There ar elots of rescues on the net that have Cocks for adoption. I always kept a couple Banty Hens to raise the babies, kept the other hens from going broody & not giving me breakfast eggs!
Remember, Banty Hens can hatch golf balls!

If you have more eggs than you know what to do w/.... Get yourself some Waterglass (aka Socium Silicate). you dilute it w/ water (don't remember the proportions, but I'm sur ethere's a website) & put the eggs in it. It seals the pores of the egg & preserves it. Keep the water mixture 1" above the level of the eggs, in a tub. I think I read about htis in the old OG, or one of the Rodale press books, back in the early '80's.
That way, you'll have some set aside for winter when production cuts down.

I am interested in that seal-up preservation method.
Eggs already have some (a lot of ?) resistence to through-shell-invasions and I have heard that washing them removes this protective layer secreted by the hen. As a result, we endure a little mud and "other" debris on the shells, but do keep eggs for as long as a month. Anyone ever had eggs go bad? Were they washed?

DaveM, are you building a chicken tractor?

I am building a chicken tractor. I'm almost done with it and once I get it out in the yard I'll take some pics and post 'em so I can get some feedback.

Please do!
I eventually plan on building a chicken tractor, plus a "chick tractor", something smaller, with smaller mesh wire for when the chickies are fletched out, but still too small to join the big birds. DH wants me to hold off on any new birds this year , because he wants to re-situate our main coop and rebuild our covered run. (Pretty much a necessity where we live.) I am busy hatching plans right now, and would love to see what you come up with.

BTW, all you other chook-folk out there: what breeds do you have, and what methods do you use? (ie - permaculture, free range & up at night, chicken tractor, coops & runs, etc...?)

http://www.tartergate.com/chicken.php
Check this out -I posted this before but it's soo cool I couldn't help doing it again.

When I had chickens, they were free range, and every two years i got new chicks. Bardrocks then RIR's. I had 4 acres for them to roam and they did every bit of it daily. Dont'forget to supply them with oyster shells for egg shell production, an automatic waterer is a blessing, with a cleaning using bleach once a week. I had one rooster, and he was very protective of his flock. Once I saw him fight off a chicken hawk. Never lost a hen in the ten years I had chickens..

As for the excess eggs, I sold them to neighbors, peers at work, and one beauty shop owner bought 8 dozen a week. Free range/fertile eggs are better for you then store bought. BTW, I bought 2 dozen chicks every two years, sexed for hens. In six months when they started laying, I culled the older hens out and sold them at the small animal auction market, usually got $4 a hen for them.

Thanks for posting - - neat stuff, and some ideas to look at.

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