Chickens it is....

[VenomJockey]

Ok, now that I have settled on chickens instead of ducks (or both), the question becomes what kind of chicken? Saw these in my web surfing..Buckyes. https://countrysidenetwork.com/daily/poultry/chickens-101/buckeye-chickens-all-american-breed/
They seem to fill the bill, but there may be others, or better ones, for all I know. All chicken farmers, please feel free to jump in here,
1. The locale is around 4 - 5,000 ft altitude.
2. WINTER extremes range from -25 to a normal low of around 15 - 20 above zero, and SUMMER extremes range from 100 to a normal 70 - 80.
3. Water is not a problem.
4. The coops (Two) are semi-heated....waste heat from the generator is ducted to the coops and well insulated. The coops themselves are insulated. Coops are fenced in, 8' high chicken wire and deer net, each coop has an 80' x 150' area of free ground.
5. Predators: Everything from weasels to grizzlies, with plenty in between. Defenses against predators include two dogs, motion detector cameras set to ignore anything under 15 lbs, wireless video cameras 24/7, many firearms, 900x Celestron telescope. Can also use poison bait if necessary...but do not want to endanger the dogs unnecessarily.

OK, chicken experts, have at it....what breed of chickens do I want? And how many should I keep in the "flock" with two of us in residence, all year?

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

I have had buckeyes. The ones available in my neck of the woods tended to produce some nasty roosters. I like Chanteclers, a Canadian breed. They are very cold hardy and do not have combs. They are also not aggressive. The problem with the heritage breeds is that they are not the best egg layers. I have been crossing out to Cx and leghorns to improve this. The hybrids make a really decent meat bird with better laying as well. You said that your coop is well insulated. It needs to be well ventilated to prevent respiratory illness. If your chickens are acclimated to a heated coop, trouble occurs if something upsets the apple cart. Chickens can handle the cold, they just need to be out of the wind. Do not stock more than 1 bird for every 4 square feet. The more room you can give them, the happier you all will be. If you want the hens to lay year round, lights will be needed to extend the day light hours and you will be looking at replacing the hens every 2-3 years as the egg laying will drop off. I don't know what you will be using the eggs for, breakfast, baking, making meatloaf etcetera, so it is difficult to recommend a # of hens that might work for you.

 

[goshengirl]

We love our Buckeyes!
We went with them as a heritage breed, and have been very happy with them. They're a dual purpose bird - not uber egg producers, but decent layers. They don't butcher up like a Tyson in the grocery store, of course, but some can get quite sizable and butcher well. We have cold winters and hot summers, and they handle it fine. They're friendly without being under foot. We usually have a girl or two that gets really broody, but the rest don't - I don't know why, but it works out well.

 

[Peanut]

I’ve had several breeds through the years. In my opinion ISA Browns can’t be beat for egg production. They were developed for egg production in Europe back in the 60’s.

In a few weeks you can find them at Tractor Supply. They will have a big tub with chicks and the sign will say “Pre-sexed laying hens”. Usually the people that work there won’t know the breed but they are ISA Browns. They are gentle and quiet, not a lot of fussing, just great little hens in my book. I'm done experimenting... only browns for me.

Here is what they will look like at the TS store.

 

[Grimm]

Orpintons and Favorelles. I like Favorelles best. French breed. They are a dual purpose bird and are sweet. Feathered feet and are good with the cold. We had a mixed flock of 12 birds for the 4 of us. WAAAAAAY too many eggs. I sold the extras to cover the cost of their feed and treats. To figure out how many birds you should keep think of how many eggs you will realistically eat in a given week. I figured that we'd eat eggs everyday and each hen laid 3 eggs a week (estimate only). Yeah, not at all correct but it was my thinking. I ended up with hens that laid 4-6 eggs a week.

I recommend that you train any breed you get to be comfortable with water. We have hot summers here and were above the snow line in the winters. We gave our birds a kiddie pool with a few inches of water in the summer. I would toss them in the pool when I would check on them during the heat. Soon they would stand in the water to cool down. It cut down on the time I had the misters running to keep them cool. I hate springs and summers of 90-110 degree weather.

 

[viking]

I have barred rocks and a few roadies, over the years I've had really good results with barred rocks, both can have nasty roosters from time to time. The reds can be wonderers, had one that liked to visit our neighbor on the east, the bad thing is they liked to get out on the county road and the ditch on the other side, lost a few due to that.

