I just got finished placing my poultry order with Ideal Hatchery for an April delivery of chicks
It's been quite a few years since I've had a flock so I hope I made good choices. Mostly I want hardy (cold weather hardy) birds mostly for eggs but some will be culled for meat. Mostly I chose straight run and we'll see what I end up with. Here is what I ordered.
Light Brahmas Pullet ~ 3
Black Australorps St Run ~10
Buff Orpingtons St Run ~10
Red Chantecler St Run ~ 4
Partridge Silkies St Run ~ 3 (too cute had to add a couple)
Blue Cochins Pullet ~ 2 (just because they're so pretty)
Salmon Faverolle St Run ~ 4
Ameraucanas (Araucanas) St Run ~ 4 (just because , we'll see how they turn out)
French Guineas St Run ~ 5 (and I've been wanting some guineas for the yard for bugs/snakes)
I do plan on placing an order for some turkeys and for some odd reason I'm drawn to the look of the runner ducks but am trying to talk myself out of it....lol. I'm leaning toward Royal Palm on the turkeys and maybe a couple Bourbon Red as well. Turkeys are for the freezer.
It's also been many years since I butchered, not looking forward to that part of it, but will be able to do it fine.
~Julie =0)
I've gone and done it now
Ooooh. Envy.........
That's going to be one good-looking flock. I've heard good things about runner ducks and slug control in the garden. :)
Congrats! Can't wait to see pics.
Muscogee ducks lay some of the best eggs I have ever eaten.
Wish I was moved already so I could get started on chicks.
Lavina
Julie,
I will have to keep an eye on your thread! LOL! DH has been wanting guineas since we moved here 3 years ago. (for tick control) All I've heard and read is bad - very noisy and they will scratch in my flowers. He is starting to consider chickens instead, but I'm told pretty much the same thing - they will scratch in my flowers and the young roosters are over anxious and start crowing about 2am. If either one scratches up my flowers, we won't even have to worry about coyotes - I'll take them out myself! Good luck with yours and keep us posted!
Debra
Debra, a full-size standard breed hen can send a lovely daffodil bulb flying six feet through the air. I've seen it happen, and it ain't pretty.
ROTFLMBO.......and crying at the same time, Zeppy!
Debra
LOL..... I know from past experience chickens can be very "harsh" on a garden. They scratch up and seem to eat everything. Before when I had chickens I let them free-range all day and only locked the coop up at night. We live in a wooded area but they still managed to get into places I didn't want them. This time I am thinking they will stay in the coop/chicken yard. Although time will tell...lol.
As for guineas this will be my first time having any. I've heard that while they scratch and hunt they are not as bad as chickens.... we'll see. I plan to let them free range. Last year was the first time ever I had to pull ticks (3 of them) off my dog. So the guineas have a purpose !!
All in all I'm looking forward to the whole experience !!!
I haven't placed my order yet for the runners or the turkeys. I really wanted less than the minimum I am seeing listed at the hatcheries I am visiting online. I did toy with buying eggs and hatching some out, it might be more cost effective. I gave my incubator away a long time ago.... decisions, decisions...lol
~Julie =0)
Julie, I hope you will share photos of your birds when you get them. I know nothing about chickens, but they sure sound pretty!
Debra
Julie,
DH & I have had guineas free-ranging for years. They are wonderful for snakes, bugs, grasshoppers, ticks, just to name a few and I am super happy to report that my guineas DO NOT touch my gardens.............I must admit though, that I think the cats have marked all my flowerbeds/gardens are "their" turf and they wouldn't DARE allow a darn guinea to enter "their" turf. LOL Do you have cats outside? Can't wait to see your pics........please keep us posted on your decisions! I am expecting my Cackle Hatchery order on Tuesday - - - I've got 26 various types of chickens coming, and a few turkeys too! How did your incubator fan work out?
Belinda
Ooooh pleeeeeeease show us your chickens and guinea's!
Debra
i have guineas. they are best if you get them young and pen tem for about a month before you free range them. that way they know where home is.
i inherited adults but the ones i have had roaming never seemed to bother my flowers or the beds. they actually keep alot of pests down. they eat those bad grub worm thingys too. cant stand them. ewww
they are noisy at times ( mostly when in danger or seperated from the others( they are a pack bird and hate to be alone) shoot mine only talk when its feeding time. they are penned up as i bought a few new ones to go with the last one i had. its mate was hit by a car so had to get it some friends.
