Raising Chickens

We are up to 48 chickens (37 are 9 weeks old or less). Once we figure out which are hens/roos i'll be selling some (hopefully). I have figured out selling chicks is way too much of a pain to deal with, so we aren't hatching anymore at the moment. I would like to be in the neighborhood of 20-30 as a final number, and HOPEFULLY find someone that will buy some cheap eggs....
 
Well life isn't always fun with the chickens. My wife's favorite hen that we hatched in January had something wrong with it. Suddenly couldn't walk, we separated it hoping it would get better... it didn't it got worse. So she got the axe this afternoon.
 
Lost two "baby" chickens to coccidiosis last week. Girls saw 1 of them but we convinced them she was sleeping. Still have two baby's left that need to hurry up and grow some more so I can throw them in the coop. 1 for sure has something wrong with a leg. It's bent in. No issues with running around doing normal chicken stuff so as long as she's mobile, eating, drinking and eventually laying she will stay around.
 
If anyone near Winston Salem wants to hatch some Ayam Cemani's, or Cemani/Ameraucana cross--hit me up for some eggs. I got lucky and have sold eggs the last three batches (twice I got $50 for 2 dozen dozen) but they are VERY hard to sell, and the $50 guy probably won't be wanting to hatch more.

I'd let some hatching eggs go for dirt cheap to anyone on here. FYI, the Cemani's are a pain to hatch.

This is one of the Cemani/Ameraucana cockerels. I think we have 4, guess I might have to figure out how to butcher chickens if I can't sell them at the next flock swap in Kernersville.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20240603_190748291.jpg
    IMG_20240603_190748291.jpg
    266.2 KB · Views: 36
Well, apparently we are now getting a couple kunekune pigs. Lady at church saw how much the boys loved plying with her pigs and offered us 2 boar piglets. Been talking about fencing in the back hill for a while, guess the time has come.
 
JSJJ388 said:
Well, apparently we are now getting a couple kunekune pigs. Lady at church saw how much the boys loved plying with her pigs and offered us 2 boar piglets. Been talking about fencing in the back hill for a while, guess the time has come.
Click to expand...
You will love the KK they are so easy to be around, graze like cows on grass and the meat is the best pork you’ve ever had! It’s all we raise and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Also, they don’t root (much), don’t push fence, and are super docile (kid friendly).

Only downside is they take a bit longer to grow out compared to a long nose hog. Average butcher is 18 months - 2 yrs but it’s well worth the wait.
 
skyhighZJ said:
You will love the KK they are so easy to be around, graze like cows on grass and the meat is the best pork you’ve ever had! It’s all we raise and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Also, they don’t root (much), don’t push fence, and are super docile (kid friendly).

Only downside is they take a bit longer to grow out compared to a long nose hog. Average butcher is 18 months - 2 yrs but it’s well worth the wait.
Click to expand...
Good to hear. I think you and I had talked about them some before too. Not too worried about getting them to butcher. But may pick up a sow next year to breed and raise some for butcher. Ill take Amy advice you can give. Raised plenty of cattle, but never any pigs.
 
JSJJ388 said:
Good to hear. I think you and I had talked about them some before too. Not too worried about getting them to butcher. But may pick up a sow next year to breed and raise some for butcher. Ill take Amy advice you can give. Raised plenty of cattle, but never any pigs.
Click to expand...
We keep a low to the ground water trough for them (I think it’s rubber maid?). They like a bit of a mud wallow if you can make it happen. A simple little hut for them to get out of the weather. Never had any issues with needing a heat lamp in the winter except one time we had a late litter so we hung one for the bacon bits to stay warm. Not sure we necessarily needed it but the wife said yes so I said yes too lol. I made a couple simple wooden feed trays to keep their food out of the dirt (help to prevent worms). We use a water soluble wormer in their water trough usually in the spring unless we get a case by case basis but it hasn’t been an issue. You can cut tusks on the board if you want but we have never had an issue and it’s a pain in the ass.
 
skyhighZJ said:
We keep a low to the ground water trough for them (I think it’s rubber maid?). They like a bit of a mud wallow if you can make it happen. A simple little hut for them to get out of the weather. Never had any issues with needing a heat lamp in the winter except one time we had a late litter so we hung one for the bacon bits to stay warm. Not sure we necessarily needed it but the wife said yes so I said yes too lol. I made a couple simple wooden feed trays to keep their food out of the dirt (help to prevent worms). We use a water soluble wormer in their water trough usually in the spring unless we get a case by case basis but it hasn’t been an issue. You can cut tusks on the board if you want but we have never had an issue and it’s a pain in the ass.
Click to expand...
Thanks. The area I plan to put them has a creek down in the shade, figured they'd enjoy that as well.
 
skyhighZJ said:
We keep a low to the ground water trough for them (I think it’s rubber maid?). They like a bit of a mud wallow if you can make it happen. A simple little hut for them to get out of the weather. Never had any issues with needing a heat lamp in the winter except one time we had a late litter so we hung one for the bacon bits to stay warm. Not sure we necessarily needed it but the wife said yes so I said yes too lol. I made a couple simple wooden feed trays to keep their food out of the dirt (help to prevent worms). We use a water soluble wormer in their water trough usually in the spring unless we get a case by case basis but it hasn’t been an issue. You can cut tusks on the board if you want but we have never had an issue and it’s a pain in the ass.
Click to expand...
Are they as challenging to castrate later, as a long nose hog? If you want to breed, I might keep 1 intact, but would like cut the other, if not both.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
Are they as challenging to castrate later, as a long nose hog? If you want to breed, I might keep 1 intact, but would like cut the other, if not both.
Click to expand...
This, cut them young. With their short legs it makes it a real bitch to hobble them when they are older. Honestly though I’ve cooked boars and never had an issue with the taste like a long nose hog. Cooked one Saturday and he had been around a couple of sows in heat. You couldn’t taste it but he was real musky when I was hot tanking him.
 
Well, here we go lol.

20240622_121852.jpg
 
Had our 1st snake in the coop with our tweenies last night. A king snake had coiled completely around one of their legs/feet. Not sure of his plans because there was no way (in my mind anyway) that he could eat that size bird. His head was about the size of my thumb :shaking:The chicken is OK, the snake not so much

In other news, anyone interested in 2 ducks?

20240623_144018.jpg
 
Andy J. said:
I just ordered 6 chicks from Meyers Hatchery for Sept 3 shipment. A pair of Buff Orpingtons, a pair of Easter Eggers, one White Leghorn (just so I can name her Foghorn), and one Speckled Sussex. I’m trusting YT will teach me everything I need to know. :laughing:
Click to expand...

Should have come down to Wallburg and got some from me, although I don't have those exact breeds. My white leghorn pullets have just started laying, so after they lay for about a month I plan to start collecting eggs to try and hatch some Zombies.
 
Guy on CL Winston has Golden Comets for $12

Hard to beat for extra large brown eggs, mine are great.
 
I think these pigs are puppies....

20240825_172553.jpg


20240827_174237.jpg
 
Back
Top