 

[NannyPatty]

Buff Orpington are friendly and great dual purpose. Blk australorps are good layers but skittish. Easter Eggers, skittish, but good layers.
RID, friendly and dual purpose. NHR good layers, friendly.

 

[Terri9630]

We had the red rangers and while not the best layers out there they grew like a "slow" broiler. Very meaty. I think I still have a 12 week old roo in the freezer, almost 8lbs cleaned. They did really well in the cold but had trouble when the summer temps stayed above 100. Lost 6 when it hit 117. That's what we are planning to raise once we move up the mountain in a year and a half. Its really to hot for them here.

 

[NannyPatty]

We had the red rangers and while not the best layers out there they grew like a "slow" broiler. Very meaty. I think I still have a 12 week old roo in the freezer, almost 8lbs cleaned. They did really well in the cold but had trouble when the summer temps stayed above 100. Lost 6 when it hit 117. That's what we are planning to raise once we move up the mountain in a year and a half. Its really to hot for them here.

We raised the Cornish so meat birds and butchered at 8 weeks. They were all around 10 lbs. But, they stunk and were just nasty. Are the RR the same?

 

[Terri9630]

No, the red rangers act like regular chickens. Cornish crosses are nasty birds. We feed all our chicks and freezer bound birds a turkey and game bird starter that is 30% protein and they grow like crazy. Non meat birds get switched to layer pellets when they are big enough. The feed stores here used to only carry medicated starter so we started them on turkey feed and had great results so we just kept using it. It gets our fair birds up to the 8-10lb range at 8wks old.

 

[NannyPatty]

Thank you! I'll look into getting some of them. Home raised meat is so much better!

 

[VenomJockey]

Coops are pretty well ventilated ... I think there are six ceiling vents in each, with four floor heat duct vents. The waste heat from the genny will not turn the coops toasty, but will keep the worst chill off them. All the sheds are ducted, but the intention was not to turn them into toasty warm enclaves...just to keep the freezing cold at bay. All the sheds are lighted as well. From what I am seeing above, Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Favorelles, and Buckeyes all seem like pretty good choices. As a rough, very rough, estimate, I'd say we'll likely go through 3 -4 dozen eggs a week, NOT counting any baking use, but including breakfast, fried egg sandwiches, deviled egg salads, macaroni salad, and potato salad....you get the idea.

 

[goshengirl]

How many chickens can you house in your set-up?
Our Buckeyes lay 5-6 eggs/week each during spring/summer/early fall. They don't lay at all during their molt, and only about 2/week in the winter, but we don't use any lights to up their production.

 

[NannyPatty]

My set up will hold around 25-30 chickens. (Look in coop pictures frame 1).. We only have 15 right now and that includes 1 roo. They're in their winter pattern right now, so only getting 1-3 eggs daily, but that's plenty for just me and my hubs.

 

[Bacpacker]

I had Buff Orpintons. Great egg layers, 4-5 eggs each per week not much of a drop thru the winter. That said we are further south than others on here. They are good size birds as well so plenty of meat to be harvested.

 

[Grimm]

Coops are pretty well ventilated ... I think there are six ceiling vents in each, with four floor heat duct vents. The waste heat from the genny will not turn the coops toasty, but will keep the worst chill off them. All the sheds are ducted, but the intention was not to turn them into toasty warm enclaves...just to keep the freezing cold at bay. All the sheds are lighted as well. From what I am seeing above, Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Favorelles, and Buckeyes all seem like pretty good choices. As a rough, very rough, estimate, I'd say we'll likely go through 3 -4 dozen eggs a week, NOT counting any baking use, but including breakfast, fried egg sandwiches, deviled egg salads, macaroni salad, and potato salad....you get the idea.

Our highest egg producers were the sex-linked hens. We had a black sex-linked we called Momma who laid 5-6 eggs a week and 3-5 in winter. The red sex-linked and the easter egger mix hens were the next best layers at 4-5 a week each. As long as we kept them cool in the summer they produced well.

Our coop gave the girls 3 sqft each of floor space but we had an enclosed run that gave each almost 20 sqft of outdoor ground space to peck and scratch each. Shade cloth on the roof and a mister system for the heat. Because of the kiddie pool our girls ended up being water 'foul'. They would be outside in the rain and get drenched and muddy.

 

[Grimm]

I had Buff Orpintons. Great egg layers, 4-5 eggs each per week not much of a drop thru the winter. That said we are further south than others on here. They are good size birds as well so plenty of meat to be harvested.

We were in the mountain foothills for the So California high desert.

