What were your worst mistakes when you first started?

[MROO]

Has anyone ever made enough mistakes to start over? I'm still getting started, but I'm finding holes in my long term goals with what I have now. I wanted a "low maintenance" flock that raised their own chicks and still provided eggs and occasional meat.... But it seems that dual purpose birds are not going to be broody very often, and it seems like I probably can't just get a banty to hatch chicks (introducing her into the big coop). And if I set up a brooder coop for a banty, I'm still going to eventually have to integrate chickens.... it's just becoming opposite of what I want.

What breed do you have? A banty may be too small, but there are broody standard fowl, as well. Brahmas, Cochins, Sussex and Orpingtons are the ones that come to my mind, first. Silkies are probably your best bet for broodiness, but they tend to be smaller (between bantam and standard size) and you may end up with some interesting Silkie mixes. No matter which broody breed you add, you'll likely get some mixed peeps, but if they all share nesting boxes, you'll get mostly your main breed. If you don't want to keep mixes, just enroll them in Freezer Camp with the rest of your meat flock.

 

[Mrs. K]

Has anyone ever made enough mistakes to start over? I'm still getting started, but I'm finding holes in my long term goals with what I have now. I wanted a "low maintenance" flock that raised their own chicks and still provided eggs and occasional meat.... But it seems that dual purpose birds are not going to be broody very often, and it seems like I probably can't just get a banty to hatch chicks (introducing her into the big coop). And if I set up a brooder coop for a banty, I'm still going to eventually have to integrate chickens.... it's just becoming opposite of what I want.

Yes, while I have never started over.... my plans have been made and remade I don't know how many times. I got breeds I was sure I really wanted, and then not so much. Had a breeding idea already to go, predators rearranged that idea. Got a chance to get chicks when eggs failed to hatch...totally different birds than planned. My point, God laughs at the plans of mice and men, and especially at crazy chicken ladies!

Mrs K

 

[bobbi-j]

Has anyone ever made enough mistakes to start over? I'm still getting started, but I'm finding holes in my long term goals with what I have now. I wanted a "low maintenance" flock that raised their own chicks and still provided eggs and occasional meat.... But it seems that dual purpose birds are not going to be broody very often, and it seems like I probably can't just get a banty to hatch chicks (introducing her into the big coop). And if I set up a brooder coop for a banty, I'm still going to eventually have to integrate chickens.... it's just becoming opposite of what I want.

You might want to consider getting an incubator. Then you can hatch as many as you want, on your schedule. The thing about broodies is, you have to wait until they're in the mood to sit. Some will happily oblige you at the drop of a hat, other hens will never go broody, and then there are the ones who insist on setting at the most inconvenient times.

I had to start over last year. Coytoes and mink took out most of my flock a couple of summers ago. I had plans for breeding for my own flock replacements and for meat to put in the freezer (my plan for extra cockerels).

 

[SomeChickinTN]

What breed do you have? A banty may be too small, but there are broody standard fowl, as well. Brahmas, Cochins, Sussex and Orpingtons are the ones that come to my mind, first. Silkies are probably your best bet for broodiness, but they tend to be smaller (between bantam and standard size) and you may end up with some interesting Silkie mixes. No matter which broody breed you add, you'll likely get some mixed peeps, but if they all share nesting boxes, you'll get mostly your main breed. If you don't want to keep mixes, just enroll them in Freezer Camp with the rest of your meat flock.

I started out with 5 orpington chicks I bought. I can't remember when chickens start laying, but I know they have at least a couple more months. (16-20 weeks, right?) Then someone gave me 5 hens that are past their 2nd molt, to process, and 5 that are still in their laying prime.

I'm going to put the 5 old ones in the tractor until I am confident that I can process them. So, in the main coop, I'll have the orps, 2 red sex links, a RIR, and two brownish ones that I have to ask about, and a barred rock.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

You might want to consider getting an incubator. Then you can hatch as many as you want, on your schedule. The thing about broodies is, you have to wait until they're in the mood to sit. Some will happily oblige you at the drop of a hat, other hens will never go broody, and then there are the ones who insist on setting at the most inconvenient times.

I had to start over last year. Coytoes and mink took out most of my flock a couple of summers ago. I had plans for breeding for my own flock replacements and for meat to put in the freezer (my plan for extra cockerels).

That's where I start to overthink things. Can I leave extra roosters in the main pen until the earliest I can process them? I don't have the property space to keep a separate rooster pen. Maybe I can use the tractor for the older hens and extra roos, but then do I still need a separate breeder pen? Lol.... And as far as the dual purpose, I guess my thought process is that they lay less eggs than others, but I forget that if I have a dozen chickens that will probably be plenty of eggs. Some people say that orps sometimes never go broody, but if it depends on the chicken I guess I'll have to wait and see.

 

[aart]

I wanted a "low maintenance" flock that raised their own chicks and still provided eggs and occasional meat

Chuckles.... with you, not at you.
It's rarely that simple...Romance meets Reality.

Can I leave extra roosters in the main pen until the earliest I can process them?

I use an incubator to hatch replacement layers every year. I slaughter the cockerels at bout 14 weeks, while still tender enough for the grill and before they cause too much havoc. I slaughter older hens later in the summer. I keep 2-3 age groups, paring down in fall for winter occupancy.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Chuckles.... with you, not at you.
It's rarely that simple...Romance meets Reality.

I use an incubator to hatch replacement layers every year. I slaughter the cockerels at bout 14 weeks, while still tender enough for the grill and before they cause too much havoc. I slaughter older hens later in the summer. I keep 2-3 age groups, paring down in fall for winter occupancy.

So it sounds like if I want to reliably rotate the flock, I'll have to find an incubator I can afford. I'd prefer not to have to buy chicks every year.

 

[aart]

So it sounds like if I want to reliably rotate the flock, I'll have to find an incubator I can afford. I'd prefer not to have to buy chicks every year.

Buying a half dozen chicks every year might be less expensive than buying an incubator at least for the first 5-10 years .....and fewer males to deal with if you get sexed pullet chicks.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Chuckles.... with you, not at you.
It's rarely that simple...Romance meets Reality.

I use an incubator to hatch replacement layers every year. I slaughter the cockerels at bout 14 weeks, while still tender enough for the grill and before they cause too much havoc. I slaughter older hens later in the summer. I keep 2-3 age groups, paring down in fall for winter occupancy.

I've been trying to get a feel for a 3 year rotation, and I understand how it works, but how do you keep track of the different age groups? Leg bands?

 

[aart]

I've been trying to get a feel for a 3 year rotation, and I understand how it works, but how do you keep track of the different age groups? Leg bands?

Yes, leg bands..I use zipties...and notes kept in spreadsheet.

It's not really a 3 year rotation, every year there are additions and subtractions.
But my oldest birds are about 3 years old, sometimes only 2yo, depends on numbers and crosses I might want to do. It's hard to balance out with my limited space.