What are your chicken goals

[knoturavggrl]

I just started chicken keeping. I currently have 10 pullets and one cockerel they are currently 16 weeks old. Our coop is 8x16 and the covered run is 11x 16. My Roo and one of my pullets are FBCM’s, I have one Amerucana, one Welsummer, one Silverudds Blue and the rest are various types of Easter Eggers (Sage, Moss, and Azure eggers).

I am still adjusting my plan as I learn. Currently its to learn as much as I can through one full year. If I have broody this spring or early summer I will hatch out a few BCM eggs. My goal is pretty simple and its just to have a healthy self-sustaining flock to supply our family with eggs.

I have toyed with the idea of raising some BCM and Olive Eggers pullets to sell and maybe make back some money for feed. We shall see how the first year goes then I will decided on this part of the plan

One thing I am sure of though chickens are a joy to have, no matter what comes of it I am glad I did it and I believe they will be a part of our families loves for many years to come.

Great thread idea, I really enjoyed reading through everyones plans and ideas!

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

I can’t handle having meat chickens I want to get really good breeds for show and breeding that I can sell the chicks of and get the barn fixed up eventually so I can have a ton of chickens in it, I want to have it not just a safe area but a cute area, painted walls up where they can’t reach it and always clean but maybe some plants in it and a skylight in the roof, nesting boxes all around the sides and maybe eventually tons of chickens in there and have a list on the outside of the barn with all of their names (dry erase ofc) and become a well known Facebook and swap meet chicken breeder, I have three silkies so far(one is a rooster) and I had a Pavlovskaya but she passed so I’ll need to get another once it warms up again… I also want to get a jersey giant to see if I can succeed in hatching a silkie jersey giant. The breed I’ve been looking for is a Millie du'fleur (I think I spelt that right?)

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

I just started chicken keeping. I currently have 10 pullets and one cockerel they are currently 16 weeks old. Our coop is 8x16 and the covered run is 11x 16. My Roo and one of my pullets are FBCM’s, I have one Amerucana, one Welsummer, one Silverudds Blue and the rest are various types of Easter Eggers (Sage, Moss, and Azure eggers).

I am still adjusting my plan as I learn. Currently its to learn as much as I can through one full year. If I have broody this spring or early summer I will hatch out a few BCM eggs. My goal is pretty simple and its just to have a healthy self-sustaining flock to supply our family with eggs.

I have toyed with the idea of raising some BCM and Olive Eggers pullets to sell and maybe make back some money for feed. We shall see how the first year goes then I will decided on this part of the plan

One thing I am sure of though chickens are a joy to have, no matter what comes of it I am glad I did it and I believe they will be a part of our families loves for many years to come.

Great thread idea, I really enjoyed reading through everyones plans and ideas!

I think your goal to learn as much as you can over a yrs time is fantastic!!!

And I agree, chickens are a joy to have!! I'll never regret taking the leap!!!

I can’t handle having meat chickens I want to get really good breeds for show and breeding that I can sell the chicks of and get the barn fixed up eventually so I can have a ton of chickens in it, I want to have it not just a safe area but a cute area, painted walls up where they can’t reach it and always clean but maybe some plants in it and a skylight in the roof, nesting boxes all around the sides and maybe eventually tons of chickens in there and have a list on the outside of the barn with all of their names (dry erase ofc) and become a well known Facebook and swap meet chicken breeder, I have three silkies so far(one is a rooster) and I had a Pavlovskaya but she passed so I’ll need to get another once it warms up again… I also want to get a jersey giant to see if I can succeed in hatching a silkie jersey giant. The breed I’ve been looking for is a Millie du'fleur (I think I spelt that right?)

I was totally envisioning your barn as I was reading this!! Your goals for it sound fantastic!! Especially the part where you have a TON of chickens in there!!!!

 

[TJAnonymous]

So in talks with my hubby, I am realizing my chicken goals are changing.
Originally I wanted a smallish flock (I have 19 girls, 1 cockerel) and whatever extra eggs we get I just give away, mainly at work.

(Literally keeping 60-80 eggs in my fridge, fam of 7, and likely give away 7 dozen or so a wk. )

I knew I wanted to raise our own meat chickens too.

In discussion, I realized I want more eggs to give away! (Yes I said give away, makes my heart super happy to just provide people with eggs) not only that, my kids would like to sell eggs at the farmers market.

So we are nixing the turkeys for now, focused on a second coop and run for abt 30 more chickens!!! These will be dual purpose as the goal to raise our own meat hasn't been eliminated. (Anyone have dual purpose breed suggestions?)

So as of now the goals are:
50 chickens or so running around.
A plethora of eggs to give away/ kids to sell
and meat for the freezer.

