jeffraines
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Post by jeffraines on Feb 2, 2014 19:29:30 GMT -5
Feb. 14 will mark a year that I've got into this backyard chicken thang.
Started off with 6 chicks,but found out 2 of them was eating hens. yumNow I have 10 hens that are laying. 2 barred rocks,3 easter eggers,2 rhode island reds,2 austrolorps and 1 orpington.
right now I'm getting about 5 eggs a day.For the month of Jan. I got 168 eggs
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Post by Hooked on Quack on Feb 3, 2014 11:43:44 GMT -5
I've been thinking about getting some cheekuns, just how much trouble/expense are they??? Is it worth the risk/reward ???
Do you sale/give away the extra eggs ??
There's only 2 of us, how many cheekuns ??
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jeffraines
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Post by jeffraines on Feb 3, 2014 13:43:32 GMT -5
If you don't eat eggs every day(I do) 2-3 chickens would be enough. First you have to decide if you are going to raise them from chicks.If so,it will be at least 5 months before they start laying,maybe 6 or 7 months.Or you can get hens a few months old getting ready to start laying. coop costs-I built this one for up to 6 chickens for less than $100.If I had bought it already made,it would cost over$400. pen-is 6ft wideX16ft long X6ft high cost-about $200. You can feed 3 chickens for $15 a month or free if they are totally free range.But,you have more coyotes than I do.I let my reds and orp out on my off days.Free range hens lay eggs with a rich dark orange yolk. once you get passed the start up,they are cheap and easy and hard to stop buying more. Right now when I get too many eggs,I leave a dozen on a neighbors porch,but come spring time I will be at local farmers markets for swap and sale.    |
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jmffish
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Post by jmffish on Feb 3, 2014 14:02:40 GMT -5
Sweet...that is a ton of eggs in a year....  |
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Post by Hooked on Quack on Feb 3, 2014 14:14:21 GMT -5
If you don't eat eggs every day(I do) 2-3 chickens would be enough. First you have to decide if you are going to raise them from chicks.If so,it will be at least 5 months before they start laying,maybe 6 or 7 months.Or you can get hens a few months old getting ready to start laying. coop costs-I built this one for up to 6 chickens for less than $100.If I had bought it already made,it would cost over$400. pen-is 6ft wideX16ft long X6ft high cost-about $200. You can feed 3 chickens for $15 a month or free if they are totally free range.But,you have more coyotes than I do.I let my reds and orp out on my off days.Free range hens lay eggs with a rich dark orange yolk. once you get passed the start up,they are cheap and easy and hard to stop buying more. Right now when I get too many eggs,I leave a dozen on a neighbors porch,but come spring time I will be at local farmers markets for swap and sale. Thanks for the info Jeff, think I'll just continue to steal them from my bro's plantation... |
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Post by jmffish on Feb 3, 2014 15:00:20 GMT -5
If you don't eat eggs every day(I do) 2-3 chickens would be enough. First you have to decide if you are going to raise them from chicks.If so,it will be at least 5 months before they start laying,maybe 6 or 7 months.Or you can get hens a few months old getting ready to start laying. coop costs-I built this one for up to 6 chickens for less than $100.If I had bought it already made,it would cost over$400. pen-is 6ft wideX16ft long X6ft high cost-about $200. You can feed 3 chickens for $15 a month or free if they are totally free range.But,you have more coyotes than I do.I let my reds and orp out on my off days.Free range hens lay eggs with a rich dark orange yolk. once you get passed the start up,they are cheap and easy and hard to stop buying more. Right now when I get too many eggs,I leave a dozen on a neighbors porch,but come spring time I will be at local farmers markets for swap and sale. Thanks for the info Jeff, think I'll just continue to steal them from my bro's plantation... LOL.....  |
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Post by gobbleinwoods on Feb 4, 2014 5:55:10 GMT -5
I have a neighbor that was given a small coop that is on wheels that I really need to go look at better. His holds 4-6 and he just rolls it around the yard so it is sort of free ranging but he can keep them cooped up if he needs to.
Anyone else have pics or plans for a moveable coop?
