[chcikenrunbec]

Hi I live in a small market town in Suffolk and have just bought my first Rhode Island Red Hens. They were former barn hens, very healthy looking too, they have a nice secure coop and a 20' x 10' run. next question is will they lay soon, how often and what yield will I expect. When would they be suitable for meat once they are "egged out"

Thanks.
Chickenrunbec.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Hope you love getting to know your girls and enjoy poultry keeping (sounds very impersonal but I have ducks) as much as the rest of us.
If yours are ex barn hens then they will probably be slowing down on egg production (which is why the farmer got rid of them) and this may be fairly pronounced right now as the days are really shortening and they've had a bit of a shock with the change in home (second only to death of a loved one and divorce in the stress stakes apparently ). They should pick up in spring if not before.

As to eating them when they are egged out, it is of course possible but there will not be much meat on them and it will be pretty tough and stringy and you will have probably falled in love with them by then! If you want birds for meat you are better off getting a dedicated meat bird and eating it young and at it's best.

Welcome again.

[chcikenrunbec]

Thanks I have room for meat birds, I guess Capons would be ideal

[Kate and her Ducks]

Sorry, capons are now illegal in the UK, but there are lots of good meat breeds that put on weight well. There are also good dual purpose breeds, eat the boys, girls for laying. Can't actually tell you what they are unless you are interested in ducks!