I got a few meat birds. I hadn't planned on it. My sister-in-law posted that the chicks were on sale at Tractor Supply and we went to see what they had and found they had a few meat birds left in a wet brooder. Some of them had been pecked on and I always take those because once I get them home and in a clean brooder they always do fine. So I took them all. There were 9 of them and they were marked down to $ .75 each! These are Cornish Rocks, for those who don't know what I mean by meat birds.
As for the other chicks (the chicks that will be used for layers...providing they are hens), they are all doing well. Unfortunately, it looks like at least 4 of the California Whites are roosters. That doesn't help much as I don't need any more roosters (2 of the Buckeyes turned out to be roosters) and California Whites do not make a good dual purpose breed...meaning they don't have a lot of meat on them. They will be for stewing at best unless I decide to keep a rooster for breeding more California Whites, which I doubt.
Definitely a rooster. The one on the ground looks like it may be one as well.
However, that little white one in front is definitely a hen and all the black ones (they will be barred later) were supposed to be pullets so I will have plenty of new hens eventually. I have no idea about the Americauna as they have a pea comb and I won't be able to tell them apart until the roosters get sickle feathers.
I'm not sure if I will try to get any more meat birds. I don't want to get more than I will feel like butchering myself as Phil does not help with the chickens and I don't want to get overloaded with things that need doing in the heat of summer but I feel good that I at least got nine of them.
The Buckeyes were doing well with both of the hens laying almost every day and then one day I went out there and found they had picked the top of one of hens heads completely bloody. She now has a pen of her own and is healing well but I am not real impressed with these Buckeyes now. I like a more calm tame bird for eggs, I think.
Chooks are so vicious to each other it beggers belif that they survive at all, your chicks look like they are coming on well, I am toying with an incubator or day olds at the moment, I need to raise some ducks too they are in full flow of laying at the moment :-)
ReplyDeleteI am not sure I am going to do ducks again. I love them but they are so MESSY!
DeleteTractor Supply are getting lots of custom from you these days! You are a careful shopper though, so they are not getting much money out of you. :) Oh, and thanks to your posts, I'm learning a lot about chickens.
ReplyDeleteTractor Supply gets a lot of chick customers but the staff there really hate it, lol. At least this year it seems like they have staff who take care of the chicks. I love having chickens especially here because they are so much easier to care for than up North.
DeleteHi Becky! The chicks are growing fast! Mine are old enough that they are beginning to lay. I have an egg eater and think it's the rooster! I will be getting rid of him soon! You got a great deal on the meat chickens! We just can't seem to butcher anything yet. You are a strong lady to do that all yourself! I had trouble watching my goats kid! I have't bred them this year. I have them all for sale. Thanks for sharing! Blessings from Bama!
ReplyDeleteI have one EE that lays nice great eggs and I am hoping to get some more from these Ameracauna that I bought. Butchering is just something you get better at as you go along. It is never fun and is always nasty but you get better at it.
DeleteAs Mark said I like learning from you!
ReplyDeleteWell, I am glad you all are getting something out of it. Keep in mind that I am just making it up as I go along, lol.
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