Posted on 01/02/2015 6:13:58 AM PST by C19fan
The new year is expected to bring rising chicken egg prices across the U.S. as California starts requiring farmers to house hens in cages with enough space to move around and stretch their wings. The new standard backed by animal rights advocates has drawn ire nationwide because farmers in Iowa, Ohio and other states who sell eggs in California have to abide by the same requirements. To comply, farmers have to put fewer hens into each cage or invest in revamped henhouses, passing along the expense to consumers shopping at grocery stores. California is the nation's largest consumer of eggs and imports about one-third of its supply.
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Pretty much any major change in weather will shut them down for a few days. Stress from getting scared or some change in their lives will also shut them down.
Ideally you can get 1/day/hen but in reality I would figure 80%.
Molt happens in November/December just about the time you want eggs for the holidays. Molt is based on length of light and can be pushed until spring by leaving the light on and not letting them go outside of the house at night.
Would you be a vegetarian? Or simply hunt your meat?
Sadly, we don’t live in a perfect world, of course, and there’s the problem of feeding 7 Billion plus people.
As a Christian, I believe every human soul has as much value before God as I do, so population control methods that enslave or kill people are morally wrong.
As a rural Alabamian, keeping farm animals the more traditional way is not any more awful for the animal than taking a deer or pheasant... In fact, probably better.
I was a nice guy too towards animals when I first got here in rural MO. Not PETA like though.
Once you get a taste of what varmints (dogs too) can do, you smarten up.
Ditter, regarding the reach, grab and tearing of necks, I learned the hard way on that too. Had some young guinea hens in a steel dog cage left outside. This is to get them used to your property so they won’t leave. Over a few days you let one out at a time everyday. Anyway, before I let any out, same thing as your friend - found them dead, heads pulled off. Coons are blessed with killing skills.
Sounds like controlling bloom time in some plants.
You don’t need a rooster for the hens to lay.
The problem with Midwest winters and egg laying is light, not cold.
Add a light on a timer for morning and evening and they’ll keep laying.
Good point. Could it be that egg producers are using the CA issue as an excuse to raise prices on everybody?
some guys use lights and heat lights in the coops to keep chickens laying through the winter.
I like to give my hens an offseason just like ballplayers. Heal up and come out in the spring swinging.
No rooster unless you want more chickens.
Thanks for the rooster warning.
I agree with you. Healthier chickens mean better, healthier, high-quality eggs for us. Yeah, they’ll cost a bit more, but the long-term benefits will outweigh that cost. I notice the chicken owners on this thread don’t appear to have their chickens locked up in cages too small for them to move in.
This is a good thing.
FReepers are really gonna flip their lids when similar requirements are passed for cows.
Clay, you are right about weather changes. One summer here in MO we had a stretch where it was cooking hot and humid. Hens went on strike until cooler conditions.
Damn labor striking birds then like to all lay under our porch where the concrete is shaded and cool. Crap everywhere.
No roosters => no neighbors knowing you have chickens or having reason to complain about them.
The issue is not eggs. The issues are the number of things that increase in price directly caused by the dictatorship in Sacramento, and by how much.
Starters for 2015: eggs and gasoline. Any others?
How much is enough room for the chicken?
and multiple roosters will fight each other and rape and abuse the hens. Not kidding. Go to a farm that has too many roosters and not enough hens, the hens are all beat up and missing feathers on their backs and head from the roosters.
Well when eggs get to $1 a piece then what?????????????
O.K.
Thank you.
I just called my neighbor that I buy eggs (”farm”)from, and he filled me in on laying hens. He told me what you just said.
hey, the only thing that is allowed to be affordable today is useless entertainment electronics and everyday apparel.
I believe that.
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