Operation Egg Layer is given the green light...

[cryhavoc]

Operation Egg Layer - My personal descent into Chickendom.

Well, we did it. Or should I say I did it while dragging my wife, kicking and screaming, to the local Feed Store.

14 assorted chicks later, and a bag o' starter mix...we are on our way to the successful launch of Operation Egg Layer.

I'll keep you posted as to the success or failure of this endeavor. Either way, should make for some good laughs....

...and lately, we could all use some, eh?

cryhavoc

 

[blueberry]

Yep.....you will get a lot of good laughs along the way! Chickens are great - you will love having them around.

 

[briches]

We love ours, but please remember . . .

 

[Freeholder]

It's chick season! I just picked up six White Leghorn chicks (I think I'm losing one of them, though), and six Silkies (three white, three black) from the feed store today. Next week the Ameraucana's will be in, and I'll get six of them. Hoping for at least one rooster from the Ameraucanas, to cross on the Leghorns, but they are supposed to be all pullets, so we'll see.

I picked them up around noon, and took them back to the office with me -- I'd brought feed, a heat lamp, and a waterer with me. When the children started coming in to the church for AWANA I corraled a few of them so they could see the chicks -- they love it! And I love being able to share with them. (The best part of the evening was getting to hold a friend's three-month-old baby girl for an hour, though! She's such a little doll!)

Kathleen

 

[cryhavoc]

UPDATE #1 -

Wow....it's not like the pictures in all the chicken books.....

Been givin' them the normal starter mix but, damn, some of those look...massive....compared to the itty bitty chicks I started with.

Got a bigger breeder today, courtesy U-Haul. It's one of their Gaint Wardrobe boxes. With a little mod, it'll make a great next stage breeder.

Am starting the actual coop tomorrow....that would make a comedy show in itself...I'm not that good with a hammer...yet.

Will get some pics soon.

Man, do they POOOOOOOOP....ALOT!!

cryhavoc

 

[Onebyone]

Person i know locally got 25 before xmas. Should start laying soon. 20 eggs a day! Got recipes :-) that take lots of eggs?

 

[PolyEsther]

I'm green eyed with envy! Congrats on the chickens, I used to love mine- that is until they all got eaten Nonetheless they are a lot of fun. Hoping to get some more this spring if I can start on a new predator safe coop....

 

[Freeholder]

Wow....it's not like the pictures in all the chicken books.....

Been givin' them the normal starter mix but, damn, some of those look...massive....compared to the itty bitty chicks I started with.

Got a bigger breeder today, courtesy U-Haul. It's one of their Gaint Wardrobe boxes. With a little mod, it'll make a great next stage breeder.

Am starting the actual coop tomorrow....that would make a comedy show in itself...I'm not that good with a hammer...yet.

Will get some pics soon.

Man, do they POOOOOOOOP....ALOT!!

cryhavoc

Some chickens grow much faster than others (a breed thing, usually). Do you have any idea what you got? Are you sure they are layer breeds and not Cornish Cross, which grow extremely fast but are not a layer breed?

Kathleen

 

[bbbuddy]

I just never understood why people get so many different kinds of chickens all at once, if they plan to raise their own...I mean all they will end up with after a few years are "chicken mutts" right? Unless they go to all the trouble of keeping the different breeds separate...
I researched breeds and settled on one kind, and have had them ever since...Plymouth Barred Rocks. Good egg layers, large breed, some do still go broody, good free rangers, good in the cold, and easy going roosters as well as hens.

Well, they are all of that, and I can hatch more out any time I want, not tied to buying more from the feed stores...
prep for chickens and eggs - done!

p.s. the best chicken I ever had was the huge breast meat from an older roo, not in the least bit tough, but BOY the legs sure were, lol.

 

[Greenspode]

bbuddy,

It is so interesting that you posted that statement about all the chickens becoming mutts after a few years, as I had that same thought/question myself just the other day and intended to ask about it here.

We are getting our chickens on April 13th. For now, all we are getting is 8 pullets, as we live on a lot with neighbors and can't have more than that. We are, however, moving to my fathers farm in the next year. At that time we want roosters as well. I have planned our little flock to include the breeds that I felt were most appropriate to our climate and needs, but also the mixture of colors and breeds that I found most appealing. We are doing a mixture of Barred Plymoth Rocks, Buff Orpingtons and either Rhode Island Reds or New Hampshire Reds.

The thought then crossed my mind that they will all become mutts once we start with roosters and hatching eggs. Will the chickens we end up with be of lesser quality in terms of egg laying than if we stuck with pure breeds? I don't know what to do. As silly as it sounds, I want a pretty and diverse flock. But I don't want to have that diversity if it will lead to lesser quality and lower production down the road.

What are everyone's thoughts on the topic?

 

[summerthyme]

Actually, "barnies" (mutt chickens of undetermined parentage) are often as healthy and tough as "mutt" dogs...

Hybrid vigor is a fact.

Except for showing, "purebreds" don't have enough differences between breeds of each type to matter all that much. Specific STRAINS of some breeds lay more eggs than others (white Leghorns have been bred for egg laying above all else for generations), but you need to introduce new blood into ANY flock sooner or later- chickens definitely will show inbreeding depression problems (no, they don't get depressed- they lay less, the eggs have much lower hatchability percentages and the roosters may not be as fertile) within about 3-4 generations.