Haven't gotten around to doing the incubator yet. Still collecting stuff. Maybe will get to it this weekend, although I have to work Saturday which is unusual for me. That's usually my day to catch up on housework that I missed all week long...lol. Although there is no rush since I let myself get out bid on the turkey eggs. It was a great mix of just what I wanted Bourbon Reds and Royal Palms, but I don't want to pay $60 + for eggs and then have them go wrong in the mail. I keep hearing about shipping issues, delays, cold weather, x-rayed pkgs and breakage.
So I went back to my hatchery list and placed an order at Cackle Hatchery. I have to wait for my order to be confirmed to see if it's accepted. I saw a minimum on chicks but not a minimum on turkey specific. We'll see what they say when they get my order.
I added
3-bourbon red turkey
2-royal palm
2-giant white
1-narragansett turkey
3-indian runner ducks (they only list fawn)
5-buff orpington st run (needed to beef up my order to meet the min chicks sent)
Sandhill preservation has a great deal on mixed (color assorted) indian runner ducks only $2.50 each. They had a great list of colors for the runner ducks. But you need a minimum of 15 and while I debated and was sorely tempted...lol, I passed on that. Sandhill was already selling out of the turkeys I wanted. They also had mixed (assorted colors) frizzle chicks for $3.00 each.
I've got a couple outside cats but they usually won't tackle anything larger than a chipmunk. It's the coons and other critters I have to look out for.
Can I keep the guineas in with the hens until they get old enough to free range safely or should I give them a pen/shelter of their own ??
~Julie =0)
~Julie =0)
Have you considered a chicken tractor?
i dont see why you couldnt keep them in the same pen till the guineas are old enough. i have a book somewhere will look in it later once i find it. need it anyway to start my female on hen laying mash anyway.
Julei, would you local County Extension Service or 4-H Club be able to give you information?
Debra
Hi Julie ~
Yes, you can leave your guineas in with your hens if that is your only option.............but be prepared that if you leave them there very long, that will always be home to them. How did your order from Cackle Hatchey turn out? I talked to Nancy @ Cackle yesterday and she was bundling up my babies ad sending them this direction! YEAH!!!!!! :-) Can't wait to get them and see how they faired the trip.
I have two bourbon red turkey eggs in the bator now - - - - have you looked on eggbid.com or chixbid.com for some turkey eggs that aren't 60.00? Also, I check eBay listings daily for new postings. Often sellers will let you purchase early if your offer is fair enough - - - just a thought I wanted to share.
Belinda
Go to www.poultryconnection.com to see if you can find some eggs at a reasonable price.
We have had Bourbon Red/Spanish Black crosses before. They make nice big birds and great pets. We had a tom & a hen a few years ago and they raiseds some babies. Thomas thought he was a dog and followed us around all over the place. Abigail would let me bring her babies into the house at night and then would take them back the next day. That was so they didn't get hurt in the bird house. We had raised both of them from babies and they were very docile.
Hi Belinda, Is there a problem with keeping guineas and chickens together all the time ? What about keeping turkeys with chickens? Donna
I am not expecting either of my orders to be delivered until sometime in April. I just got my power back this afternoon after it being out since Thursday due to an ice storm. Boy was I glad I didn't have any chickies under brooder lights !!!
~Julie
a male guinea will fight with the male roosters and drive the roosters away from the food slowly starving them to death. its a terriorty thing with them.
also it is said male guineas can mate with female chickens and crossbreeds come about but i have heard with lots of problems like this.
i know my male guinea is very terriotorial. so it isnt really a good idea to keep them housed together. only until about one year of age then i would separte them.
Marie
I only plan on keeping them together as chicks, hoping to brood them together. Once everyone is old enough I plan for them to be moved outside. The turkeys will have a pen of their own as will the chickens. The guineas may spend a few weeks in the chicken coop before being turned out to free range. I live in a wooded area so they will have plenty of places to roost.
I hope to be able to turn the turkeys and chickens out on occasion to forage a bit but expect to lock them up at night.
~Julie
Good plan. I feel much safer when my chickens are tucked away at night, and they like it too! They always return to the coop. Smart girls.