 

[TMT Tactical]

I just love being th fly in the ointment. Since this operation is planned for the "Retreat" I would suggest 2 chicken coops kept separate. less chance of loosing all the chickens to disease or losing the only rooster. No daddy, no babies. JM1C

 

[Terri9630]

I had Buff Orpintons. Great egg layers, 4-5 eggs each per week not much of a drop thru the winter. That said we are further south than others on here. They are good size birds as well so plenty of meat to be harvested.

We had some Buffs but they had trouble with our heat too. We currently have California whites, no meat on them but great layers.

 

[Meerkat]

We like the Dominique or Barred Rock duel purpose. They are hardy, docile and lay lots of eggs.

The one who watched the first 3 die from snake bite 'Lucy ' thinks I'm her mother. She comes when I call her and jumps up on my hand and shoulders like a parrot . Loves to be cuddled.

We have never fed any of our chickens medicated feed, gave them shots or animal by products, but that is just us. We will give them shots if needed though. We use DE to worm them.

 

[Meerkat]

Orpintons and Favorelles. I like Favorelles best. French breed. They are a dual purpose bird and are sweet. Feathered feet and are good with the cold. We had a mixed flock of 12 birds for the 4 of us. WAAAAAAY too many eggs. I sold the extras to cover the cost of their feed and treats. To figure out how many birds you should keep think of how many eggs you will realistically eat in a given week. I figured that we'd eat eggs everyday and each hen laid 3 eggs a week (estimate only). Yeah, not at all correct but it was my thinking. I ended up with hens that laid 4-6 eggs a week.

I recommend that you train any breed you get to be comfortable with water. We have hot summers here and were above the snow line in the winters. We gave our birds a kiddie pool with a few inches of water in the summer. I would toss them in the pool when I would check on them during the heat. Soon they would stand in the water to cool down. It cut down on the time I had the misters running to keep them cool. I hate springs and summers of 90-110 degree weather.

Beautiful !

 

[VenomJockey]

Got a half a dozen Orphs, 2 roosters, 4 hens....will start out with one rooster, two hens in each pen/coop.

 

[TMT Tactical]

Got a half a dozen Orphs, 2 roosters, 4 hens....will start out with one rooster, two hens in each pen/coop.

Sounds like areal good plan to me. Separate but equal, just kidding. This way there is less chance of a cross contamination wiping out your entire flock.

 

[VenomJockey]

Sounds like areal good plan to me. Separate but equal, just kidding. This way there is less chance of a cross contamination wiping out your entire flock.

Well, we got two pens/coops for chickens, cause there ain't gonna be any ducks, so may as well split 'em up. Got one for the little piggies, and two for the rabbits.

 

[TMT Tactical]

Well, we got two pens/coops for chickens, cause there ain't gonna be any ducks, so may as well split 'em up. Got one for the little piggies, and two for the rabbits.

In a rural setting even in a SHTF final phase (rebuilding) you could barter for more chickens or rabbits or any other critters but at the Retreat, that is going to be a completely different story. Animal genetic diversity is going to be a problem way down the road. The loss of your flock could mean no eggs or fried chicken at all. For a Southern boy, that is close to purgatory as you are going to get while still living. :sarcasm:

 

[Meerkat]

In a rural setting even in a SHTF final phase (rebuilding) you could barter for more chickens or rabbits or any other critters but at the Retreat, that is going to be a completely different story. Animal genetic diversity is going to be a problem way down the road. The loss of your flock could mean no eggs or fried chicken at all. For a Southern boy, that is close to purgatory as you are going to get while still living. :sarcasm:

TMT, what is animal genetic diversity?

 

[TMT Tactical]

TMT, hat is animal genetic diversity?

The lack of animal diversity will be a problem way down the road. Did I get caught out, well darn. Foiled again.

 

[Terri9630]

TMT, hat is animal genetic diversity?

Genetic diversity requires using unrelated animals. If you don't bring in new blood you'll have in breeding problems eventually.

 

[TMT Tactical]

Genetic diversity requires using unrelated animals. If you don't bring in new blood you'll have in breeding problems eventually.

Now with that in mind, how many chickens and roosters would be needed to maintain a 20 year breeding program? Say for a family of 6 to 8 people to have fresh eggs daily and fried chicken once in a while. Here comes an eye opener VenomJockey.

 

[Meerkat]

Genetic diversity requires using unrelated animals. If you don't bring in new blood you'll have in breeding problems eventually.

Thanks Terri,that makes sense.