junebuggena
Crowing
For breeding, it would be best to have a separate coop and run for each breed and each variety. AI is not very simple when it comes to chickens. And hens do have the ability to reject sperm, making it even harder. Natural breeding is much more effective.
Adult birds will molt in the fall, causing them to stop laying for several weeks. And even pullets can be affected by the shortening daylight of fall/winter. There is no such thing as a 100% efficient/productive flock. And roosters' fertility is also affected by the fall daylight change. A hen actually reaches full laying potential during her second summer, so usually about 18 months to 2 years of age. By her third summer, her production will begin to decline. I like to keep a few older birds to help keep the younger birds in line.
For brooding, it becomes exponentially more difficult, the more chicks you have. Chicks grow so quickly, that keeping up with their space needs can become quite challenging. The more chicks you have in a space, the faster they will outgrow it. Building something that will adequately house your expected chick volume till they are off heat will be better than moving them to a new space each week. If you expect to have 20 or more chicks at a time, that means some sort of building or room, rather than a small wooden box.
It is very difficult to turn any sort of profit by hatching and raising on a small scale. Hatcheries make a profit by incubating and hatching by the hundreds. They also have limited overhead by selling sexed pullets the day they are hatched, and disposing of cockerels. They don't keep what doesn't sell, as a general rule. It would be better for you to focus on breeding quality birds, rather than turning out as many poor quality, hatchery stock birds as possible. The hatcheries already mass produce poor quality birds. What is needed, especially for Marans and Legbars, are serious breeders that work on preserving the breed and working to better it.
Quality birds, that meet the breed standard are worth more than hatchery stock birds. Pick one breed to focus on, and learn it well. Build up a flock of good quality breeding stock. Start small, and gradually scale up. Be selective about the birds you keep for breeding. Do not expect to actually make much money, good breeders seldom do.
Adult birds will molt in the fall, causing them to stop laying for several weeks. And even pullets can be affected by the shortening daylight of fall/winter. There is no such thing as a 100% efficient/productive flock. And roosters' fertility is also affected by the fall daylight change. A hen actually reaches full laying potential during her second summer, so usually about 18 months to 2 years of age. By her third summer, her production will begin to decline. I like to keep a few older birds to help keep the younger birds in line.
For brooding, it becomes exponentially more difficult, the more chicks you have. Chicks grow so quickly, that keeping up with their space needs can become quite challenging. The more chicks you have in a space, the faster they will outgrow it. Building something that will adequately house your expected chick volume till they are off heat will be better than moving them to a new space each week. If you expect to have 20 or more chicks at a time, that means some sort of building or room, rather than a small wooden box.
It is very difficult to turn any sort of profit by hatching and raising on a small scale. Hatcheries make a profit by incubating and hatching by the hundreds. They also have limited overhead by selling sexed pullets the day they are hatched, and disposing of cockerels. They don't keep what doesn't sell, as a general rule. It would be better for you to focus on breeding quality birds, rather than turning out as many poor quality, hatchery stock birds as possible. The hatcheries already mass produce poor quality birds. What is needed, especially for Marans and Legbars, are serious breeders that work on preserving the breed and working to better it.
Quality birds, that meet the breed standard are worth more than hatchery stock birds. Pick one breed to focus on, and learn it well. Build up a flock of good quality breeding stock. Start small, and gradually scale up. Be selective about the birds you keep for breeding. Do not expect to actually make much money, good breeders seldom do.
I hear ducks are pretty bad... why I don't have any. I only have 1 acre. And with that many chickens their poo ain't gold to my garden. So I finally started sending it off in the trash can. Your grandparents sound awesome!
That doesn't do me much good. And I've had to cull 2 other birds for sprigs on their combs and another for wrong colored shanks. No point in passing on bad genetics. Especially in the case of the CCL, what is the point in breeding them if you don't ONLY breed the ones you can identify gender at hatch? Too many people selling the basic bird that doesn't conform is unfortunate. 
With Marans I want those dark eggs and how can I expect them if I see white feathers?
Everybody has different goals....
