ordered chicks

[bigbull338]

well i finally broke down an ordered 25 mixed pullets from ideal.gonna get them in the end of july.guess ill see how meny i can raise to laying age.hope i dont get no roos in the bunch.will have fresh eggs in dec.

 

[gerardplauche]

not a bad move. I've heard worse plans...

 

[bigbull338]

i usually order an get chicks in the spring.so i dont know how getting them now will work out.

 

[CKC1586]

My daughter got 25 layers and 25 meat chickens the middle of May. Those meat chickens grow by the minute, ugly little things. First time raising chicks, hope we get some good layers and tasty broilers.
Good luck on your chicks. Do you free range them??

 

[bigbull338]

My daughter got 25 layers and 25 meat chickens the middle of May. Those meat chickens grow by the minute, ugly little things. First time raising chicks, hope we get some good layers and tasty broilers.
Good luck on your chicks. Do you free range them??

yes i let them freerange in a 70 by 45 run/yard.but i wont let them freerange till they are 12 weeks or older.

 

[Lammie]

When I get a straight run I get half roosters. I try to order them sexed now. I like Ideal. Good company. Never been disappointed.

 

[bigbull338]

im hoping all 25 are pullets.as i have no need for a roo.an will have to cull the roos.

 

[Lammie]

Makes good gumbo.

 

[mnmtranching]

BB338, Are they Brown egg layers? I bought 50 pounds of chick starter $13. :cry2:

 

[Chuckie]

I keep saying that I am going to get some chickens and just keep putting it off. I think I will make a pen that I can shut them up in for the days that I am not outside with them. Then leave them up for when I am gone. I think I will dump raked leaves in the chicken yard and throw some cracked corn over in the leaves, mixing it in. Now that would be some good compost for gardens and around flowers. Maybe even some wheat straw. They do love to dig. Not to mention the eggs. I do enjoy the noises the chickens make. I found a good website that has info on ordering chicks and people sharing chicken house plans and such.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/index.php
The people seem to share their experiences with certain breeds of chickens and problems they have.
Chuckie

 

[Susie David]

We've been running a small egg business for a couple of years now, not going to finance a new pick-up but they pay for themselves and give Susie some pin money (She sells twelve dozen a week at work) and we have more off-farm orders then the gals can keep up with and a thers has been a few days where we didn't have enough for ourselves.
We have thirty new pullets that were just introduced to the flock, takes a few weeks to establish their position in the pecking order but expect they should start laying any time now. Plan on ordering another 50 this fall and brood in the barn for spring production.
Expect 3% roosters from a pullet order, got three in our last order but usually only one or two.
Alot of fun and not all that hard to keep...hen house mucking out is never fun but makes great compost.
DMc

 

[bigbull338]

chuckie your right byc has some great info on raising chickens.im a member there as well.an have been since 2000.dave sounds like you need to add alot more hens to your home flock.an catch up with the damand for your eggs.

 

[kerley]

The first dozen chicks are starting to nest. The next two dozen are about one month behind the first bunch. I built a cozy little chicken house for the first bunch but there is not enough room for all of them. I have to build a larger chicken house soon. We feed our chickens in the morning, the younger bunch first. When they are finished we turn out the larger ones. Our chickens run free range all day and come in every evening for their last feeding then head for their chicken house. We have only lost one to predators ( an eagle). I enjoy watching the chickens, they are so funny. Tom :cboy:

 

[bigbull338]

to answer a q i missed.i dont know if they are all brown egg layers.or if they are mixed brown white an easter eggers.from the pic im assuming they could be brown white an green egg layers.

 

[The Bachelor]

BB338, Are they Brown egg layers? I bought 50 pounds of chick starter $13. :cry2:

Holy Cow!!!!! I haven't had chicks in a couple of years, but I think chick starter was pushing $7 last time.

 

[angie1]

bb338 ~ You should have had them toss a few blue royals in that batch to replace the ones stolen from you. I did not order any this year, but our hens have been busy hatching. Always new babies out there. The first ones are on their second nest already. We don;t eat them. In the fall we sell out to the neighbors for $3 ~ is a fair enough price as they are banties, and I use the money to buy school supplies.

 

[bigbull338]

angie mom is ready to kill me because i have 8 blue slate babies thats left out of 11 poults my lone turkey hen hatched.so right now im restocked on turkeys.i did how ever forget to order my guinies.

 

[grannysoo]

Don't be expecting too many eggs in December. They are going to require 14 hours of light per day to be effective layers. Supplemental lights along with photocells and timers can help a lot.

Good luck! Chickens are a great thing.

 

[bigbull338]

my chickens neveer did really slow down laying in dec.but my easter eggers would quit laying nov 1st till feb 1st.

 

[angie1]

I get hardly any eggs during the winter, but mine are for setting more so than laying ~ and they are awesome mommas.

Hey bb338 ~ speaking of turkies, I had a turkey hen come into my yard today with a bunch of chicks. Was the coolest thing!! I love listenting to them talk to their babies, is a special sound they make.