# getting ready to put in a order for chickens... need advice



## lhalfcent

hi all 
as some of you know we just bought a small homestead and one thing i plan on doing is have a few laying hens and also some chickens for the freezer.
In my reading and research there is so much variety and types etc i am overwhelmed!
From those of you who raise all kinds of chickens which ones are prolific layers and what chickens are good for raising for strictly food? 
I am starting on building a mobile coop on wheels like a humongous wheel barrow type thing so i can move the laying chickens around to let them wild feed but i was told by some older farmers that to have butchering chickens they don't free range well but i need to uber supplement them with feed? I was thinking of two separate coops setup as from what i understand the butchering chickens (ok i know i am not using the right language but work with me here  ) i raise these for like 6 weeks or so and then butcher them? why can't they free range? are they bred differently? I can't remember the names of those but the laying hens the farmers are recommending are Red Gold i think the name was. they are suppose to be friendly. lol ok input???

to add: i was wondering if i could raise a couple turkeys too with the chickens. can that be done successfully?


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## PackerBacker

Cornish Rocks are THEE butchering chicken. And no they don't make the best "rangers" They will need feed to gain. If your intent is to truly range them then I wouldn't use this breed.

Lots of varieties are good egg layers. I have Hyline browns.

This is where I have ordered from in the past.

http://norfolkhatchery.com/


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## GaryS

My dad raised up to 500 chickens a year for both eggs and meat, and the only breed he wanted was the Rhode Island Red. His birds were semi-free range. We'd let them out of the pen about an hour or so before sunset so they could find natural supplements for their feed. When released that late in the day, they wouldn't wander too far from their coop.

I tried different birds for my small egg laying flock and found that overall I preferred Rhode Island Reds, though some other breeds were slightly better egg producers and required less food. I know I didn't save a penny raising chickens, and I wouldn't waste my time again as long as I can buy eggs, but the free-range eggs were delicious.

The thing I hated about small flocks is that the chickens became pets and after three years of egg production it was time to butcher.


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## Meerkat

Cornish hens are what most want for meat birds because they grow fast and give more meat in less time,so they save on feed.

Personally I don't like cornish birds because they are a very sickly bird from what I read ,many can't stand under theri own weight once they get close to slaughter time,their legs break so part of their life they just lay on side and eat.Also barred Rocks are have good dispisitions.

We have barred rocks and dominiques for dual purpose bird,meaning meat and eggs.They lay really nice big brown eggs.They are not as fat and plump as cornish though.A little less meat but its a healthy bird.


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## Meerkat

Also we like to order from 'Ideal Poultry' they have never disappointed us.All our peeps arrive healthy and alive and stay that way.


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## PackerBacker

Meerkat said:


> Personally I don't like cornish birds because they are a very sickly bird from what I read ,many can't stand under theri own weight once they get close to slaughter time,their legs break so part of their life they just lay on side and eat.Also barred Rocks are have good dispisitions.


I have never experienced this. It's certainly not the norm.

Btw they are not all hens.


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## The_Blob

Everybody has their own favorite; mine is Orpingtons, very nice dispositions - almost too nice for their own good, large breed (8lb), good layers (every other day)

there is a sister forum for chickens

http://www.chickenforum.com/forum.php

and backtard chickens has tons of good info also

I've posted about raising crickets to feed the chickens here, you can do a search


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## cowboyhermit

We used to only grow cornish giants, they were/are the absolute standard for meat production. Of all the livestock we raised these are the least favorite, I would not raise them again if you paid me, they have so many problems due to being bred for industry.
What I would propose is getting 50 or so dual purpose birds, preferably a heritage breed, unsexed. Then in the fall you will have all the males to butcher if you don't want a rooster, and keep the hens that you like the best.
Heritage breeds will NOT give you a bird that looks like a cornish giant when butchered, they will give you a bird like all your ancestors ate, with a lot more flavour.
My favorites are buff Orpington or Brahma's but we do live in a cold climate and these birds are out there scratching in the snow all the time, pretty good in the heat too.
You can raise turkeys with chickens, don't know if it is recommended by experts these days, has gone back and forth. Same thing with turkeys if you get the standard Nicholas white or whatever these birds need to be looked after, they are so messed up they are unable to breed.


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## The_Blob

Turkeys are kind of bullies, they can cause a LOT of damage, I don't recommend a Tom if you have turkeys, but I DO recommend keeping one rooster around, he'll keep ALL the females 'in line' ... even the much larger turkeys :2thumb:

funny to watch a 8lb rooster chasing a 40 lb hen :teehee:


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## Meerkat

PackerBacker said:


> I have never experienced this. It's certainly not the norm.
> 
> Btw they are not all hens.


Roos too.Maybe yours are not the ones I'm talkign about,I just know its cornish birds that since I don't know which ones,I stay away from them all.


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## Meerkat

Go to

www.backyardchickens.com

lots of interestign talks,go to "MEAT BIRDS" SOME LIKE THE CORNISH SOME DON'T. oF COURSE GO TO 'FORUMS'.sorry caps


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## kejmack

lhalfcent said:


> hi all
> as some of you know we just bought a small homestead and one thing i plan on doing is have a few laying hens and also some chickens for the freezer.
> In my reading and research there is so much variety and types etc i am overwhelmed!
> From those of you who raise all kinds of chickens which ones are prolific layers and what chickens are good for raising for strictly food?
> I am starting on building a mobile coop on wheels like a humongous wheel barrow type thing so i can move the laying chickens around to let them wild feed but i was told by some older farmers that to have butchering chickens they don't free range well but i need to uber supplement them with feed? I was thinking of two separate coops setup as from what i understand the butchering chickens (ok i know i am not using the right language but work with me here  ) i raise these for like 6 weeks or so and then butcher them? why can't they free range? are they bred differently? I can't remember the names of those but the laying hens the farmers are recommending are Red Gold i think the name was. they are suppose to be friendly. lol ok input???
> 
> to add: i was wondering if i could raise a couple turkeys too with the chickens. can that be done successfully?


Since you have a small homestead, I would raise "dual purpose" birds. Buff Orpingtons are good. You will probably have to raise the meat birds longer than 6 weeks unless you are pumping them with steroids and antibiotics like the commercial growers do. Any birds can be free-range as long as you can protect them from predators. I would not mix the turkeys and chickens in close quarters. Turkeys are pigs with feathers. They will eat you out of house and home. Butcher them as soon as they are ready because you will be losing money otherwise.


