Chickens, and things related

[Tororider]

Soundguy,
What would be wrong with the eggs if I checked only every other day? Would they get broken or be bad?

Thanks for all the other info. And keep the pics and plans for coops coming.

 

[davitk]

If the weather is moderate that would be OK. Too hot or too cold creates the risk of spoilage.

 

[MLinOleMiss]

Soundguy,
What would be wrong with the eggs if I checked only every other day? Would they get broken or be bad?

Thanks for all the other info. And keep the pics and plans for coops coming.

Some of your more aggressive hens will peck and break the eggs of others, especially if they are sharing nests. If one ever eats an egg, you will have to cull her because she will forever eat eggs.

 

[Highbeam]

I have a small coop with 3 RI reds and 2 Buff orps. Both varieties lay decently large brown eggs regularly. One per day in the warm season, much less in the cold and dark.

They peck you every now and then but never break the skin. Scares more than anything. I wouldn't think of debeaking.

If you aren't quick about picking up their eggs, like say once per day, then they will break them and eat them. Happens only when we're slow on pick up and not a reason to cull. Besides, none of the chickens will admit that they are the egg eater!

Daily attention at our house. No need for a rooster at all unless you like the sound and you want chicks. Might be cheaper to just buy new chicks if you need more. I don't want to worry about fertilized eggs laying around being sneakily hatched.

Biggest things is that chickens are cheap, productive, entertaining, and educational. No real downside. If you don't like them, eat them. Mine are pets and I likely would just waste the meat since my young daughters wouldn't be happy about eating their girls. 5 eggs per day from 5 chickens really adds uo to be a lot of eggs in short time.

 

[Soundguy]

It sure does add up.. it got a little cold here in fl and our chix stopped laying.. glad it did.. we got lots of chickens!

soundguy

 

[Tororider]

So if I made sure the temp in the henhouse/coop was moderated by ventalating in summer, and heating in winter, kept the food and water up, and had more laying beds than would normally be expected for the amount of hens I will purchase, I may have a shot at an every other day thing. The hope is that we will eventually move out there, but not for a couple years anyway. Especially with the real estate market in Michigan.

I suppose the other option would be to trade eggs for a neighbor/neighbor kid to check the coop when I couldn't.

 

[Tororider]

Is there anyone around my area that is looking to sell chickens, even Davitk. I have family in WI and could maybe make a trip over there in spring.

 

[Soundguy]

Every other day should be ok...

soundguy

 

[Ford850]

You don't need to heat the coop in the winter, just keep a warmer in the water bucket. They need fresh and clean water available at all times. If it freezes often they will stop laying. A light on a timer to keep the days longer in winter will keep them laying.

 

[mjfox6]

No real downside.

I let my chickens roam free during the day, which means:
1. Always wear old shoes outside.
2. Don't plant anything that doesn't have a fence around it. (Also includes: don't mulch anything, no loose dirt or any kind)
3. Rooster crowing is a pleasant sound, hen squawking gets annoying real quickly. Neither compare to the ear piercing sound of guinea!

I lock mine up every night in a coop with an enclosed pen made of chicken wire. Had a coon rip a hole through the chicken wire once and kill a guinea.

I have Rhode Island Reds because they are dual purpose. Lots of eggs in the summer, fewer in the winter. I have an occasional pecked egg, they go crazy if you drop one and it breaks. I collect eggs once a day, feed Purina Layena Pellet.

 

[davitk]

Look for a local bird swap, something like this www.travelwisconsin.com/event_detail/Wisconsin_Bird_and_Game_Breeders_Spring_Swap.aspx they tend to come up every couple of months or so, and you could pick up some pullets that are big enough to fend for themselves and are ready to lay. Nothing beats the taste of your own fresh eggs. They won't be quite as easily handled as those you raised yourself but that makes them easier to put in the freezer.

Good luck!

 

[MLinOleMiss]

HighBeam said "Besides, none of the chickens will admit that they are the egg eater!"
True, but as they eat, the yolk drips on their breast, so as the saying goes"the dirty bird is the guilty bird". In my houses, a "pecker" can do a lot of damage and usually heads for the incinerator shortly after being found out!

 

[Tororider]

Thanks Davitk,
I will see if I can find one. I have been looking around for auctions and stuff and have so far found none. I will keep looking.

 

[davitk]

Thanks Davitk,
I will see if I can find one. I have been looking around for auctions and stuff and have so far found none. I will keep looking.

Try this link: http://members.tripod.com/MBGBA/index.html

 

[Tororider]

Thanks Davitk,
It looks like they have some meets in the end of April. I will have to decide what to do by then. Thanks for the resource.

Does anyone have plans for their coop? And what size flocks do you have in your coops?

 

[mjfox6]

HighBeam said "Besides, none of the chickens will admit that they are the egg eater!"
True, but as they eat, the yolk drips on their breast, so as the saying goes"the dirty bird is the guilty bird". In my houses, a "pecker" can do a lot of damage and usually heads for the incinerator shortly after being found out!

Seems like you should have it head to the stewing pot instead. Maybe as a chicken farmer you can't stand eating chickens, but I bet someone down your way would enjoy a good chicken to eat!

 

[MLinOleMiss]

Seems like you should have it head to the stewing pot instead. Maybe as a chicken farmer you can't stand eating chickens, but I bet someone down your way would enjoy a good chicken to eat!

My contract specifically states that chickens and eggs shall not be sold or given away for any reason. Doing so can result in the loss of the contract and I can't afford that.
The sad thing is the number of eggs that I burn as the birds are coming into production, they could really benefit families in the area, but I can't give them to anyone.

 

[mjfox6]

My contract specifically states that chickens and eggs shall not be sold or given away for any reason. Doing so can result in the loss of the contract and I can't afford that.
The sad thing is the number of eggs that I burn as the birds are coming into production, they could really benefit families in the area, but I can't give them to anyone.

Yep, that's too bad. Fresh eggs and chickens sure do taste good!

 

[EddieWalker]

Interesting thread. I've thought about raising chickens from time to time, but my wife absolutely refuses. She has it in her head that chickens are dirty and that we'll catch some sort of desease from them. Right now, I'm working on the turkey angle. My neighbor has released some in the area and we really enjoyed seeing them. She's hesitant about raising them to release, but that's there's hope!!

Has anybody raised or bought turkey chicks mail order?

Eddie

 

[mjfox6]

Interesting thread. I've thought about raising chickens from time to time, but my wife absolutely refuses. She has it in her head that chickens are dirty and that we'll catch some sort of desease from them. Right now, I'm working on the turkey angle. My neighbor has released some in the area and we really enjoyed seeing them. She's hesitant about raising them to release, but that's there's hope!!

Has anybody raised or bought turkey chicks mail order?

Eddie

I got my chickens as baby chicks mail order and the guinea eggs mail order and incubated them ourselves. Both worked great. The post office called the morning they were delivered and we went and picked them up.

Never raised turkeys, I've heard they spend all day trying to find ways of killing themselves.

I bought Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, it was pretty informative. They also have one for Turkey.