When should I replace my flock.

[Cclev]

When should I hatch a new flock out of my best 4 hens? What year they will only be 1 in march and I'm itching to incubate some. Already have a couple people wanting me to hatch them some.

 

[Spartan22]

When should I hatch a new flock out of my best 4 hens? What year they will only be 1 in march and I'm itching to incubate some. Already have a couple people wanting me to hatch them some.

If you have the room I will raise new batch every spring, so you'll have layers all the time and every third year you can get rid of the older batch. Just my opinion.

 

[Pork Pie]

Generally, i replace my layers every 18 months or so (where i live, hens lay eggs all year round, so i don't have to plan around winters and non-laying). That means every year, I aim to set eggs to replace existing stock (although i have been known to get a little carried away

).

I think many peeps in the temperate latitudes do as Spartan22 does in order to ensure a year-round egg supply, which makes perfect sense.

 

[Cclev]

Thanks I'll probably raise some every year I have plenty of room. Was also thinking about building another coop

 

[Egghead_Jr]

A small grow out coop and small run is nice. Works as a breeder pen, cockerel pad and broody buster or place for hen to incubate. If busting broodies I pull hen out each morning and close coop door so she is in run all day. A small coop is practically essential even if it's unoccupied 8 months of the year. Mines a wee 3x3ft in a 8x8 covered run.

Keep hens for as long as they are productive. With hatchery birds I use to cull them in fall before they molted or started to molt. 2.5 years old. Some birds are productive longer but generally the production birds peter out third year so no need to feed them all molt and winter. I hatch every spring so try to sell a lot of year old layers cheap that don't make the breeding cut.

 

[lazy gardener]

I hatch yearly. Remove the older birds. Do you have housing for peeps, enough room to integrate them into existing flock, exit plan for the extras and for the cockrels? IMO a bachelor pad is imperative for any one who hatches.

 

[Cclev]

A small grow out coop and small run is nice. Works as a breeder pen, cockerel pad and broody buster or place for hen to incubate. If busting broodies I pull hen out each morning and close coop door so she is in run all day. A small coop is practically essential even if it's unoccupied 8 months of the year. Mines a wee 3x3ft in a 8x8 covered run. 

Keep hens for as long as they are productive. With hatchery birds I use to cull them in fall before they molted or started to molt. 2.5 years old. Some birds are productive longer but generally the production birds peter out third year so no need to feed them all molt and winter. I hatch every spring so try to sell a lot of year old layers cheap that don't make the breeding cut. 

I'm probably going to make a coop/run that's size. How long would you keep 2 dozen in it? I have RIR from a local sotherstates I got last march. Was going to hatch off my best 4 hens and sell the others come fall when my fresh flock started laying.