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## PackerBacker

Meerkat said:


> Roos too.Maybe yours are not the ones I'm talkign about,I just know its cornish birds that since I don't know which ones,I stay away from them all.


Iv'e read some blurps about it too. Seems it has more to do with improper feed and trying to get to much to fast. They really can't be that troublesome if that is what is used in the majority of commercial production.

I wouldn't write off an entire breed, especially the typically preferred one, because of what you read on the internet.


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## goshengirl

For what it's worth, this time last year we were in the same boat as you. There are so many to choose from, and until you start raising them you don't really know what you need, or really even what you want. We found out we just had to jump in and get our feet wet, and we figured it out as we went along. 

Originally we were going to get 25-50 chicks, but in the end we got 15 unsexed Buckeye chicks from a local Buckeye enthusiast. The Buckeye is an endangered heritage breed, and you'll find that with endangered heritage breeds there are people out there who are really passionate about the birds. If you go that route (heritage breeds make good homestead chickens), you will probably find someone who will talk your ear off about their birds, and will probably be more than willing to help you learn. These are good people to find. 

Anyway, the reason we went with the Buckeye is because it is a dual-purpose bird (meat and eggs), it was bred for northern Ohio winters, it has a friendly disposition, and it's an endangered heritage bird. One thing to consider with your northern climate - I understand that the combs can get frostbit with some breeds. I'm not familiar with this personally because the Buckeye has a small comb and is not prone to this. I was just thinking that with you being in a cold winter area, this might be something to look out for - bird with smaller combs (closer to the head) are less likely to get their combs frostbit. (Then again, Rhode Island Reds don't have pea combs, and they originated in Rhode Island, so what do I know. :dunno

For birds that would be winter hardy for you, I would look on craigslist and see who's raising what in your area. That was helpful for us, don't know if it would be in your area, but you can always look.

We're very happy with how things turned out for us. Of our 15 unsexed chicks, two died early, and we ended up with 6 males and 7 females. They're beautiful birds (they look a lot like the Rhode Island Reds except that they have beautiful steel blue tail feathers and smaller combs). They're also friendly, curious birds. They stay in a coop with a run (can't free range due to neighbor's dogs), and while we enjoy them we've been careful not to make them pets.  The six males were butchered in August - we got them in April and could have butchered them sooner but we're still learning. The seven girls started laying for us in November, and now give us 2-5 eggs a day, usually 3-4.

For what it's worth, it seems like a lot to figure out right now, but you don't have to get it all right from the get-go. Just start raising some chickens, and you'll soon figure out if they're the right breed for you, or if you need more or less. Coops can always be added on to. If you need more, get more. If you need less, send some off to 'freezer camp.' 

Here's a link that might interest you, for the American Livestock Breeds Conservation: http://albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html This would be in case you were interested in knowing which heritage breeds are endangered.


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## ZoomZoom

Can't help you on your bird selection, but hopefully this tidbit may be useful.

Watch out for dogs. Domesticated and wild. They think chickens.... well, taste like chicken.

A friend was watching my dog one time while I was out of town. The dog got loose and killed every one of his chickens.


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## lhalfcent

wow thanks for all the great input everyone!!! :congrat:


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## cowboyhermit

In response to commercial producers using Cornish giants, that doesn't really mean they are best suited to a small producer for their own consumption. It doesn't even really mean they are great for large scale indoor operations.
Our family was one of those commercial producers in the past and we had no choice on what breed we raised. The retail end is entirely geared toward chickens as a commodity and will not purchase other breeds except sometimes for processing, (much less $).
If you raise cornish giants in a barn with climate controls and medicated feed they will produce massive quantities of meat in a short amount of time. These birds do not need immune systems, ability to keep themselves alive, or even be able to reproduce on their own.
In reality I agree with the above, just get some chickens, whatever kind, and you will learn quickly. Many people get turned off by these birds though, so be aware of the alternatives.


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## lhalfcent

ok i found some local chicken people and a couple of them of them have some laying hens for sale ... ameracauna is one of the breeds. Seeing they already are acclimated to my weather and already laying, they are about two years old and i have help learning this from my local feed mill couple who are awesome! I think if i get a few adult birds and learn how they do things over the next month or so then i should be ready to order what i want and increase. I figure why not. so jumping in over the next few days and going for it!


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## PackerBacker

cowboyhermit said:


> In response to commercial producers using Cornish giants, that doesn't really mean they are best suited to a small producer for their own consumption. It doesn't even really mean they are great for large scale indoor operations.
> Our family was one of those commercial producers in the past and we had no choice on what breed we raised. The retail end is entirely geared toward chickens as a commodity and will not purchase other breeds except sometimes for processing, (much less $).
> If you raise cornish giants in a barn with climate controls and medicated feed they will produce massive quantities of meat in a short amount of time. These birds do not need immune systems, ability to keep themselves alive, or even be able to reproduce on their own.
> In reality I agree with the above, just get some chickens, whatever kind, and you will learn quickly. Many people get turned off by these birds though, so be aware of the alternatives.


You don't need climate control or medicated feed to raise cornishes.


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## cowboyhermit

I said that if you raise them that way you can produce massive amounts of meat in a short time, never said that it was required.

Like I said in the end, if you want to raise chickens, just get some and you will learn as you go, start small so you are not risking much.

Personally we have found that the way we are most happy raising chickens is pretty much the way we did it 100 years ago before we tried all of the "improved" methods the government and universities devised.
We don't need to buy chickens, they are raised by their mother. 
We don't need to buy feed, they mostly just use byproducts of the farm.
We don't medicate our birds unless they are actually sick, which is very rare, and usually just means they get culled.
This works very well for us and I just can't see us going back to the "industry and government approved" methods.


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## GaryS

On the subject of predators, our flocks were attacked by many different types...hawks, weasels, mink, racoons, rats, fox, coyotes, skunks, snakes, dogs...you name one and it seems to like either chickens or eggs. The weasel family did the most damage, as I recall one mink killed over 50 half-grown chickens before we heard the ruckus. Dogs were the next worst, since they kill for sport.

