Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Need to raise some chickens and need help.

Talked to Mon & Dad and my sister/brother-in-law. Each think 24 meat birds per year/per household should be enough. So, I think the max would be 60 birds, and that's what the coop will hold so I don't see having more than that amount of birds at any one time.

Thinking of going with Cornish X for the meat birds, and going with 30 to start once it gets to ordering time. That way if I screw up the first batch there won't be a lot of time invested in them. Plus some Araucanas/Ameraucanas for eggs (unless there's a different breed that I should consider). I think I read that the Araucanas/Ameraucanas do better in cold than other species.

Re: eggs. I don't need a bunch. 2-3 per day is more than enough for all of us. Color of the eggs is of no importance. The families like eggs on the large size.

As for butchering, that's the easy part. There's a group of Amish ladies not too far from here that do that for $1/bird. Bring them in live, pick them up in individual plastic bags.