Niagara Greetings!

New to PTO? Want to stop in and say hi and introduce yourself? Here's the place to do it!
Fullcircle
Newly Hatched Chick
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by Fullcircle » Thu Feb 09, 2017 12:33 pm

:cow: Hi! I'm new here, and new to raising layers... so I'll have lots of reading to do and plenty of questions!

I am mom to our four kids, and wife to a very patient man. I'm a nurse who always wanted to farm... but my parents discouraged those inclinations...so, after 25 yrs of nursing, dear hubby and decided to take the plunge and give homesteading/small farming a "go". Of note: DH is not at all inclined to farm...this is my dream...but he's willing to indulge me...and it's my job to balance hobby and business aspects- this property has to cover its own expenses.

I raised 300 white rock broilers on pasture last year, and sold them in July, September, and November, along with pastured chicken eggs. In January we processed 2 pasture-raised, grain finished bull calves for veal (from the dairy where I milk every morning), and will have another two ready to process in the mid to late summer, depending on pasture. We will repeat the broilers in spring and fall again, and I'll be growing produce for sale as well this year... it will be busy!

We have had chickens for three years: first in a backyard coop in town, and a year ago we bit the bullet and purchased a small farm. Now we have a flock of 40 ISA brown hens, 4 home- grown pullets (EE rooster over ISA brown hens) who just started to lay, (one roo from that hatch), a gorgeous mystery roo "Archie" who was given to me via the SPCA (thinking maybe BCM or Welsummer?) and an Orpington/Silkie cross roo "Mr Lodge" (free off Kijiji).

Considering the replacement cost of 40 RTL pullets, and how much we enjoy having chicks in the house, I've read all the threads on the topic I can find, and asked for an incubator for my birthday (this weekend). I plan to raise our own flock, going forward. I enjoy heritage breeds, and breeding for conservation, so I'm researching right now, and can't wait to get started!

If anyone wants to share their experiences with Welsummers, Chanteclers, and Sussex, those are my focus (I think) at this point. I'm certainly open to other suggestions! I'm looking for good feed conversions, foraging insticts, winter hardy, reliable layers, with mild temperaments (not flighty) and which are good sized. ISA brown have been excellent laying birds but are very independent and super scrawny! I'd rather have birds that lay a little less but look healthier and have better egg quality for longer... our production hens need to take a break to get in better condition but just won't stop laying!! Egg quality seems to diminish (runnier whites, thinner shells) as they get beyond 14 mos... I feel like heritage breeds might just hold up longer.

I look forward to meeting/ hearing from you... are there many PTO folks in Niagara?

I guess this got a little long... kudos to you if you've hung in this far!

Kristy
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thegawd
Head Cockerel-Moderator
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Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:30 pm
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Location: Port Lambton
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by thegawd » Thu Feb 09, 2017 12:53 pm

Welcome aboard Kristy! We have all your poultry needs and then some! it sure sounds like you have an awesome thing going for you! Congrats! I keep Heritage Rhode Island Reds myself. they are an excellent layer of large - extra large eggs but dont quite compare to production birds. I love my reds though and they are my focus. I also keep light brown leghorns which are awesome layers of large white eggs. in the near future I'm going to be getting my hands on some partridge chanteclars.

have a good one!

:beer2:
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Al

Home Grown Poultry

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Bayvistafarm
Chatty Hen
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Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:45 pm
Location: Hamilton Ontario
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by Bayvistafarm » Thu Feb 09, 2017 12:58 pm

Welcome!! You'll have fun here..... and join us each morning in the Good Morning thread and let us know whats happening in your day!
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Killerbunny
Poultry Guru - total zen level
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Location: Brockville
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by Killerbunny » Thu Feb 09, 2017 1:48 pm

:welcome:
Love the chicks every time! Baby dust in the basement!
:broodyhen:
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:iheartpto:
Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
:turkey:

:bat:

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ross
Teenaged Cockerel
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Location: Parkhill /Thedford SW Ont
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by ross » Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:14 pm

Welcome have fun ..luck
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ENJOY YOUR HUNTING / FISHING HERITAGE & the GREATNESS of CANADA

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baronrenfrew
Stringy Old Chicken
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by baronrenfrew » Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:03 pm

Well good day eh! You've definetly come to the right place.
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Diligently follow the path of two swords as one. Percieve that which the eye cannot see. Seek the truth in all things. Do not engage in useless activity.

The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsmen

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Flat Rock Farm
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by Flat Rock Farm » Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:40 pm

:welcome: to PTO Kristy. Glad you joined the forum :yay:
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poultry_admin
Site Admin
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by poultry_admin » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:30 pm

Hello Kristy!

There are breeders near you on this forum. We have a map here: http://pto.ca/forum/usermap/ where you can put your own marker on and also see the others near you.

Have fun!
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Be brave enough to suck at something new!
Political Grace: The art of disagreeing well.

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Happy
Poultry Guru - pullet level
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Location: Wasaga Beach
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by Happy » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:49 pm

Hello and welcome! Handsome roo you have there!
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kenya
Henny Penny
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Niagara Greetings!

Post by kenya » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:38 pm

Hello and welcome!
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