Raising chickens takes patience and work. If you decide to take in a movie on a nice summer evening, you have to wait for the chickens to roost so you can lock them in, and if you don't, be prepared to find a coop filled with blood and feathers when you get home. The coop for my small flock had a rat-proof concrete floor, and after a racoon quickly learned to open the gravity closed door, I had to install a bolt lock. Many a night I was awakened by the sound of panic in the henhouse, and had to rescue them with my trusty .22.


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## lhalfcent

GaryS we do have a hawk hanging around and a few owls. Where my barn/garage is, used to be an old stable that was kinda updated but still the old barn doors on them, i can put the coop on the south side which also has a Southwest and east exposure but fully protected from the north and north west which is perfect. Plus if i use a tractor type coop if needed i can roll that sucker into the barn if necessary if worst comes to worst. but i am thinking of making a double ark kind of thing. Meaning, the coop itself with its run then a extra arc over it with chicken wire. I think that would keep the serious critters out and honestly won't know until i try.


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## cowboyhermit

I would not be too concerned about predators, they are just something you will have to deal with. Mature hens are much more able to defend themselves than chicks, obviously, have seen a cat take on an old hen and the cat was sorry. Roosters help too. Not to beat a dead horse but certain heritage breeds have a reputation for being better at surviving this sort of thing.


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## redhorse

I would agree that Buff Orpingtons are some of the best dual purpose birds. I love mine, they are good layers and eaters. I am not a huge Rhode Island Red fan as they tend to be sitters. You will have hens that will quit producing eggs and sit on their nests. When a hen is sitting, she is only eating and drinking enough to get by and will lose weight. That said.... If you wanted to raise your own peeps, they are excellent mothers. You can stick eggs from other breeds in her nest and she will raise all of them like her own. My other favorite breeds are Barred Rocks, Americannas or Arucannas, and Astralourps. Both the Barred and the Astralourps are good dual purpose birds also. The Cornish Rocks are a hybrid between of course the Cornish and the Rock breeds. They get massive and we have butchered them as early as 10 weeks. They are usually advertised around here as from peep to fryer, ten pound birds in 10 weeks. We found that to get them to that point, they require LARGE amounts of feed. Our feed store called them flying pigs lol. Yes they had leg problems. The next year we had them, we only gave them what they could eat by early afternoon (they will HOG all day if you let them). They took longer to mature, but didn't seem to have the leg problems. Good eating, but just not cost effective for me. We stick with the dual purpose breeds. They may not have as much meat, and take longer to get to butcher weight, but are much healthier birds that eat a normal balanced diet complete with natural forraging. In the spring and summer, my birds rarely visit their feed trays, they prefer scratching aroung for bugs and grazing on grass. And they love scratching through the horse manure to get and corn and oats that weren't digested. The Cornish Rocks will not forage much, and prefer to sit at the feed trays all day. They have their advantages, but after two years, I was done with them.


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## Meerkat

Not one of our birds have ever had any medication and they are all fine.Sometimes its hard to find non medicated feed ,especially for the peeps.We buy Dumar non medicated starter/finisher.We have dogs so no preditors as of yet.

We also have wire laid out 2 ft inside and outside our pens.Anythign that starts to dig grabs the wire and leaves.It took us 3 years of off and on preps for the pens and groundwork wire.We bought the cattle fencing to lay out on both inside and out.Then we covered the top of pen with fencing to stop hawks and wildbirds coming in to eat.Its all a lot of work to begin with,but now for last couple years its maintinance free. No more hormones,antibiotics or bio engeneered eggs.Plus we get help with price of feed for eggs from neighbors.


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## Swampwood

I'm a fan of Red sex links and Americanas


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## redhorse

Side note for anyone that has never kept Americanas/Arucannas, they lay blue green eggs. Other than the odd color, they are normal on the inside. If you give away any extra dozens to friends and family, be prepared to do some explaining.


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## lhalfcent

redhorse said:


> Side note for anyone that has never kept Americanas/Arucannas, they lay blue green eggs. Other than the odd color, they are normal on the inside. If you give away any extra dozens to friends and family, be prepared to do some explaining.


is there a biological reason for different colored eggs or is it what they eat or both?  inquiring minds want to know....


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## cowboyhermit

The egg colour is purely genetic.


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

we raise nothing but duel purpose chikinz...Rhode island reds (8-10 lbs)..new hampshires (7-8 lbs)....austrolops (7+ lbs) and brahmas (up to 14 lbs and cold weather layers)........


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## lhalfcent

thanks for posting these pictures rabidcoyote !


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## Swampwood

Brings back memories  Every yr.


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

lhalfcent said:


> thanks for posting these pictures rabidcoyote !


the way i see it 1/2 cent, if ya can't post a picture here then it ain't real is it?....... lots of those talk the talk but there is a few of us that actually walk the walk....and thats how we can help other preppers get/give ideas and knowledge of prepping instead of just a bunch of endless yack-yack...lol (and at least post pics of your projects/preps instead of copy/paste...jeezze:nuts those so worried about opsec shouldn't even be posting ONLINE.....

........but really....git the Brahmas, at least to keep egg production going thru the winter.......you'll like 'em










Brahma rooster at about 6 months......


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## Swampwood

Here's some eye candy  The coop in the begining


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

nice coop swampwood................


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## redhorse

Ok, heres mine. I don't really have a set up, mine are completly free range. They roost in the barn, and lay their eggs (usually) in the hay mound. At night they roost up in the rafters unless they have peeps. My Australourps and one more of my Arucannas were laying, so they aren't in the group pic. As you can see, I also have a leghorn, she was supposed to be a Buff Orpington, but that was not the case. She is a great layer though. I don't have any pictures of the Cornish Rocks we raised because I had them before I had a cell camera. I also included a picture of my predator control. I haven't lost a bird to preadators since I got him, but there have been a few ***** that met their fate under his hooves.


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## redhorse

I think I'll try some of those Brahmas Rabidcoyote, I like the pea combs for winter, and they look like really heavy birds. How long did yours take to get to fryer weight?


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

around 6-7 months free ranging and kitchen scraps........we supplement their feed in the winter with crumbled corn so they retain body heat better. i think our Brahma rooster is around 13-14 pounds right now..............


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## lhalfcent

gosh thanks for information y'all! 
Brahmas are the ones that lay like 3-4 eggs a week? 
Oh question anyone: I have two old doors i found in our barn in good condition and was thinking of making a A-frame coop with them. anyone else done this?


