Flock Rotation

When we first embarked on our adventure of having a flock of chickens, we developed a plan.  Our primary goal for starting with chickens was the obvious reason:  fresh eggs!  Our plan to consistently have fresh eggs is flock rotation.  We figure every two years we will get baby chicks.  Once they start laying eggs, we will process the older ones.

Well, it has been two years and we will be getting baby chicks within the next few months!  Because this will be our first flock rotation, we have a lot to do to get ready.  Because our current ladies have always been together and we have not had any problems, we do not want to upset them or give them reason to become territorial.  For this reason, we will be constructing a smaller coop for the new chicks and a separate fenced in area to go with their new coop.

The work has started on the coop, but because we are DIYers, we work on it when we can.  Above is a sneak peak…it starts with a pallet.  It will be raised off the ground and have a slanted roof.  Mostly made out of re-purposed material, just like our first coop (see it here).  

But for now, we have other exciting things to do:  we get to decide what type of chickens we want.  Although our current coop could accommodate more chickens, we have decided that six works for us and our needs.  Our first flock was Golden Comets (with the accidental Buff Orpington).  They have been a wonderful addition to LL Farm, providing us with delicious eggs.  With the exception of winter months, they have been consistent in laying brown eggs, even during their molting.

For our new flock, we want to be a bit more adventurous.  Chickens that look different and produce different colored eggs.

To see what breeds we are thinking about (and how we are going to get them), please read the rest of this article here at Community Chickens, where I write about chickens.  You can also weigh in on your favorite breed!