IMPORTANT FOR CHICKEN INQUIRIES
Due To Covid we have seen a fabulous upsurge of people taking control of what they eat and growing local. This has meant everyone wants laying birds in there back yard TODAY,,,, sorry folks that’s not possible as there’s no tap we can turn on! Amazon hasn’t figured out how to provide this service yet. Luckily it isn’t hard to raise birds, check out the videos below.
Spring is the time when a variety of breeds of day-old chicks are naturally available. Depending on their breed, it takes 18 weeks to 6 months to turn a day-old chick into a point-of-lay hen. Small farmers and backyard enthusiasts may raise them to point of lay for you or you do it yourself. Generally, point-of-lay birds are available as an extra by product of our supermarket food chain, these birds have been bred for super high production, efficient feed use with a quick turnover, keeping eggs cheap in the supermarket. We have heard from small flock owners that they are often disappointed by these beak clipped birds.
Unless you get really lucky and someone’s reducing their flock of already-laying birds,{In 2020 as likely as a hens tooth} the way to get an egg laying chicken, is to put an order in for day-old chicks, which you then raise to that point-of-lay moment. Once your chicken is laying, you can expect (from the good breeds) to get a really good first year of laying. Some breeds carry on for many years.
To connect with an island business that brings in and produces point-of-lay birds, check out Reliable Poultry’s website here.
We have a limited number of day-old chicks arriving in July.
FABULOUS BACKYARD POULTRY VIDEOS
Chicken Workshops
We used to offer a 2 hour practical session about chickens that encompasses a range of necessary knowledge to start / maintain a healthy flock. Learn from the beginning stages of housing and feeding right the way through to the common pitfalls one might encounter. On top of that, we talk about how to provide your family with your own food & reduce your carbon footprint. The 100 yard diet!
Plans are underway to start up again soon…..small numbers, outside, social distancing.. all possible Just need to create a bit more time somehow.
Our Knowledge
We’ve been raising birds for over 30 years now and are passionate about all it entails! Our flock is mixed between approx. 60% of proven cross-bred layers with 40% consisting of ‘rare’ breeds. This ensures genetic diversity in hopes of strengthening the survival in extreme conditions – diseases, earthquakes, feed shortage etc. We invite those who purchase our Eggs to visit the flock and see first-hand where their food comes from. For protection, Roosters range with our birds, resulting in fertile eggs; they can be taken and incubated. We feed a NON GMO ration to supplement their pastured foraging. All chicken feed sold in BC is vegetable based. Like dog food , the quality and digestibility of what you feed your chickens will be evident in their health and production. We believe that Pro Forms rations are superior and our customers confirm that with anecdotes about how much less feed they need and less manure is produced.
Chicken terminology
Rooster
A male adult chicken, beautiful but noisy, a flock of hens don’t need a rooster to be productive but the eggs can’t be fertile without a rooster around.
Hen
A female adult chicken, produces eggs
Point of Lay
A chicken at the start of it’s reproductive, egg laying life. The age a chicken reaches point of lay varies depending on breed and time of year, from 17 weeks old and up to 6 or 7 months for the “rare” breeds. They are rare for a reason!
Pullet
A young female hen
