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Post by aoconnor on Jun 7, 2017 12:50:35 GMT
I had another huge batch of chicks hatch in my coop. The first group was of 25, and I gave away all of those but 8. Now I have another 20!!! Yikes, my hens sure are being productive lately! I will gather all of the new chicks up and send them to a friend who raises them and then sells them. He is an elderly man who makes a little money on that, I like helping him as I'm able.
How are all of yuo yuo doing this chick season?!!!
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Post by shellymay on Jun 7, 2017 13:31:47 GMT
LOL.....nothing cuter then baby chicks  Very nice of you to give to friend to raise and sell, I don't raise my own but have 50 EE's coming in next month....Well let me take that last bit back, I did try hatching some Black Copper Maran eggs and did get three live chicks, these are mine and not for sale. |
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Post by farmchix on Jun 8, 2017 13:57:18 GMT
We hatched 22 the first time---for Macedonian Neighbor. We "thought" we were helping him replenish his flock after the coyotes and raccoons. He kept 4, gave/sold 15 to his friend and left me with 3. In the meantime, I had hatched 8 for myself. So, chicken math aside, I only increased my flock by 8. We had lost 3 to coyotes. I gave away my Sumatra hens last weekend and culled the rooster a month or so ago...so, technically, I am only up by 5. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2017 3:05:03 GMT
I had 10 Buff Orpingtons to add to flock of 12 girls & rooster. At almost 3 months I assumed they would be okay. I even set up cage in coop with door open just enough for the "teenagers" to run in for safety. 4 Buffs died without looking attacked by predators (just some pecking marks I thought happened after death). Wrong! Someone saw 2 hens viciously attacking one of the Buffs. I now have 5 Buffs and they are resilient - I saw one attack a pushy hen this morning - reared up with her feet and hen backed off. My hope is that the surviving Buffs get broody next Spring because the Delawares and EEs never have. Meanwhile, it put a crimp in my happiness in raising those 10 chicks to be healthy and happy teens 🤦♀️
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Post by shellymay on Jun 9, 2017 11:51:29 GMT
@home2stay, Sorry to hear of the losses,  farmchix, I am a firm believer when it comes to chickens to cull for AGE, I have no intentions in ever letting any of my chickens go into their 3rd winter, nope off to sale barn they go......Sorry but your returns on your investments just aren't there, also as home2stay said the older birds are just so bitty (mean) other problems accrue.... |
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Post by Skandi on Jun 9, 2017 16:14:45 GMT
No chicks this year we hatched four girls last year and the 3 two year olds are still laying well, we'll slaugter them when they all stop laying in november and only overwinter the four yearlings. hopefully they can learn to live in one coop, if not then the arucana will also bite it. (everything attacks her nearly killed her last time by tearing her neck right open, we could see everything inside.
But my muscovy Duck, probably rising 3 is sitting on her second clutch here, it's due in about 20 days I think, so there will be ducklings!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 2:53:47 GMT
Shellymay you are helping me think this through. The "mean girls" are mostly Delawares finishing their second year. I may cull them in Fall as well and give next years' chicks a better chance, especially if one of the surviving Buffs goes broody. I have Delawares only because the Feed Store mixed up my BuckEye order with them.
Chickens are one challenge after another, aren't they!?! I've had an ongoing flock for 3 years come this January and it has been a lot of my catching problems late. I hope I can start to get out ahead of them soon on predators, fencing, health, chicks, etc etc.
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Post by bergere on Jun 14, 2017 10:03:41 GMT
That is a whole lot of free range chicks Connor! Sorry you had to go through that Farmchix. Yikes H2S, some birds are just plan mean. Can't stand super aggressive birds. I hatched out some Splash Marans and one Leghorn mix that I got from a friend. They are the only large breed I hatched out so far this year. Hatched out the last of the d'Uccles, but I think I will only have 3 or 4 good enough to keep. Also hatched out some of my d'Anvers, bought some eggs from a friend, so I can add new blood. Pigeons are doing well, but the Fantail male is being such a pain, I think I will be selling him on. He doesn't seem to be bonded to his mate, and he is always attacking the other birds. Once this batch of fantail babies are weaned, he will be looking for a new home. On the flip side, while my Lucernes are not friendly, everyone gets along. Very frustrating.  |
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Very nice of you to give to friend to raise and sell, I don't raise my own but have 50 EE's coming in next month....Well let me take that last bit back, I did try hatching some Black Copper Maran eggs and did get three live chicks, these are mine and not for sale.