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## partdeux

My original plans were to build the chicken coop under the deck, which is about 6' off the ground. I've been warned the odor will overwhelm us.


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## redhorse

I never have, but as long as you have a smaller door to access the nesting area and eggs, and the open sides face away from the direction your weather comes from, it should be fine. You would be limited to how many birds you could keep depending on the size. Also, chickens prefer to roost off the ground at night, so this would be a problem. My neighbor keeps his in a fenced in truck cap and they seem to do ok sleeping on the ground, but I would recomend giving them an option to roost if possible.


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## partdeux

Deck is 6' off the ground, so it's easy enough to raise the roost off the ground


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## Momturtle

It isn't just to odor that might be a problem (although that can be pretty spectacular, with adequate dry bedding it might not be too bad), its the dust, random drifting shed feathers and if the weather is warm enough and has been wet, the flies. When the chickens molt in the fall it looks like chickens exploded all over the yard. We've had them for years and would never be without them but sometimes they can stress you out. The worst predators we have suffered are dogs and feral cats. The raccoons get trapped and go into the stew pot. Chickens are like bait.


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## lhalfcent

what do you all do with the feathers after butchering and/or molting? compost them?
as for the A-frame i was asking about... i was thinking of starting with like 3 laying hens to start getting a feel for what I am in for. lol I would have much bigger setup and better run for them when i get some more. just want to get started learning and figure i should just jump right in. I have the perfect spot next to my house that will protect from predators and weather and they would get east, south and southwest exposure as our weather generally comes from the northwest or north during winter. sometimes if we get big wet winter storm it will blow in from west south west but my stable building would protect them from the worst of the accumulating snow plus it would be easier to get to the chickens and shovel etc. I have a concrete slab next to the house i was eventually going to put a small greenhouse set up but think i will do a dual purpose greenhouse chicken coop. that should give them lots of nibbles to eat plus it will be easier to clean and i can use their droppings and such for the composter.


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## PackerBacker

I use the feathers to mulch the garlic in the garden.


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## lhalfcent

well i was at our local feed store and sure enough a local farmer is culling his flock of chickens a mix of orpingtons and silkies and he is going to 'give' me 6 laying hens!!! LOL 
it will be a mix i guess. will get them later this week as here is another fun thing happening...
we have this former stable turned part garage but has two back rooms in it. well while cleaning it out as we are still unpacking some stuff and need to make room for at least one car and hubby is a mechanic and needs his space ...  the corner room which has a west and south facing direction used to be a chicken coop!!!! LOL i was cleaning out the space when I noticed what looked like framework on the back wall and such and two bracket like things that something round would fit into from wall to wall. this room is the size of a medium sized shed. Well, the former owners had also put a piece of particle board over one section and we discovered a coop door within a regular latch door! we have a chicken coop ready to go! LOL
all we have to do is build the run, finish sweeping out and set up the nesting boxes and roosting pole. that's it! holy moly... it was an accident we discovered it at this time or maybe fate....


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## goshengirl

lhalfcent said:


> well i was at our local feed store and sure enough a local farmer is culling his flock of chickens a mix of orpingtons and silkies and he is going to 'give' me 6 laying hens!!! LOL
> it will be a mix i guess. will get them later this week as here is another fun thing happening...
> we have this former stable turned part garage but has two back rooms in it. well while cleaning it out as we are still unpacking some stuff and need to make room for at least one car and hubby is a mechanic and needs his space ...  the corner room which has a west and south facing direction used to be a chicken coop!!!! LOL i was cleaning out the space when I noticed what looked like framework on the back wall and such and two bracket like things that something round would fit into from wall to wall. this room is the size of a medium sized shed. Well, the former owners had also put a piece of particle board over one section and we discovered a coop door within a regular latch door! we have a chicken coop ready to go! LOL
> all we have to do is build the run, finish sweeping out and set up the nesting boxes and roosting pole. that's it! holy moly... it was an accident we discovered it at this time or maybe fate....


Now THAT is sweet! :2thumb:


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## PackerBacker

lhalfcent said:


> well i was at our local feed store and sure enough a local farmer is culling his flock of chickens a mix of orpingtons and silkies and he is going to 'give' me 6 laying hens!!! LOL


I hope you don't have to buy feed.


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## lhalfcent

PackerBacker said:


> I hope you don't have to buy feed.


The farmer guy is setting me up with what i need. how awesome is that??
as soon as i get the chicken run done and chickens arrive will post pics. so excited... just hope I don't kill them... :sssh:


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## siletz

Sounds like a great place to start. When I first started having chickens, I started with free adult birds, too. Then, you can get things figured out without a lot of investment. I would second the recommendation for the Backyard Chickens website. More info there than you will ever need. http://www.backyardchickens.com/ They also have great info on the different breeds so you can start looking at what you would like to have next. The birds you are getting are probably on the old side, so you could get some chicks in the spring that would start laying this fall and start to phase out the older ladies as their egg laying slows. I've tried several breeds so far, with Austrolorps and Buff Orpingtons being my favorite. Have fun!


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## Locutus

I had intended to build a 10x10 chicken tractor for use on my Community P-Patch plots in early Spring, in order to grow some meat and fertilize my plots. I was going to order 50 chicks from Ideal Poultry. They had some roaster breeds on sale for less than $1.00 each.

Then I looked into the cost of feeding these birds. Having no idea how much chickens eat, I asked the guy at the local feed store...his rule of thumb was 1 pound feed per three birds per day. Using this "rule," I figured out that using regular feed for 8 weeks (the time from hatch to slaughter), it would cost about 6 dollars per bird, or about 12 dollars per bird using organic feed. (And he couldn't tell me whether the organic feed contains soy, which I'm trying to avoid.)

So adding in the cost of the chicks at $1.00 each with shipping, an organic chicken would be about $13.00, not including the cost of the tractor and other supplies, or factoring in the time and labor involved. I can buy an organic free range chicken at Whole foods for considerably less than this.

So for now, and unless I can find a way to feed chickens for significantly less or for free, I'm shelving the idea of raising meat birds. I don't have enough pasture available for self-sufficient forage. I might still raise three layer hens in my backyard though. But probably not this year.


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## lhalfcent

just finished sweeping out my coop... will be using those metal shelves for nesting boxes plus found two wooden crates to also use as nesting boxes.


