Chickens, and things related

[Tororider]

Ok, Tractor supply is going to be selling chicks in a few weeks, multiple breeds. Has anyone bought chicks from them? If I want to go with two breeds, buff orpingtons and americaunas will they play nice? I have read that the buffs can be pushed around. Buying from TSC will allow me to buy fewer chicks than if I were to order, then I would pretty much have to order 25. I am thinking an 8x8 coop, which would allow 10-12 chickens with room to expand if I wanted. Does this sound like a plan?

I was thinking of keeping them in a brooder in my garage until they were ready to be out from the heat, my garage is unattached from the house and not heated, as long as I have a good heat lamp I should be ok right? And this period is only for a 4-5 weeks right?

Last thing, is there any way to create a egg collector in the nests that kind of rolls the eggs down away from the chickens to a collection area so that the chance of breakage and stuff is lessened? Kind of willy-wonka style?

Another thing, I found a butcher around here that will process the bird for between $2.25 and $3 depending on what you want done, does this seem about right?

Thanks again for all the info and help.

 

[davitk]

I am supposed to be putting together an estimate for an insurance repair but that darn TBN keeps distracting me....

OK, I pulled out last years order from Murray McMurray Hatchery ( www.mcmurrayhatchery.com ), here's what we ordered last February:

2 male Speckled Sussex, 2 Female Speckled Sussex, 2 Straight run Black Langshans (1 turned out to be a rooster), 3 straight run Cuckoo Maran, 2 female Silver Polish, 3 female Araucana (same as Americauna), 3 female Light Brahmas, 3 female Buff Orpingtons, 2 female Black Australorp, 3 female Partridge Rock. Each vaccinated for Marek's Disease, total cost: $81.46. (We have three kids, we took their breed lists and whittled them down to come up with 25)

The only chicken we lost this year was a Speckled Sussex rooster, we let them free range and he didn't return one night, next morning heard him crowing on the other side of the hill.... The Speckled Sussex roosters were the only trouble makers of the bunch, the Black Langshan rooster was gentle as could be. To answer your question, the Orpington and Americauna should get along fine. However, don't count on TSC staff to know one breed from the next, let alone be able to sex the peeps

To process the chickens we paid 2.60/bird under 8#, to have them quartered .35/bird, and Cry-O-Vac wrapped .80/bird. Well worth it to not have to do it yourself, but darn expensive compared to the grocery store.

Brooder in a detached garage is what we did, used wood chips and a 100 watt incandescent and a thermometer, it worked fine. We did have to add ventilation holes after awhile as you don't want to cook the birds (prematurely)

Your going to be getting a ton of eggs, probably not 25 per day as there will always be a few free-loaders (somebody called them Republicans; however they may be Democrats ) And they won't all be laid where you expect them to be, when you find one put it in a pail of water and see if it floats (floater is bad).

Good luck! and keep the kitties away until the chicks are bigger than they are....

 

[Tororider]

Only need to check for floating when you find one in an unexpected place? THanks for the info, this is of great help.

 

[davitk]

Generally, fresh eggs will lie on the bottom of the pail of water. Eggs that tilt so that the large end is up are older, and eggs that float are rotten. The tilting is caused by air pockets in the eggs that increase in size over time as fluid evaporates through the porous shell and oxygen and gases filter in. The older an egg gets the more gas builds up inside it. More gas = more floating.

 

[Tororider]

Got it, thanks.

Do you think if they knew breeds and I could get 6-8 of each buff orps and americaunas that I would get 6-8 hens total, then next winter put the roosters in the freezer that would work?

Also, if I have that many roosters, will there be a problem with a one to one ratio? With fertilized eggs, how hard are they to hatch out?

How noisy are roosters, I don't want to annoy the neighbors too much.

Thanks

 

[mjfox6]

Got it, thanks.

Do you think if they knew breeds and I could get 6-8 of each buff orps and americaunas that I would get 6-8 hens total, then next winter put the roosters in the freezer that would work?

Also, if I have that many roosters, will there be a problem with a one to one ratio? With fertilized eggs, how hard are they to hatch out?

How noisy are roosters, I don't want to annoy the neighbors too much.

Thanks

We butchered all of our roosters except three. We were told to have either 1 rooster or 3 or more. If you have 2, all they do is fight. Let me tell you what 3 do and it is not fight! Poor hens, we only had 1 that had any feathers on her back! Happiest roosters you ever saw though!

Anyway, we butchered two more of the roosters and now the hens have all pretty much grown their feathers back.

Roosters are pretty loud, so it depends on how close your neighbor is and how good their windows are.

 

[davitk]

Let me tell you what 3 do and it is not fight! Poor hens, we only had 1 that had any feathers on her back! Happiest roosters you ever saw though!

my 10 and 11 YO boys call it "humping" It's fun watching the roosters chasing each other off their girlfriends.

Each rooster has a unique sound, some more "pleasant" than others. We moved our coop behind the barn just to welcome the newly built neighbors and to remind them thier dog doesn't have a right to our land (legal to shoot a dog threatening livestock in WI; of course there's the debate over whether chicken are livestock).

In our experience 6 - 8 birds is about ideal, they don't eat too much, poop too much, and the fresh eggs are just about right (about 4 or 5 per day).

It is starting to snow, again, maybe a 10 incher this time. Yee haw!

 

[4720 OWNER]

Have raised tractor chickens for about 4 years. Used 4" white pvc as the frame with a 1/2" plywood house (roosting area) with light folding plastic roof (old politician signs are good for something). Never had a problem with anything digging under, but have had 3 week old chicks escape (release the dog! She loves it!!) Standard chic wire all around. Absolutely the best for aerating and fertilizing the grass! Move about every day about half the pen. Lite enough so can grab on and move the whole thing or if not up to it just droop the chain over the 4 wheeler hitch. It slides pretty well over the grass and strong enough to last the last 4 years with very little touch up work. If have cornish meats, food needed is a lot lower since they 'find' there own.

Layers live in a house and get all the weeds all summer. Their outdoor run is also 1" pvc, white, 8 ' tall, 4' deep, 8' long. and covered in chic wire. Sand fill, 1 clean out a year for all the weeds tossed in.

Frames are all based on 4' since comes in 8' foot lengths and why cut if do not have too? Chicks do not care.

 

[Tororider]

Well, it sounds like I really don't need roosters unless I want fertilized eggs, which I won't need to worry about for awhile.

It would be easier if I could order 15 pullets from a hatchery, and make sure I only get females, I am not sure that they won't be able to sex them at Tractor Supply Company. How do they sex the day old chicks at the hatcheries so proficiently?

Again, thanks, I think I am steamrolling this idea through the fam to make it work.

 

[mjfox6]

How do they sex the day old chicks at the hatcheries so proficiently?

You should have seen that episode of Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe! WOW, that is all I can say.