OK I didn't have enough projects to work on, so today I ordered 50 Barred Rock Chicks, 40 sexed Pullets, and 10 straight run, so I get some roosters for breeding. I currently have 2 BR hens and 1 RIR hen, and 1 RIR rooster, along with 50 Mallard ducks about half of which are males and need to be dinner. New chicks are from Meyer Hatchery... never used them before but they have chicks available this time of year, others only start in February, I have 2 weeks to clean out the brooders that I left dirty from the last quail hatch... These hens will be raised Free Run, Cage Free, GMO free, Organic, Fertile, humma humma and eggs sold at the Farmers Market to the snowflakes and cupcakes. No big deal on the one day a week to set up at the Market, and of course the extra eggs can be dehydrated and stored. These will be for survival when and if necessary, plan to raise patches of oats, wheat, barley, field corn, worms etc for supplemental feed, so in about 5 months I should have 3-4 dozen eggs per day... Someone shoot me please! Rancher
Sounds like a self inflicted wound to me...but a potentially productive one. My best wishes go to you and your enterprise. Everyone wins, except for the surplus ducks l'orange! For those who like to discharge their fowling pieces at feathered targets....the main site is worth stalking through. Wetlands, Conservation, Waterfowl, Duck Hunting - World Leader in Wetlands Conservation - Ducks Unlimited Here's an additional show and tell video.... Chef John's Orange Duck Video
There's something here on how to do it, basically blend the eggs, put them on a fruit roll up with the corners stapled, and put them in your dehydrator chop up in a processor or coffee grinder. I have also frozen scrambled eggs, use ice cube trays, then bag them. Rancher
Geesh, I must be getting old, that just sounds like a lot of work, but I'm sure it will pay it's dividends in the end if you do your part and the chickens don't drive you crazy. Jacob Waltz raised chickens in Phoenix before he struck it rich in the Superstitions and found that big vein of gold in rose quartz. So maybe this will work out well for you, sure hope so & best of luck in your venture.
once you eat a fresh egg from a free range chicken nothing is ever the same after that...............even chicken is better