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## Swampwood

lhalfcent said:


> gosh thanks for information y'all!
> Brahmas are the ones that lay like 3-4 eggs a week?
> Oh question anyone: I have two old doors i found in our barn in good condition and was thinking of making a A-frame coop with them. anyone else done this?


Nope but made a chick tractor like this.... Has wheels on back end


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## siletz

lhalfcent: One suggestion would be to make sure your nest boxes are lower than their roost, or else you'll have the chickens roosting (and pooping) in your nest boxes. They like to roost as high as they can get, with the bosses up the highest. They poop the most at night as they roost, so being able to clean out under it easily would be good. The rule of thumb is 1 nest box for every 5 laying hens, although mine usually all lay in 1 or 2 favorites.  In my opinion, chickens are well worth the effort!


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## TheLazyL

rabidcoyote666 said:


> the way i see it 1/2 cent, if ya can't post a picture here then it ain't real is it?....... lots of those talk the talk but there is a few of us that actually walk the walk.......


Here's a link to my talk: http://www.chickenforum.com/f16/how-i-became-chicken-rancher-63/


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## lhalfcent

ok... working with what i got ... some lumber, a couple old doors, chicken wire and a tarp i had to get rather creative! lol
i finally figured out a chicken run howbeit a small one and made a roost bar from some big tree branches that i supported against the wall. 
I hope you can see these pics ok and well... it might look rough but darn it! I made it! lol and the neat thing i was able to figure out is i can unhook it from the building and move the run if necessary. I made a frame which i attached the old doors to, did a couple cross beams to keep everything straight then the chicken wire then attached the tarp which i can fold back in good weather. Our weather up here can get real cold so i think this will be fine for my new chickens. I hope to get them soon. just waiting on the farmer guy to let me know when he is ready.


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## lhalfcent

just a few more things to do like getting some straw, a feeder, a waterer and more crates or buckets for the nests. just about ready methinks.


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## lhalfcent

My chickens are coming the first week of February as we are having a severe cold snap right now through next week and possibly beyond that too. Cold is normal here in winter obviously but we are having unusual extended bouts of below zero temps and below zero wind chills. this morning it is 2 degrees below with 10 degrees below zero wind chille and it is just getting started. suppose to warm up for a day near 30 tomorrow then dash down again below zero. really up and down. yuck anyway the birds are in a good warm place and this also gives me a chance to work more on my coop and run. I wanted to build a framework around where the run joins the coop building and need to cut and put up some vinyl siding that was removed. want to make it look spiffy. plus need to make a angled thing so the birds don't sit on the shelving. ok just wanted to update.


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## *Andi

Looks like you have given them a place to get out of the wind, snow & rain. You are good to go ... Chickens are rather hardy critters.

Best of luck.


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## cowboyhermit

Yeah, looks good, main thing for chickens in cold weather is to have a place that is dry and out of the wind. Some people try to put them in a really insulated building with no or very little ventilation and run into all kinds of trouble. With the size of coop you have for a small number of birds, ventilation should not be an issue. For extreme cold weather there are other tricks as well but I don't think you have to worry about that.


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## lhalfcent

Went to Fleet Farm today and got a chicken pen for a batch of new chicks i ordered from McMurray's Hatchery. Cool thing is i can use this pen for outside as well. Also stopped by the feed store today to pick up some bird food for the bird feeder... we have cardinals and lots of wonderful birds around! Anyways, the guy said my pullets are ready when i am... so need to finish getting nesting boxes and pine shavings as i was told straw is not a good idea with chickens because of some disease thing.... 
soooo. just have to pick up a heat lamp as the lamp i was going to use, one of those clamp on desk lamps that adjust ... i can't find it!! so have to pick one up tomorrow to be ready for the chicks then after the big snow storm we are getting here Sat night through Monday ... i will get at the big coop for my hens. oh ill stop blathering... LOL


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## cowboyhermit

Wow, you are getting all set up, can't wait to see some chickens 
With regards to the light, make sure the bulb you use does not exceed the rated wattage of the lamp, last thing you want is an electrical fire
You can pick up heat lamps pretty cheap ($20ish) and they have a good reflector to maximize the heat and keep things safe.
Shavings will work great, easy to spread, occasionally they may eat some and that is not good for them but not usually an issue once they learn where the food is. Straw has been used for centuries without problems. Some people use newspaper, like in a hamster or bird cage but that is not good for poultry.
Good luck!


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## redhorse

Nice "chick" setup you have there! Any Lowes, HomeDepot, Ace Hardware store or what not should have a heat lamp and the bulb needed. Or any reputable pet store for that matter although you will pay more there. Add a half cup of sugar to their water (guessing thats a half gallon water dish in the pic) when they arrive. Put each chick's beak in the water when you take them out of their shipping box. DON'T cover their breating holes/nostrils. McMurray's is awesome, I have ordered chicks from them many times. Their chick will be shipped just hatched and will still be subsisting on their birth yolks, but should be thirsty. I always use straw for my chicks, but I have a never ending supply of it, and when they are chicks, I change it daily. I have never had an issue with disease. I don't like sawdust because chicks are curious and eat things they shouldn't, including sawdust, but that is my preference. I do like it for any adult livestock animal. 

Side note.... Desk lamps may not provide enough wattage to keep them warm. You need a big bulb and 90 degree hot spot for the first week. You need a dedicated heat lamp and bulb, or prepare for losses of the weaker chicks. If your ambient home temps are already high, you might get away with it, but get a cheap reptile thermometer to check your temps.


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## lhalfcent

thanks for the great information! will post pics when my chicks get here.


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## lhalfcent

The chicks came today!!!! was i surprised! lol here a couple pics... they are an assortment of 5 different breeds.... gotta figure them out! lol


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## cowboyhermit

Sweet!
:2thumb:


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## redhorse

Very cute little Arucanna/Amaracanna chick front and center.  What else did you get? Do I see some Astralorps, RI Red and Buff Orpingtons?  I want to try out some of those Brahmas this year as suggested earlier in the thread. I'm going to wait another couple of months to order mine though, there is still snow on the ground, and I like them to be able to go outside as soon as they fledge out well. Chickens in the house get rather stinky lol.


