Hi there,
I'm working on a pen system to give us chook eggs all year round and to be able to eat a bird once a week.
Faverolles are my main bird of choice. They lay in winter. They look fabulous and they are revered by the French for their culinary prowess and even have their own special dishes. Appearntly they are "dressed up" .. presented in the butcher's windows.
I also have some austrolorps, (one is at least over eight years and she is still the crankiest and boss hen), welsumers and Wyandotte crosses. Wyandottes make for great broodies.
So... two flocks , one bigger 9 and rooster, one smaller, 4 and rooster with two houses each with two large runs to rotate and help break worm cycles, fox and dog proof. Then a broodi cage ... to be replicated by 6 ...so broodie chooks can sit on twelve eggs. sparrow proof, only used once a year. .. Say 8-9 hatch once half size can be reared together in third large compound.
I mainly feed them mixed grain and greens and chook edible kitchen scraps. I must try growing a wheat crop for them.
I
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Hi. I wanted to stop by to thank you for the helpful comment you left on my chicken problem post. When I first started blogging about chickens, my reasons for getting them, and what I wanted to do with them, folks responded that hen raising chicks from home laid eggs was nothing if not next to impossible. Still, I never planned to do it any other way. It's interesting how quickly the chicks develop so many natural instincts, but mother raised is always better and healthier for any animal. Your approach is encouraging.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to try chicks this coming fall, but will needs a pen for them-- a 'tractor' system at least-- as we live in a rural area with a fair amount of predatory birds-- hawks and owls, specifically.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to more from you. And, if I may be so bold, am guessing you're related to Molly in a strong fashion?
Slainte, Gav...