Getting more chickens

**Dutchie** · 02-28-2011, 10:37 AM

I mentioned on the other thread about 'selling eggs' that I would like to get some more chickens but that I would have to convince dh first.

Well, we were talking very casually at the weekend about our chickens and I just said it to him - that I would like some more chickens.

He said that he had also been thinking the same thing. We would have to change where we have our coop but we'll probably do it when the weather gets better.

Yeah !!!!- great minds think alike (and as my mother likes to add - and fools seldom differ).

We're getting more chickens - YEAH!!!!!

**Russ** · 02-28-2011, 10:41 AM

more chickens??

= more

**thesightofoneself** · 02-28-2011, 10:43 AM

thats great news

**lparker** · 02-28-2011, 10:44 AM

We're getting more this year too. Our other ones are rapidly getting to an age where they will be good for chicken salad - ground up.

**Russ** · 02-28-2011, 10:49 AM

ok fine.... We are getting meat chickens in the spring. A whole herd.

**Trentt** · 02-28-2011, 10:52 AM

I remember when I was a child we'd get boxes of chicks in the mail. To me it was better than Christmas. Some years later, after many subliminal hints and open wishing, my dad bought an incubator and we experimented by saving different breeds of rooster from what year to the next to see what our new chicks would look like. It was a lot of fun.

And more chook-poo would be great for the garden! I remember one year reworking the dirt in a small flower bed next to a kitchen window where we'd planted a clematis for Mother's Day. I filled it with well aged chicken manure and planted moss roses next to the clematis ... and what a show! I've never seen such big moss roses blooming so prolifically. It was a riot of color and my mom loved it.

**freebs** · 02-28-2011, 12:04 PM

i have 25 black sex links in the brooder along with 10 black austrolorps

**Russ** · 03-01-2011, 06:24 PM

sorry to high-jack...

where does everyone get their chicks?

**ladytoysdream** · 03-01-2011, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Russ

sorry to high-jack...

where does everyone get their chicks?

Put your rooster to work if you have any broody girls

That's what we do

**lparker** · 03-01-2011, 07:08 PM

WELP - www.welphatchery.com

We tried the rooster option and ended up with 22 rotten eggs...maybe next year.

Lee

**lparker** · 03-01-2011, 07:09 PM

WELP - www.welphatchery.com

We tried the rooster option and ended up with 22 rotten eggs...maybe next year.

Lee

**ubumartin** · 03-01-2011, 07:45 PM

I am jealous!!!! I have 3 buff orpingtons and always look at what other types I would get if I could. It would be too much for me to get a bigger coop. Right now it is just perfect for them.

**Russ** · 03-01-2011, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by ladytoysdream

Put your rooster to work if you have any broody girls

That's what we do

none are broody.

**madjen** · 03-01-2011, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Russ

sorry to high-jack...

where does everyone get their chicks?

I don't have any chicks yet but Tractor Supply Company (TSC) stores (some, not all so make sure to call first) are supposed to get them in this week. DH was told that the chicks TSC gets to sell are leftover from hatcheries.

Has anybody ever bought them from TSC before?

What % of chicks survive to egg laying age?

**ladytoysdream** · 03-01-2011, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by Russ

none are broody.

I have several that are in the broody stage already. Plan is to wait a bit longer for the weather to get warmer before we start hatching.
Probably like we did last year, except give them more eggs each. One hen in each dog crate. A day apart. Going to put more eggs under them. We had 3 hens hatch last year. Now when we hatch, I want a bigger group to work with. Not each hen a week apart.

The other thing I might try is to take a larger quanity of eggs to a farmer who has a BIG incubater. He charges $ 1 per each live chick hatched for the service fee. I have a few people who wanted some larger quanities from us in the spring.

We also have our own incubater, but I am not impressed with it. I may borrow the son's old one, that did well for us last year.

TSC locally was supposed to get chicks today. The Country Max is getting theirs in April and want people to pre order. We got 12 meat chicks last spring for $ 1 each at TSC because they had got too big and were beyond the cute stage. If we get more this year, I plan to have them separate from our regular coop. I am real skittish about bringing home any germies. We don't have any chicken health problems, and I don't want any.