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## cowboyhermit

They grow so fast, one day they are adorable next it is like a zoo


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## lazydaisy67

Here's what I've learned from years of having chickens. Chicken poop STINKS and if you start your chicks out in the house to keep them warm enough, be ready for stink! In cold climates you shouldn't put them outside until they have their adult feathers. Also, watch their feet. Poop will build up on their feet and sometimes if you try to pull it off you will rip their toes off! We've done this accidentally a time or two. Doesn't really effect them as adults, but it makes you feel bad.

Americanna's (Auracana) are cool because of the blue/green eggs, but they're expensive, not good layers in the winter, flighty and don't generally have nice personalities. I had to shoot some Rambo Americanna roosters because they kept attacking me when I went outside. If you give away/sell the eggs, people will ask you if they're that color on the inside too....:nuts:

Chickens don't need fancy. Keep fresh bedding where they live and they'll lay eggs. Egg production is more a matter of the number of daylight hours than temp. If you want to have eggs in the winter, get a light on a timer. They need 14 hours of daylight to lay every day. Think about how many eggs you need per day. It's harder than you think to go through them. We have learned through trial and error that 15 chickens is perfect for our family of 6. 

Every person has their favorite breed. You'll be happy with a couple different "heavy" layers breeds. Fancy breeds cost more and my goal is to keep the costs as low as possible. I've had good luck with Orpingtons, Barred Rock, Australorpes, Sex Link, and Rhode Island Red. My opinion on roosters is that they're generally a waste of time, lol. If you want your hens to hatch out chicks, you'll have to have some, but either have 1 or more than 2. Two roosters will fight all the time for dominance. 

If you want to butcher your laying hens I wouldn't let them get too old. The older the chicken the tougher the meat. I also wouldn't let the meat birds, if you choose to get them, run around AT ALL. In my experience, they need to be pretty well confined from chick to butcher day. The more they walk around the tougher their meat is. They're gross birds, there's no question. My kids call them frankenbirds, lol. Learn how to butcher on your own because if you have to pay somebody else to do it, your cost ends up being more than what you'd pay for chicken in the grocery store. It's not hard, just time consuming. Our whole family gets involved on butcher day. It's SO worth it to have meat on the shelf or in the freezer!!

I have not had turkeys as I've heard so many bad things about them that I don't even want to try. Ducks are fun to watch and lay wonderful eggs but they are horribly messy!


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## cowboyhermit

My experience is a bit different than Lazydaisy's but have heard others with similar opinions, I offer mine just to show the other side of the coin.

We have never had any problems putting day old chicks straight in the coop and we are in a cold climate (-20 last night) we usually don't get them for a month or two though. But even in freezing temps if there is no draft, dry bedding and a heat lamp they should do fine. Keeping them inside is great though, if an option. I personally wouldn't want to try that with over a hundred though 

For us today we don't find that lighting is really worth it, we have very short days in the winter but the costs outweigh the benefits in our particular circumstance. If the chickens are laying they need good feed, in the summer they get a lot of scratch but in our winters they rely on us. Also it is good for the chickens to have a break, they will last longer, it can also be a nice break for the owner.

I would hate to not have roosters again, roosters can, though not every one will; keep an eye out for predators and warn the hens, find food and call the hens over to eat it, allow you to sustainably raise your own chicks. We have found chicks raised by their mother to be far superior in many ways, especially free ranging.

Older birds and ones that walk around more undeniably have more flavour and debatably are more nutritious. Yes they may be more tough but that is a matter of personal preference (eating commercial chicken that is like mush is not for me anymore) and cooking. Old birds will make THE best soups and stocks and as such are my favorites, you can also slow cook, marinade etc. Young males do fine for roasting etc


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## redhorse

I have to agree with cowboyhermit. The lights aren't cost effective for me, I just get fewer eggs in the winter. With 12 hens, I still get 4-5 at least every day, even on the coldest days of the year. My Aracannas lay on and off through the winter also, and the ones I have right now are not skittish, but I have had skittish ones in all the breeds. It really just depends on the birds. The bird with the worst personality in the current flock is a Barred Rock. Her sisters are all very nice and quiet. 

I always raise day old chicks in the house, and yes they will get stinky, even with frequent bedding changes. They grow fast, and so does the the poop piles. With the straw, I just throw it on the compost pile. I could raise them in the barn, but I have this phobia about leaving lights on in there, so they are raised in the house, in a spare bedroom, where I know nothing will knock over the lights and start a fire. Once they are fledged, they go in the barn in a 10X10 horse stall for acclimation for a couple weeks, and then I just open the door one day and they integrate their way into the rest of the flock. This is only small lots of 25 or less, I definitley would not 100 of the little stinkers in the house! 

I usually get a new rooster every year, or every other year. I run several different breeds of hens, so one year I will have say a barred rock rooster, and only keep the pure bred barred rock ckicks. The next year I might have an Australorp rooster. The farm just isn't the same without a rooster crowing, and like cowboyhermit said, they do a great job looking out for their girls. I pull my chicks from the hens and raise them in the house. Otherwise something always manages to pick most of the little buggers off since they are completly free range. This also avoids problems with the neighbors wondering where their cat dissapeared to..... 

I butcher all young roosters raised here, and any extra young hens. I never have more than 12 adult laying hens. I have color coordinated leg bands, so I know how old they are. Any hens over 3 years old go in the soup pot, as do the 'retired' roosters. Yum


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## cowboyhermit

That is what I like about forums like this, you get to see different ways of doing things and find a system that works best for your particular situation  Sounds like redhorse has a great system and am sure that laisydaisy does too.
Heck, a couple decades ago we were still producing commercial/industrial chickens and eggs, at the time it worked for us but I don't think anyone could pay me enough to go back to that.


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## lhalfcent

gosh you all are awesome! Great info and experience. some of your stories made me laugh out loud! lol
I had ordered 25 assorted chicks and got one rare one. I am just learning what is what and not sure which one is a rare breed one as they all look like three batches of same colors! lol 
I was hoping we had aracana's and we do, black australorps, barred rock, orpington, and a few i don't know yet. we are suppose to have 5 breeds plus on rare one.
I will try to take a better pick maybe when they are sleeping and you all can help me identify? Otherwise i guess wait till they start maturing and see what their adult feathers look like i suppose.
this is a first for us and the kids are loving it as much as i am. lol
I do want to learn how to butcher our own and have watched a few videos one where they break the neck first and another where they cut the veins and bleed them out. Which is more merciful?
As for gutting them can't be any worse than gutting a pile of fish! lol i am not easily grossed out so i figure once i do one it will be ok after that.
I am thinking if this goes pretty well i might order some cornish game hens ... like no more than 10 as they are ready to butcher at about 2.5 - 3 lbs... so that sounds easy enough! 
so what do you all think regarding butchering. I dont have anyone around here i know of that could teach me first hand... most of the folk here send them off or have someone come in and do the work for them.


