We started our new egg layers in May. When they are very small they need a heat lamp to keep them warm. We used a plastic sled and placed it on the back porch so that I could keep constant watch over them. The porch is closed in so no cold air blows on them. We have used these plastic sleds on the hobby farm for so many purposes, I don’t think we could do without 2 or 3. We used wood chips on the bottom to keep them clean and hung a red heat light over the top. The sled was covered to keep the cats out and the chickens in.
After 10 days the chicks were ready to go to the barn and the weather was also warmer. My son used hay bales to limit the space in one of the stalls and hung the heat lamp over the top. As they grew, they were given more freedom and began to climb on the hay bales. In one month, I saw that I had one rooster in the group. He is larger and look at his cone, in fact he stood on the hay bale and tried to crow. It sounded like he had a scratchy throat. When I walk in the pen some of them try to peck my shoes. They are much more aggressive than my older hens. I think they are just normal kids and teens being inquisitive. The older rooster is the protector of my laying hens.
The older egg layers that I have usually lay about 10 to 12 eggs per day from 25 chickens. They did better than that last year, so I decided to get new chickens this year. I got the new ones in May and by late fall or early winter they should be laying eggs. The older chickens will be processed and canned. The older chickens are too tuff except for canning. By the time they are in the pressure cooker for 90 minutes they will make good chicken salad or chicken nuggets. We like the nuggets dipped in garlic sauce. I take a quart of canned chicken with 2 eggs, grind up 1/2 cup of oatmeal, add whatever seasoning you like and fry them in olive oil or lard. I usually make small patties because they cook better than nuggets. We try to eat healthy so stay away from white flour and no vegetable oil. I use cooking lard most of the time but tried the olive oil the other day and it was good. Look at that opossum in my chicken yard, near the hay bales. He didn’t look as though he was a threat to the chickens but don’t trust an opossum. My son got rid of him. Now if you want some good tender chicken grow these white chickens. They are called Cornish Hens and they are ready to eat in 6 to 8 weeks. Notice these are so heavy they just lay around most of the time.
