooder) they have always been the sweetest of my flock.

I forget who said it, but I read a post awhile back, someone with decades of experience said that most late Summer/early Autumn hatches produce a higher ratio of Hens vs. Roos...like so high, practically all chicks were females. My Spring hatch was 50% & currently, I have an abundance of Roos that I'm quite attached to. I really do not need more Roos, so the next time I do hatch some chicks, I will probably wait til September.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I forget who said it, but I read a post awhile back, someone with decades of experience said that most late Summer/early Autumn hatches produce a higher ratio of Hens vs. Roos...like so high, practically all chicks were females. My Spring hatch was 50% & currently, I have an abundance of Roos that I'm quite attached to. I really do not need more Roos, so the next time I do hatch some chicks, I will probably wait til September.

Hmmmm interesting that is good to try out

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Mine are for eggs and meat, and more generally for having a low maintenance food source should the day come most or all of the family food must come off the farm and not the grocery store.

I also keep them for pleasure and the fun of breeding them.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Every animal on our farm has a "job" to do, or they don't live here. Cows give us steaks and hamburger. Goats keep weeds under control. Pigs till and fertilize a garden space, and give us bacon and pork chops. Dogs keep predators away, bark like hell when something's wrong in one of the animal pens, and alert us when visitors arrive. Cats keep the mice at bay and us entertained. Everybody pays their room-and-board.

The chickens give us eggs, of course, as well as fried chicken and barbeque. We raise all of our own - no particular breeds anymore, they're all mutts. And that's fine. We started with a variety of dual-purpose breeds, and it's gone from there. We let the pullets become hens, and the cockerels become dinner. Hens give us eggs, and roosters provide security and fertile eggs for hatching. Occasionally, someone gives us a bunch of rescue chickens, so that keeps inbreeding at a minimum. No foo-foo fancy delicate breeds, here. They work, or they get eaten.