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| Always kept the new chicks coming on and replaced the whole shebang every year. Got the new baby chicks about March 1. Early summer the brooder houses were pulled out to a hayfield so the pullets could free range. Laying hens were always shut in the big chicken house year-round. Pullets would start laying in the summer. Always loved those first pullet eggs. Free range on green grass, alfalfa, bugs, etc, made for nice firm eggs with dark yolks. That's the thing I miss most now about store bought eggs from "factory farm chickens" is they have such pathetically pale yolks. Sorry, I'm deviating from the story here. Meanwhile, back at the ranch: By fall the old hens went to Campbell Soup and the chicken house was cleaned thoroughly and made ready for the new young chickens coming in. Chickes will live and lay eggs for a long time, I really don't know how many years. But IMO, after one year the egg laying breeds are kinda burned out. Quality and uniformity of the eggs suffers. Chickens are one thing I DO NOT miss LOL!
Edited by John SD 12/24/2007 13:47
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For the poultry guys--- about how long do hens produce eggs ............
