Home Chicken Flock

Just a health note for those that are new to raising chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. Chickens and turkeys do not mix well. Chickens are carriers for diseases that are not a problem in a chicken flock but can wipe out your turkey flock. Mixed flocks with ducks, geese and turkeys work out well and ducks, geese mixed with chickens are not a problem, just avoid mixing turkeys with chickens unless you can keep the the flocks well separated from one another.

It’s getting to be the time of the year that many folks that bought 25 or more day old chicks in January now need to deduce their flock size. You can pick up pullets and young laying hens at a very reasonable price now. If your looking for meat birds or a rooster for your flock start looking now. Many flocks will have far to many roosters and you can pick them up for rock bottom prices.

Any of the Leghorn breeds are excellent layers and do not go broody. They lay large white colored eggs. Put them in an old store egg carton and the kids will never know the difference, grinning.. Most other breeds lay lightly tinted to dark brown eggs. Check out ‘McMurry’s Catalog’ for a ton of useful information on many different breeds, egg colors they lay and much more.

Note: At laying age 1 hen will lay 1 egg about every 27 hours. Base you flock size on your egg needs. Two hens will produce about 1 dozen eggs a week. Chickens require little coop space, a 4X4 foot floor plan is enough room for 2 nest boxes and 4 or maybe 5 hens.

Chicken growers have a large selection to choose from. The tiny Mille Fleur to the New Jersey and Black Giants. Everything from plain Jane everyday chickens to award winning Fancy’s. They come in every color in a rainbow to solid whites or blacks. Some breeds are very quite easy to handle others always seem to be a bit stand offish and on the skittish side. With that said, they all have a few things in common. They are always fun to raise, fun to watch, wonderful table meat and produce eggs from thumb nail size to extra large. No mater what breed you select I’m sure you will enrich your life and give your family an experience they will carry through life. You will be blessed having them in your backyard.