Anyone keep Chickens?

[brewmaster15]

I guess there is a market, glad you got there first.

Me Too!

Collected 5 eggs so far and they are still clucking...My son just collected his first egg and has claimed it for an egg, ham and Cheese sandwich.

-al

[Keith Perkins]

Egg, ham and cheese...sounds like you're going to be needing a pig and cow next.

[Second Hand Pat]

Egg, ham and cheese...sounds like you're going to be needing a pig and cow next.

and don't forget the horses. Good for kid transport and basic kid entertainment.

[brewmaster15]

Can't have a horse here but would like one, however, I have always wanted a Dexter Cow ....small breeds good milk....HMMMM..lol

-al

[Discus-n00b]

Can't have a horse here but would like one, however, I have always wanted a Dexter Cow ....small breeds good milk....HMMMM..lol

-al

I never knew such thing as a Dexter Cow existed until now. I'm a milk addict. You are opening my eyes to a lot of farm life Al & company. Maybe some day I'll have space to keep it lol.

[brewmaster15]

My newest Chickens just started laying... These girls are 6 months...Tiny egg in the middle of the cartoon... The other eggs are from my older Hens..




-al

[brewmaster15]

The old hens are Rhode Island Reds crosses... This group of new hens are

Buff Rocks


Partridge Rocks



Barred Rocks...



I had bought these back in August from a local hobbyist when they were a few months old.

-al

[Keith Perkins]

Yum, what time is Breakfast Al.

[fishin'fool]

Curious, where do you keep them in winter Al?

[brewmaster15]

Curious, where do you keep them in winter Al?

They stay in their coops and the yard as the weather allows. They have heat lamps in the coop that provide enough warmth and extends the light period so that they lay eggs through the winter. I've also chosen breeds that are known to be pretty cold hardy and are well suited for CT. They pretty much get let out of the coops every morning, and are free to go inside if they need to. As night falls, they instinctively return to the safety of the coop to roost for the night.

-al

[brewmaster15]

The new ones are now laying 2-3 small eggs a day.. won't be long before they all are.

-al

[brewmaster15]

update here...

I re-homed my 8 original Rhode Island Red Hens.. They were still laying eggs but we were getting fewer... maybe 2-3 a day from 8 hens. Craigslist success.. sold with 36 hours and there was alot of interest.

My young hens... started with 11... had 7 buff, 3 partridge plymouth, and 2 barred Rocks.. One Buff died unknown causes.. currently have 11 hens... all are now laying . Really healthy stock... these were from mcmurray hatchery the former owner told me. I have bought from other hatcheries in the past, but have to say the health and robust size of these lines I have from McMurray Hatchery is incredible.

Eggs are almost full size now... and we have at least one hen giving us Doubles



I'm really enjoying this group.

al

[Second Hand Pat]

It looks yummy Al. I use to get eggs from my former riding instructor on a weekly basis but she injured herself and had to give up riding so I do not see her in a regular basis. I miss the fresh eggs. We use to collect eggs from my daughter's geese. A goose eggs makes about three hen eggs and is a tab richer.

[brewmaster15]

It looks yummy Al. I use to get eggs from my former riding instructor on a weekly basis but she injured herself and had to give up riding so I do not see her in a regular basis. I miss the fresh eggs. We use to collect eggs from my daughter's geese. A goose eggs makes about three hen eggs and is a tab richer.

one of these days I want to try an ostritch egg... I don't think my neighbors would like that. There was someone in the town that had 2 emu's that got loose. Nothing like a 2 day emu hunt in a small town to make things interesting I guess.

If I had a farm, I would try these big birds for sure.

al

[Second Hand Pat]

That would feed your whole family Al