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## cowboyhermit

"Cornish game hens" are just Cornish giants or basically the modern commercial bird that you get in the store, they are just butchered sooner and are generally sexed meaning all the males were disposed of at the hatchery. They can be good if you want to reproduce store bought chicken which some are very fond of. 
Butchering should not be too tough if you don't get too attached and have gutted fish 
Most people agree that a cone is the way to go, no thrashing around and all that. Whether or not you cut off the head or cut the vein is up for debate, either way it is done pretty quick. I am not a fan of breaking the neck, would rather just cut off the head if going that route.


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## lhalfcent

My daughter Enya with one of the chicks...


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## lhalfcent

a couple pics i thought i would share... one of our oldest kitty SweetPea who seems intrigued and a few chicks came up to the wire and looked like they were talking! lol my two cats seem to be taking this in stride...


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## redhorse

Love the pics! If only they could stay cute and fluffy like that forever


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## lazydaisy67

The first time I butchered a chicken I had my 4 year old son help me. I grabbed the hatchet and told him to hold the head while I put my foot on the body. His eyes got W I D E as I swung the hatchet. Didn't cut the dang head off in one chop....ug. O.K. buddy, hold it again so I can get that head off. I'm going all Lizzy Borden he's bravely holding that head. It must have permanently scarred him because he reminds me about it from time to time.

I don't put a heat lamp in my coop either, but I'm lucky to get 1 egg a day in the winter. I've never had a nasty Orpington or Barred Rock. Right now I have a Barred that will come up to me and "purr" until I pet her! She lets me pick her up and hold her in my lap. My kids named her Miss Kitty, lol. The only breed that has ever hatched out a nest of chicks for me is the Orpington. Of the 21/22 eggs in the nest, about 12 hatched and 1 survived to adulthood. If I get a broody hen this year and she actually hatches a nest I'll bring the chicks inside for a while. I've heard you can put eggs from the other nests under a broody hen and she'll sit on them, but I've never tried that. Also usually have a duck that will hatch out a nest in the spring. Same thing with those baby ducks. Out of a nest of 10 ducklings we usually end up with 1 that will survive to adulthood even IF we raise them in the house for a while.
My most magnificent rooster was Roger the "mutt". He was the biggest rooster I've ever seen and just had a cool personality. Sadly, some critter got to Roger and he died. My husband held a funeral for him


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## cowboyhermit

Yeah, I don't really recommend the hatchet unless you are good with a hatchet to begin with, then you need a nice solid piece of wood and you swing hard enough that the hatchet makes a divot.


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## redhorse

cowboyhermit said:


> Yeah, I don't really recommend the hatchet unless you are good with a hatchet to begin with, then you need a nice solid piece of wood and you swing hard enough that the hatchet makes a divot.


Ditto on the hatchet, I like my fingers, and not have the best aim with one in close quarters. I use a branch trimmer (not sure of the technical term?) and a cone

Yes, hens will sit on any eggs, even if they are not their own. Usually I have a RI red or two that go broody for me. Most of my other hens rarely go broody. Ducks will hatch out chicken eggs! I haven't tried a hen hatching a duck egg though. I have no ducks these days, to messy for me and they were mean to the hens. I pull the peeps and keep them indoors until fully fledged, then keep them locked up in a stall a while to acclimate and get a bit bigger.


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## lhalfcent

found one of our buff chicks developed splayed legs. I saw this one had one leg a little off but figured it was just trying to learn to walk or something. chicks are only 4 days old. This morning i saw it really splayed out! couldn't walk well even tho it seemed pretty happy so i got on the internet and pulled out my chicken books lol and found i could make a splint with a bandaid cut in half long ways and so i did. my hubby and kids were watching me like ... you are splinting a chicken? LOL but now after several hours it is keeping upright with good balance and not falling over and is making its way around the brooder eating and drinking and all that.
one sweet thing happened tho.... right after i splint the chick and just kind of helped it stay upright until it got its balance then when i felt it was fairly ok closed up the brooder and did some stuff. came back like a half hour later to check on it and one of its siblings had laid down right next to the splinted chick like it was hugging it saying... it's going to be ok! lol too sweet ... too bad my camera wasn't on hand tho....i am hoping in a couple days the splint will either wear off or when i take it off it will be walking normal.


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## rrussell250

Our chickens have been great. Just started laying, two americaunas and one buff Orpington. The kids love taking care of them and its a good experience for them to learn. I built our coop out of scrap lumber and used pallets, I only had to buy the metal roofing and chicken wire.


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## lhalfcent

now that is awesome!


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## lhalfcent

i have a chick that jumps up my arm and sometimes settles on my shoulder as i clean the cage as if she is supervising! lol I think it is a she.... anyway thot i would share a pic i took from my phone...


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## lhalfcent

i have a chick with splayed leg and it keeps pulling off its splint... here is a pic i just took... anyone have any ideas how i can help this one? my chicks are officially two weeks old today and this one is eating and drinking ok just hobbling around...


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## Utahnprepper

When cutting off their head, with one hand, hold both feet, and tips of both wings, lay their head accross wood stump. They will lay.there dosile. Then with a sharp hatchet swing away. Once head is off, let them flop around the yard. Its an easy one person job. If u need help with turkeys feel free to ask.


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## Utahnprepper

About the chick with bad leg, first off try to have ground not slippery at all since that will happen often. And from my experience. More than likely it will die. Sorry.


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## lhalfcent

yeah i kinda expect it will die... sigh


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## cowboyhermit

I wish I could offer you better advice on how to treat it
It is probable that the slippery plastic is partly to blame but of course the other chicks did not develop the problem so... this one is less fit.

It may be that you are learning a lesson in livestock ownership very quickly, there are some hard decisions to make I don't think you need to be told what would happen to that chick in Nature.

I have treated animals many times when I knew it probably was in vain and for the most part I do not regret it but I have often come to the point when I have to question if I am doing it for the animals benefit or my own.


