chickens

[beachbummer]

How many raise their own chickens for eggs or meat? we have chickens and turkeys (wild eastern strain) our hen turkey is setting on 12 eggs right now!! We useally get a dozen eggs a day. I built our chicken koop and run myself and we also garden. We made it 4 months without buying anything but milk and bread from the grocery store. We also deer hunt and try to put away as many as we can to reduce the food bill!

[Razorback21]

We raise chickens for eggs and meat, but don't stop there. We raise beef cattle, a couple of hogs and raise catfish in an aquaponics greenhouse. It is a lot of work, but we figured it saves us close to $1200 a year from the grocery store, not to mention we cash flow the cattle operation, essentially providing us with free beef.

Most important, We call it our "golf" or "motorcycle riding". We do all of it for the sheer enjoyment of it all.

[Yooper]

Beachbummer,
Welcome to the tree!
We raise chickens for meat and eggs. Have dairy goats too. Between chicken and goat meat, I no longer buy meat in the grocery store. Nor dairy.

Razorback,
I hear ya. Starting about now, we just pull up lawnchairs in the yard in the evenings and watch all our "kids" run around. It sure beats anything on the tube!

[Freeholder]

I have chickens, mostly for eggs, but we do eat a few each year. I also have rabbits for meat, and goats for meat and milk (and packing/draft).

Kathleen

[Mrs. S]

I have chickens for eggs and meat. I have goats for milk and meat. We will be starting with turkeys this spring, will order chicks in about 2 wks. The goal is to have this be the last time I order chicks of any kind. I'm hoping to learn enough to have the chickens and turkeys reproducing.

[Summerthyme]

We have chickens (for eggs and meat), turkeys (Bourbon Reds at this time) pigs (just 2... one for the pig roast at my youngest son's wedding reception this summer, one for our freezer). Lambs (also for the wedding), 50 milking Ayrshire dairy cows, and some Dexters (I'd have to count them... hmmm... close to 10 again! Ack!!) for beef.

Since the milk price is lower than we've seen it in almost 30 years, we're living off our "preps" completely. That's what they're there for...

Summerthyme

[gettin' ready]

The new chicken coop and run is finally finished and we bought our first pullets from a neighbor 2 days ago - 5 Black Australorps and 5 RIRs.

We brought them home after dark and released them into the coop. We left them in the coop the next day until about 1:00 as we had to leave very early to take my dad for surgery.

The first day we got 7 eggs! I'm beyond excited!!! We didn't really expect any eggs for another week or two especially with the stress of moving them and new surroundings. So far today I've gathered 5 eggs. The "girls" are all calm and lovely (so far) and seem to be adjusting quickly.

We're ready to purchase a steer for fattening as soon as another short section of fence is finished. Also looking for a cow w/calf.

Finally got the tomato and pepper plants planted as the weather is now actually springlike. Last year's asparagus survived and we have shoots appearing every day or two. More planting to be done these next few days.

DH says he wouldn't mind having a milk cow or maybe a few goats. Too soon to say if that will come to pass.....

How's it going with the rest of the chicken farmers? (especially the newbies) I'd love to hear everyone's experiences.

[pappy]

I got a hen on the nest for a week now.

Any experience or guidance would be greatly appricated.

I got 5 RIR, 1 speckled Broad ???, the little Red Six/Sex on the nest, and a BIG Red Game Rooster.

Pappy

[Summerthyme]

Ummm... as much as possible, keep the other hens away from her. Provide food and water close by (because they won't leave the nest for long) and expect chicks in about 2 more weeks (give or take a day or two).

When they hatch, they'll stay under the hen for a day or so (meant to give all live eggs time to hatch and dry). They are often at risk of being stepped on by the other birds, so you'll want to watch that. I always move mama and babies to another temporary pen, set up with a CHICK waterer and feed. I've lost chicks too many times in the big chicken waterers... their mothers don't seem to know how to fish them out!

The one thing I'd be concerned about is if the other hens still have access to the nest where she's setting. If so, they may be laying "fresher" eggs under her... and that will end up messing up the hatch. If I didn't catch a hen in time and they go broody in the laying pen, because it often breaks them up (makes them stop wanting to set) to move them, I just carefully count the eggs under them and mark them with a PENCIL or CRAYON (not a Sharpie... can be toxic). Then, I peek once a day and remove any unmarked (hence, freshly laid) eggs.

BE CAREFUL, though... setting hens can be rough! I've gotten pecked hard enough to draw blood and leave a hole in my hand for a bit...

Summerthyme

[momof23goats]

I have turkeys chickens and other animals too, I raise them for eggs amd meat. got a hen turkey sitting on her eggs, chicken eggs, and I think other kinds as well. I think a few guina eggs. crazy turkey hen. any way. oh well. let her sit. founda wild turkey nest in one of my raised beds today, already hatched out.

[Birdlady]

We're in "suburbia" and have 4 truly "backyard" chickens....Barred Rocks, 4 hens that are about 8 weeks old. They have just gone out to their "Barred Rock Cafe" house, with just hay as bedding. Their house is on pallets, off the ground. The house has 1/4" hardware cloth ALL around, including bottom...as predator proof as we could make it.
Question is: I have noticed their nails...they are fine right now, as they are so young, but do they need something to "scratch" on the keep those nails down, or is it not a worry?

Thanks in advance for replies...:)

We're really enjoying them....read they are an "all purpose" bird, but we have them as egg layers mainly, and pets for our GD's. They are very docile and receptive to petting/holding etc....but they each have their own personality...(they really do!!!)...we've had them since 3 days old, and amazing growth at 8 weeks....they're already getting their leg "bloomers"...so cute!!!