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Post by jmfauver on Feb 4, 2014 6:07:21 GMT -5
I have a neighbor that was given a small coop that is on wheels that I really need to go look at better. His holds 4-6 and he just rolls it around the yard so it is sort of free ranging but he can keep them cooped up if he needs to. Anyone else have pics or plans for a moveable coop? That's typically called a chicken tractor, because it it mobile and they come in all shapes and sizes. I have a warm weather tractor I built that is 2x2x8 just for grazing without having to stay out and watch them to make sure a predator doesn't take advantage of the birds. I'll try to post pics of it and my coop I built later. |
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blood
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Post by blood on Feb 4, 2014 22:47:55 GMT -5
I have a neighbor that was given a small coop that is on wheels that I really need to go look at better. His holds 4-6 and he just rolls it around the yard so it is sort of free ranging but he can keep them cooped up if he needs to. Anyone else have pics or plans for a moveable coop? That's typically called a chicken tractor, because it it mobile and they come in all shapes and sizes. I have a warm weather tractor I built that is 2x2x8 just for grazing without having to stay out and watch them to make sure a predator doesn't take advantage of the birds. I'll try to post pics of it and my coop I built later. yeah post some pics so they all can see the chicken Hilton!! First coop I have seen with central heat and air! |
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jeffraines
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Post by jeffraines on Mar 16, 2014 9:09:46 GMT -5
Since Jan 1,my chickens have laid 465 eggs
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Post by jmfauver on Mar 16, 2014 9:15:24 GMT -5
Since Jan 1,my chickens have laid 465 eggs Makes my butt sore just thinkin about it. We've been getting 11 to 14 eggs a week since early February out of my two Buff Orpingtons. There are just three of us and we always have a couple dozen eggs on hand since we don't eat them every single day. |
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Post by Electronjockey on Mar 16, 2014 11:05:44 GMT -5
Since Jan 1,my chickens have laid 465 eggs Makes my butt sore just thinkin about it. We've been getting 11 to 14 eggs a week since early February out of my two Buff Orpingtons. There are just three of us and we always have a couple dozen eggs on hand since we don't eat them every single day. Have you thought about selling them Jeff? A guy I work with has quite the operation going on at work. He brings in roughly 20 dozen per week and just went up to $3 per dozen. He could sell 40 dozen a week if he had the eggs. These farm fresh eggs are huge with health freaks and hippies. |
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jeffraines
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Post by jeffraines on Mar 16, 2014 12:22:08 GMT -5
Soon as Dallas farmers market starts I will be taking eggs there to sell or trade.Gave 2 dozen away at chuch this morning.
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Post by jmfauver on Mar 16, 2014 19:17:23 GMT -5
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blood
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Post by blood on Mar 16, 2014 21:52:44 GMT -5
Makes my butt sore just thinkin about it. We've been getting 11 to 14 eggs a week since early February out of my two Buff Orpingtons. There are just three of us and we always have a couple dozen eggs on hand since we don't eat them every single day. Have you thought about selling them Jeff? A guy I work with has quite the operation going on at work. He brings in roughly 20 dozen per week and just went up to $3 per dozen. He could sell 40 dozen a week if he had the eggs. These farm fresh eggs are huge with health freaks and hippies. why you got to bring up the hippies???? |
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Post by Hooked on Quack on Mar 16, 2014 22:58:03 GMT -5
60Grit = da Cheekun Police . .  |
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Post by Electronjockey on Mar 17, 2014 6:17:57 GMT -5
My buddy got the license, it's just a Saturday class and a fee.
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Post by jmfauver on Mar 17, 2014 6:37:40 GMT -5
It's just another government forced tax. If all you have is layers and no roosters having to know how to candle an egg is just plain a waste of time. If you have roosters but they are kept separate from you layers, same thing. It's an idiotic excuse to make you pay an unnecessary tax just to sell a few eggs.
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blood
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Post by blood on Mar 17, 2014 7:57:30 GMT -5
Fertilized eggs come with extra protein!????
