A new journey into homesteading "pic heavy"

[Mini Horses]

Good pass on the contaminated straw!!

Now, why butcher the older hens until your pullets start to lay? Yeah I know about feed, etc. but, sometimes with bad weather patterns they will be "off" a day or two. Maybe you want to co-ordinate "all" the butchering for one day. You aren't talking about a lot of feed for those -- the others are eating and doing nothing , at least these gals are laying enough to keep you in eggs for now. If it's really hot, they slack. Don't know if you mentioned before but, they do need an area for shade as most chickens are not good in heat without some area for relief. A/C in the hen house? Some people do use fans.

I had solar roof fans in my big barns at my previous farm, horse barns though.

My chickens like to go into their coop mid day, it has good air flow and is cooler, or I find them in dust bath area under a tree. Hot summer days I put frozen jugs of water in their water containers. Winters I add hot water They also love warm goat milk and goat cheese. Since I have milk goats, it's extras.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Idk maybe ill give them a week or so. I just added 20 chicks to the coop. Maybe they are keeping them up at night

 

[Mini Horses]

nope. Lights out & chickens generally sleep. BUT, that may have upset them enough to disrupt their laying!! Storms, predator attacks, new flock members, new roo -- it does make a difference. Give them a few days to adjust before you do the final catch.

 

[baymule]

I agree, if they lay enough to keep you in eggs, wait until your pullets are laying, then have a slaughter day. Even a few beats none! I have 5 sex links that are going on 3 years old and they aren't laying the best. I hatched 14 new chicks and have 27 eggs in the incubator--replacements and roos for the freezer! When the new chicks start laying, the sex links go to freezer camp.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yep -- Spring chicks for new layers & freezer chicken.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Well we got 4 eggs today from 8 hens. The broody took over another nest box with new eggs and left the old 11 in the cold. im about tired of the bs. I tossed the broody eggs and chunked her out in the pen with the rest of them. I really cant tell which ones are laying, last i checked it seemed they all should have been. Next week im gonna dress all the hens out, the main rooster, several small cockerels and 12 bunnies and maybe a grey doe if she misses again. .....maybe sooner.

That should leave me with 20 something pullets, a couple buff orpington cockerels and a rhode island rooster.

 

[baymule]

Haha Don't they just frustrate you sometimes? I even had a hen I named Stupid Chicken. Yup, time for this bunch to go to that fabulous resort for chickens--FREEZER CAMP! Don't forget to save the feet for broth!!

 

[NH Homesteader]

What breed of chickens are they? 4 eggs from 8 birds on any given day isn't that bad for me... But I don't have heavy egg layers

 

[Chic Rustler]

The nine hens are made up of 6 red sex links, 2 rhode island red x buff orpington, and 1 black australorp.

I checked them all again just a few mins ago. 2 sex links were definitely not laying so i marked them with zip ties. I also marked 5 young cockerels an 3 cockerels that were a little larger. Im gonna try and get them done tomorrow. I also hope to finish mulching the garden and do the bunnies tomorrow. We will see how much i get done.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Maybe ill put a seperate pen just for brooding on the to do list. That actually makes better sense for the kids. The broody started with 3 eggs and somehow got to 11. I think the kids get confused when they are collecting eggs. not really sure how to do the rectal. I just look at the vent and check hip spacing. I actually used the broody hen for reference. Including the broody we have 2 that are not laying. We have 45 total in a pen/coop designed for 28. Theres really not space for anything but highest production egg layers. That being said, my family of six loves eating chicken and 13 pullets will be laying by the end of the month.

Raising chickens for meat is counter productive from what i have learned. By the time they get eating size i have fed them $15 in feed. Its actually cheaper and faster to buy from the store until i can get enough eggs to keep us stocked and sell to cover feed. And putting up with them for 3 months sux. Rabbits are awesome in that regard. 8 weeks and you are done. Maybe one day ill get some cornish crosses