What are your chicken goals??

My goals have fluctuated too...

I started out with 6 Buff Orpingtons for the eggs.

Then I wanted blue eggs so I got 6 Easter Eggers from TSC to go with my Orpingtons. Then, surprise surprise... 5 of the 6 were roosters. That lead to.... Babies.

My girls had no luck sitting on eggs so I decided to help them out. I ordered 20 baby chicks (broken down to 4 breeds - Australorps, Blue Andalusians, Ameracaunas, and more Buff Orpingtons).

Now my flock count is REALLY starting to climb. Especially as I figured out there are 2 big broody seasons - spring AND fall. Ended up with even MORE chicks. Unintentionally.

This leads to our first experience culling chickens for meat and to help reduce flock count...

Spring comes and with it 20+ more baby chicks thanks to very persistent broodies. I'm now pushing 60+ birds. That's a LOT of eggs every day. My fridge can't keep up. I can't make enough scrambled eggs. Feeding the chickens, dogs, heck...even tried to give some to the horses.... Ended up chucking 30 dozen eggs into the compost pile.

That lead to my next goal. I learned that the local food bank was really struggling to feed people. I now donate 10-15 dozen eggs to the food bank every week. I've also culled about 20% of my flock and have shared the meat with people who are struggling.

So yeah, my chicken journey has been rather circuitous....but I think it reached a meaningful destination.

 

[room onthebroom]

So as of now the goals are:
50 chickens or so running around.
A plethora of eggs to give away/ kids to sell
and meat for the freezer.

What are your chicken goals??

Goals are always good to have, but I highly encourage you not to sell your kids. We all consider it at one time or another, but I think you’d eventually regret it.

All kidding aside, my next goal will be limiting the free range area to only half the yard. That is still plenty of free range space for them, but will keep their poop off the porch & driveway. I will need to plant more shade trees on that part of the yard before I can start transitioning them over. That will take time, but hopefully I can get it done before next summer.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

That lead to my next goal. I learned that the local food bank was really struggling to feed people. I now donate 10-15 dozen eggs to the food bank every week. I've also culled about 20% of my flock and have shared the meat with people who are struggling.

I love this so much!!! I told my husband my goal was to provide everyone in town with eggs lol...
he said start with who ya know....
so i did....
and alas...
I know more people ...
so I need more eggs lol

I very much enjoyed reading abt your chicken journey!!!

Goals are always good to have, but I highly encourage you not to sell your kids. We all consider it at one time or another, but I think you’d eventually regret it.

All kidding aside, my next goal will be limiting the free range area to only half the yard. That is still plenty of free range space for them, but will keep their poop off the porch & driveway. I will need to plant more shade trees on that part of the yard before I can start transitioning them over. That will take time, but hopefully I can get it done before next summer.

That made me laugh!!!

Reducing the free range space AND adding shade trees, what a great goal!!! What kinda trees are you planning?

My kids wanna let the chickens free range, but I do not for the fields that are on every side of us.... we do NOT want angry farmers lol (although I don't think they'd mind now...but when crops are up they sure would)

 

[Shadrach]

Eliminate the phrase "it's just a chicken" from common usage.
This view is I believe largely responsible for the treatment of the chicken that results in this.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

My chicken goals have not really changed from wanting dual purpose breeds for eggs and meat, except I will add CX meat birds to fill the freezer. I do sell extra eggs to coworkers for less than what they would pay at big box store xyz for free ranged but I’m only looking to offset the monthly cost of feed.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

Eliminate the phrase "it's just a chicken" from common usage.
This view is I believe largely responsible for the treatment of the chicken that results in this.
View attachment 3330972

Hefty goal! To change peoples mindset....
I wish you luck!

(Those poor chickens!!)

Even though we plan to eat some of our chickens, I think treating them as a living creature, and as best as possible is just plain common sense.

I guess you could say my chickens are pets till they are food, and I think it should be that way always.

My chicken goals have not really changed from wanting dual purpose breeds for eggs and meat, except I will add CX meat birds to fill the freezer. I do sell extra eggs to coworkers for less than what they would pay at big box store xyz for free ranged but I’m only looking to offset the monthly cost of feed.

If you have dual purpose, why the CX?? Just to fill the freezer faster??

Offsetting the cost of feed is smart!!! I see many people.on this forum do that with their eggs!!

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

If you have dual purpose, why the CX?? Just to fill the freezer faster??

Offsetting the cost of feed is smart!!! I see many people.on this forum do that with their eggs!!

I culled a few dual and still plan to do that as they age, but it simply takes too much time and feed to grow out a dual purpose.
Hubs was not too fond of the chewiness and so I will get CX next year. Quick, easy and still plenty of time for my busy summer/fall life.