Saying goodbye to some of the ladies

It has been almost two years since we got our first batch of layers and we are starting to see a drop off in their productivity. We were intentional about the type of breeds we chose because we wanted heavy layers (300+). We went with the Rhode Island Reds and the Plymouth Barred Rocks for round one and they did really well. This was in September when we closed on our house. The following Spring we went out and bought some more layers to add to the flock. These were more “fancy” layers. The kids wanted to get different types of breeds because they liked the look of the chicks..

Fast forward to present day, and we have 20 layers and three rooster who are rounding out their second season of laying. We have heard that productivity tends to drop after the second year. We are also looking to get a break from livestock this winter so we have decided that we would give our ladies away. Why give them away some might ask? Well, we have seen some selling their layers for money, but it just doesn’t seem right to take money for an old bird that has worked hard for us. Especially since we cannot guarantee their productivity. So, we have some friends that are on the mountain with us that are looking to start their homestead and we will be giving them part of the flock.