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Post by Electronjockey on Mar 17, 2014 10:11:10 GMT -5
It's just another government forced tax. If all you have is layers and no roosters having to know how to candle an egg is just plain a waste of time. If you have roosters but they are kept separate from you layers, same thing. It's an idiotic excuse to make you pay an unnecessary tax just to sell a few eggs. Yep, they have no roosters. Gave both of them to an Aisian couple that works with us. The farmers market they want to sell at requires the stupid license. |
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jeffraines
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Post by jeffraines on Mar 17, 2014 12:14:25 GMT -5
No roosters here but I probably won't set up at the farmers market.I will just take the eggs for trade.
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blood
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Post by blood on Mar 17, 2014 16:06:34 GMT -5
I "had" 5 roosters running around the yard until one of them tried to break bad and flog me! I tested a new turkey load out on him and now he has a solid place in the freezer until we decide to make a large pot of gumbo!
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Post by jmfauver on May 19, 2014 21:18:34 GMT -5
So how's everybody's chickens doin?
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blood
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Post by blood on May 19, 2014 23:55:48 GMT -5
So how's everybody's chickens doin? hens are good! Pootin out plenty of eggs for us everyday.... Roosters, not so much! Something is snagging them off the roost at night! |
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jeffraines
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Post by jeffraines on May 20, 2014 10:24:39 GMT -5
My girls are doing great. We had a redtail hawk nest in neighbors yard.Hawks have not bothered them.Seen a fox come thru our wooded backyard,jumped up on the fence like a cat.My back neighbor's house was in the line of fire  |
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jeffraines
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Post by jeffraines on May 20, 2014 10:36:50 GMT -5
:bugeyesJust looked outside to see my 2 RIR and orp out free range.I forgot to close their pen last night.
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Post by jmfauver on May 20, 2014 19:03:37 GMT -5
:bugeyesJust looked outside to see my 2 RIR and orp out free range.I forgot to close their pen last night. Meals on wheels........errr.........spurs. |
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Post by crickett on Jun 17, 2014 9:09:55 GMT -5
We have finally thinned out our flocks some. At one point we had nearly 30 chickens. That included all of the baby chicks we had inside the brooder tub & the brooder box in the garage. We ended up with way too many roosters from our Swedish Flowers that we hatched out. Only got 1 hen outta them. Now we just have 2 roos & the hen. Not sure yet on how many Buff Orpington roos we have but I'm thinking we got at least 3 We only have 4 hens laying right now. The others are still to young to lay. We are getting about 4 eggs a day. The Buffs should start laying sometime in July. |
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jeffraines
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Post by jeffraines on Jun 20, 2014 13:39:11 GMT -5
We have finally thinned out our flocks some. At one point we had nearly 30 chickens. That included all of the baby chicks we had inside the brooder tub & the brooder box in the garage. We ended up with way too many roosters from our Swedish Flowers that we hatched out. Only got 1 hen outta them. Now we just have 2 roos & the hen. Not sure yet on how many Buff Orpington roos we have but I'm thinking we got at least 3 We only have 4 hens laying right now. The others are still to young to lay. We are getting about 4 eggs a day. The Buffs should start laying sometime in July. I have one buff.Reading posts on backyard chicken led me to believe that buffs are usually subdominate and on the lower end of the pecking order........Not mine,she's the yard boss.Even giving me the stink eye when I get too close.I slap her head when she gets that look. |
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Post by crickett on Jun 20, 2014 14:25:58 GMT -5
We have finally thinned out our flocks some. At one point we had nearly 30 chickens. That included all of the baby chicks we had inside the brooder tub & the brooder box in the garage. We ended up with way too many roosters from our Swedish Flowers that we hatched out. Only got 1 hen outta them. Now we just have 2 roos & the hen. Not sure yet on how many Buff Orpington roos we have but I'm thinking we got at least 3 We only have 4 hens laying right now. The others are still to young to lay. We are getting about 4 eggs a day. The Buffs should start laying sometime in July. I have one buff.Reading posts on backyard chicken led me to believe that buffs are usually subdominate and on the lower end of the pecking order........Not mine,she's the yard boss.Even giving me the stink eye when I get too close.I slap her head when she gets that look. We have 8 buffs total but 2 of them are older than the other 6 & they are definitely bossy! |
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