What to do? What to do?

[JJW2018]

Not sure what your definition of "successful chicken farmer is" but I suppose it's relevant to ask what your goals are with your flock? Is this just for some eggs for you and maybe a roadside stand, or are you hoping to breed, or show, or sell hatching eggs, or....?

If any of your aspirations are commercially related (i.e. you want to resell birds), I'd cull or sell the flock you have (with full disclosure of whatever ailments they have) and then if you can figure out/deal with the illnesses (as some can remain in the environment for years, reinfecting new birds) start over with newly hatched chicks or even hatch your own eggs, to minimize biosecurity risks.

If you want to end up with 1 rooster, I would order 1 rooster. Straight run is 50/50 (more like 60/40) roo vs hens... if that's fine with you (i.e. you will eat males) then you can go that route, but if you can't bring yourself to cull males, then you need to rethink ordering straight run or hatching eggs.

Not sure what your definition of "successful chicken farmer is" but I suppose it's relevant to ask what your goals are with your flock? Is this just for some eggs for you and maybe a roadside stand, or are you hoping to breed, or show, or sell hatching eggs, or....?

If any of your aspirations are commercially related (i.e. you want to resell birds), I'd cull or sell the flock you have (with full disclosure of whatever ailments they have) and then if you can figure out/deal with the illnesses (as some can remain in the environment for years, reinfecting new birds) start over with newly hatched chicks or even hatch your own eggs, to minimize biosecurity risks.

If you want to end up with 1 rooster, I would order 1 rooster. Straight run is 50/50 (more like 60/40) roo vs hens... if that's fine with you (i.e. you will eat males) then you can go that route, but if you can't bring yourself to cull males, then you need to rethink ordering straight run or hatching eggs.

Thank you much! I guess what I mean by successful is to raise and reproduce healthy chickens for eggs and meat. I would like to create aome type of soup kitchen. And I figure if I am able to grow the majority of the food then it would not be as expensive. So I have been learning about green house gardening for veggies and potatoes. And raising chickens, and cattle. I have 5 acres of land and I would like to put it to good use.

 

[NatJ]

Also when buying young chickens if you want to end up with a rooster too should you get straight runs.

Straight run means they did not sort males from females.
If you want a rooster, you can buy cockerels (males).
If you want females, you can buy females.

If I wanted a rooster, I would probably buy three or more cockerels, and plan to butcher & eat several of them. That way I would be able to select the one I liked best. (I have a history of butchering the one that bit me, the one that had a strange extra toenail, the one that got out of the fence repeatedly, the one with extra feathers blocking his vision, the one that crowed earliest, and so forth.)

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you much! I guess what I mean by successful is to raise and reproduce healthy chickens for eggs and meat. I would like to create aome type of soup kitchen. And I figure if I am able to grow the majority of the food then it would not be as expensive. So I have been learning about green house gardening for veggies and potatoes. And raising chickens, and cattle. I have 5 acres of land and I would like to put it to good use.

Your idea reminds me a tiny bit of a farm in my area that does community education to teach people how to raise and harvest food, from field all the way onto the plate.

Starting with healthy stock is key then. Without knowing what's wrong with the birds you have, it's a bit tricky to figure out how to proceed from here - if it's something minor they can be nursed back to health.

 

[JJW2018]

Your idea reminds me a tiny bit of a farm in my area that does community education to teach people how to raise and harvest food, from field all the way onto the plate.

Starting with healthy stock is key then. Without knowing what's wrong with the birds you have, it's a bit tricky to figure out how to proceed from here - if it's something minor they can be nursed back to health.

Yes I spoke to a vet today who is going to come out to my place and look over the birds and take some stool samples she will let me know what she finds and if it would be worth treating. Meanwhile I am setting up a brooder area and a whole other housing area for some chickens that I ordered from a hatchery I only ordered 10 and I did straight run for the chance to get a rooster. The practical side of me decided to get Black Australorp because they are said to be great dual purpose birds. But the adventurous side of me wanted to get all the pretty chickens with the fluffy head pieces just so I can walk out of my door and see all these wonderful cute chickens foraging in my yard.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Meanwhile I am setting up a brooder area and a whole other housing area for some chickens that I ordered from a hatchery

Since we don't know what's wrong with the others, I hope your set up for new chicks is done with medical quarantine in mind https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nderestimated-part-of-raising-chickens.67097/ , or else you may end up with 2 sets of birds in poor health.

 

[JJW2018]

Yes it definitely is I am building a whole new coop away from the others and I also took the ones who were showing signs of being sick and put them in a separate area as well. The cool thing is wheny husband and I bought our house we purchased it off of 2 retired veterinarians who had a farm so there are plenty of animal pens that were already built. As for the baby chicks I am getting do you suggest keeping them indoors for the first few weeks or should the brooder box be outdoors?

 

[rosemarythyme]

As for the baby chicks I am getting do you suggest keeping them indoors for the first few weeks or should the brooder box be outdoors?

I brood outdoors, but that's in large part because I want to jump start integration with my adult flock - the nice side effect is it also keeps the mess OUT of the house. If you're able to brood inside a coop, then I'd definitely say outside. If the coop won't be available to use yet, and your weather is temperate, you can reliably and safely run heat to the brooding location of choice, and you have a plan on how to deal with any rain, windstorms, etc. while brooding, then I'd also say outside.

Yes I've brooded inside before. I didn't enjoy it between fearing that I was burning down the bathroom, the absolute mess of greasy dander, and the constant stream of peep peep down the hall from my bedroom.

 

[CluckerFamily]

If you are doing two different coops you could eventually have a bachelor pad in one coop if you are planning on using your roosters for meat.

 

[JJW2018]

Thank you so much you have been so helpful and I truly appreciate it. I will be sure to keep posting my progress.