I tried many different breeds, and didn't find any until recently which were "best" in every way. So far, my Cuckoo Marans seem to be the best I've found. I'm not particularly fond of their rather drab coloring (like barred rocks, except dark grey/light grey rather than black and white) but they show sex linked colors VERY early (which is handy if you don't want/can't afford to raise all the cockerels, or if you're selling chicks). They grow as quickly as any "heavy breed" I've seen (quicker, actually than any except the CornishX hybrids) and they lay through the most miserable winter weather or hottest summers. Their eggs are very dark cinnamon colored, so it's been easy for me to tell when they are laying... and quite often, those are the ONLY eggs in the nest box.

Unless you've got kids who want to show in 4-H, or you think there will be a market for "purebred" roosters or pullets down the road, keep the birds you like and don't worry about it.

Summerthyme

 

[LC]

Summerthyme, keeping in mind what you said about strains of a breed (and I knew), would you be willing to share WHERE you got your Marans. I am seriously considering some....if the hatchery still has any when I get to the ordering point. I am delayed this year due to travel.

TIA
LC

 

[summerthyme]

LC... unfortunately, the ones I got which are truly amazing birds were from Murray McMurray. I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable ordering from them at this time, which really is a shame...

I ordered 12 "straight run" Marans from Meyer Hatchery... ended up with 11 roosters and 1 pullet! And worse, the roosters were the most motely assortment for "purebreds" I've EVER seen... a couple were almost banty sized, a couple appeared to have Cornish blood (they were very "upright" in posture and had very large breasts)... it was bad.

I'm planning on ordering some more from Welp Hatchery this year... I have to get on that, but I've been waiting to see who in the family wants meat birds, so I order enough CornishX. Welp's Cornish birds last year were amazing... zero death loss, stunningly fast growth, and the ones I kept to 12 weeks for roasters dressed at 10 1/2# each, and were still sound and moving around well at that size!

Summerthyme

 

[LC]

Summerthyme, thanks for the info. Yeah, I don't think Mc Murray is a good idea this year. I think I'll order from Ideal when I get my act together. Right now they are sold out of Marans until May. Sandhill Preservation also carries them, but without checking I would almost bet that he is sold out of them, maybe until next year.

I will at least get some Rhodies. They have always done well for me. Each strain is a little different but they are the most consistent layers I have ever had.

LC

 

[briches]

Just wanted to add that we ordered from Ideal back in September and had great luck! All were healthy and have done great!

 

[lectrickitty]

I just never understood why people get so many different kinds of chickens all at once, if they plan to raise their own...I mean all they will end up with after a few years are "chicken mutts" right?

The best chickens I ever had would be "mutts". I got them from a girl who had mixed 7 breeds in a 4-H project. They were healthy, good foragers, good layers (a few double yolkers), broody (but not exessively), and excellent meat birds. I gave them to a neighbor when I moved. I wish I'd have brought a hen & roo with me! If I could remmeber what breeds she mixed, I'd order them and try to duplicate what she did.

 

[Freeholder]

I have a few Cuckoo Marans, and am pretty pleased with mine, also -- I got mine from Ideal. I also have some Barred rock hens -- no roosters (I have three Marans roosters). They are pretty decent layers.

But, because we have a small property, only one acre, I want to go down in chicken size and increase laying efficiency, in the hopes of being able to grow enough feed for my flock. In other words, I need smaller chickens who eat less and lay better. White Leghorns will work for that, but they have large combs, and I don't have a heated henhouse, so I looked for another breed around the same size that also lays well and has a pea comb. Ameraucana's (Easter Eggers) fill that bill. My intention is to cross these two breeds, making deliberate 'mutts'. And I want two or three Silkie hens to hatch out eggs and brood chicks, so we won't be dependent on electricity for that. (And I'll keep a Silkie rooster, so we can reproduce them, as well.)

Many of the 'purebreds' we have today were mutts not so long ago, either deliberate or just people breeding to whatever they could get locally. If you want a varied flock that is both pretty and useful, select the chicken breeds that have the characteristics you like, and save the chicks that come the closest to what you breeding for. (I'd like to have Golden-laced coloring, but will be happy with some Ameraucana coloring!)

Kathleen

 

[LC]

Freeholder, I am glad to know that you are happy with the Marans that you got from Ideal. Gives me hope. Thanks.

LC

 

[chickenrancher]

I miss having chickens!!!! But, with my rotten work schedule, not much I can do about it, for awhile. I do plan on chickens and goats next year, if I get to cut to 2 days week.

I want to figure out a varmit proof enclosure, that can have an opening door set on a timer. That way they can be let out late morning, so eggs are inside, even when I'm not home.

cr

 

[Cag3db1rd]

I'm starting down this road, myself. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Publius]

Having grown up on and around farms I have seen lot of chickens and after years of watching and hearing from others about their experience's you start to see a pattern!!!
The best top picks for dual purpose chickens IE meat/eggs, are Barred Plymouth Rock,
Rhode lsland Red, New Hampshire, Wyandotte, in that order, also you mix Bandies in with these big birds with no cross breeding the eggs are small but make it up in the number of you get from them.