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## lhalfcent

i had paper towels down over the pine stuff most of the time as i read they need time to learn to get their traction down. I noticed after the first few days this one was splaying so i splinted it and it seemed to work at first but then it kept pulling that splint off! this morning its leg was really splayed out and i have made a little flat foam rubber sandal for it and put a new splint thing but it just doesn't want to cooperate. I will watch it today and see if it tries and if it just sits there i might just break its neck and let it go. upside is out of 26 chicks i have then lost only one. for a first timer i think we are doing well.


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## cowboyhermit

You are doing very well! 
Those are some pampered chicks, especially this one. 
Sometimes stuff just happens


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## cnsper

I raised a bunch of chickens for the freezer and one chick was walking on the ends of his drumsticks. Never did walk on his feet but he did live and did make it to the freezer and he weighed just as much as the others. Just keep the food and water close and plan on sending it to freezer camp. If you do not want to take that chance then it is time to end it for him. No sense in prolonging it.


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## lhalfcent

i had to remove him/her from the rest as some of my australorpes started attacking its leg splint. grrr must be how that thing was coming off when i wasn't looking. so i have it in a separate box with a cover but to keep it warm it is sitting over where the heat lamp is. it is looking pretty cozy and can hear its fellow chicks below. not sure what will happen but it is eating and drinking just not making much effort to get up and walk just flops itself around. so it is a wait and see at this moment but i have decided that if there is no real progress i will end its life and well there you go. i hate to watch animals suffering. thanks for all the really good advice and story sharing! you guys rock!


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## lhalfcent

OH man! I am pretty certain half of my 26 chicks are roosters!!!! the one that likes to jump up on my arm is also a rooster. So i am thinking i will keep him cuz he is the most friendliest funny chick whereas the other roosters are pretty much tough guys lol and keep away from me for the most part. And some of the roosters (only three weeks old!!!) are pretty aggressive already!
sigh but my little girls in the group are as sweet as can be.
all the ones i am certain are roosters all have combs growing and are acting rooster like. sigh


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## cowboyhermit

A bit soon to be positive on sex but it sounds like you are pretty observant so you are on the right track looking out for which one to keep. At least if you start with the mean ones the butchering goes a bit easier


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## lhalfcent

My new adult chickens came today!!! got five hens and one rooster! they are the neatest and very gentle. I be happy.....


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## partdeux

Can you spell nuggets for dinner?


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## goshengirl

Don't worry about all those little roosters. They do great at freezer camp.


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## lhalfcent

just watched a video on how to butcher and eviserate! whoa! lol will have to watch a few more times to make sure i don't forget anything.


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## lhalfcent

remember that splayed legged chick i posted about? well I had to dispatch this morning. the other chicks started to go after it which surprised me but he was just not thriving well. just and fyi sigh


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## cowboyhermit

Well no more worrying about him, gotta focus on the rest of the critters.


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## lhalfcent

*Our first eggs!!!*

LOL what a surprise to find my new flock laid a couple eggs!!!


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## lhalfcent

*my chick condo*

hey all... just giving a fun update... my chicks are about 5 weeks old now and getting big and crowded so because it is still too cold out for them i had to extend their small brooder cage so found a bunch of this and that like some old windows, a couple wood crates, some cardboard, some window insulation plastic for the roof and lots of duct tape and behold! the Chick Condo! lol


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## Navajo

We had these three years ago and still have one left...she still is the best layer we have too...

They make a good meat bird and lay a medium /large  brown egg.

They did really well in Western MT, even laying down to -20 degrees ( with a light during the night during the winter 3am-8am) some slow down during a molt that was happening during the late winter and cold weather. But never completely stopped either.

Sagitta

https://www.dunlaphatchery.net/Birds/Standards/Standards.aspx

The Sagitta is a dual purpose bird that is a cross between a Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire Red and Cornish Cross. They are a heavy, docile breed that will provide large eggs as well as a nice size bird on the table.


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## lhalfcent

Moved my chicks outside to a permanent home. Just got word we have a snow storm on the way by tomorrow night! gosh darn it! But i made an A-frame coop and have siding i will put up when the storm is over as i don't have all my materials. so i grabbed a large tarp and some plastic sheets and wrapping the frame holding it down with large logs all around the base. they have a huge area to run around now too and they are loving it. Anyway just learned we got 6inches of snow coming ... a rare April snow ... this winter just won't give up its hold! lol Anyway, got more plastic in the shed i am going to wrap around to keep the worst wind away and getting a bale of straw tomorrow at the feed store to lay down that should help with ground cold. so we will see if they survive this. sigh But anyways wanted to share my project in the works.
to add: I don't have a working saw right now so i just estimated length of tree limbs and such and just put it together. I will trim branches when i find a saw.


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## partdeux

Here's where we started 









33 days later, they big girls now


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## lhalfcent

oh man.. that is so sweet!


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## *Andi

Stay safe with the new snow storm ...


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## lhalfcent

thanks Andi... my hubby is so not into this homesteading at all. i am so dissapointed and have had to do stuff alone as what kids i have at home are a bit young to do much other than raking and cleaning out the coop etc. but i am getting frustrated because if i could just get some help i could have an amazing coop! sorry for the poor me thing but i am getting overwhelmed. I can handle things really well for the most part but some things you just need a guy to help out with! sigh


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## cowboyhermit

Hey if it works it works, chickens don't care what it looks like. Things can/should always get improved over time. I think it is wise to see how things go before spending a bunch of time and money on a coop, not everyone likes to do things the same way. I like buildings that are a bit more scalable as well. It is not that easy to find a use for a huge purpose built coop/barn, it can also be very impractical to enlarge some of the cute little coops people are selling. So imo best to see how you like to work with particular livestock and build towards that.


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## *Andi

lhalfcent said:


> thanks Andi... my hubby is so not into this homesteading at all. i am so dissapointed and have had to do stuff alone as what kids i have at home are a bit young to do much other than raking and cleaning out the coop etc. but i am getting frustrated because if i could just get some help i could have an amazing coop! sorry for the poor me thing but i am getting overwhelmed. I can handle things really well for the most part but some things you just need a guy to help out with! sigh


I'm sorry for the troubles ...(hugs)

(But) I'm with cowboyhermit ... The chickens could care less what is looks like... :flower:


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