Ever feel lonely when you dont have any PM's waiting for you?

[sumi]

I had about 90 chickens at any given time over the past year and still do. We hatch chicks, sell roosters, lose some to predators. I try not to single out special chickens, but I had one that really stood out. Her name was Joy. Her mom went broody and didn't really want to sit, so her eggs got hatched half by solar heat, half by mom, over a 5 week period. Joy was the last baby. She hatched after we've given up on the eggs and I didn't think she was going to make it, but she did. She didn't grow well though. She died when she was 5 months old and she was about a 1/4 of her sibling's size.
When I think of Joy I remember how she used to jump up like a small dog, asking to be picked up. And every morning I took my DH coffee in bed and sat by him, chatting for a bit, she'd come into the room, ask to be picked up and I'll put her on my DH's chest, under the duvet where she'd sit, happily, until he got up. I have so many wonderful memories of Joy. She passed in August and I still cry about her sometimes.
Sometimes you get this one chicken that stands out from all the others, like your Blanche.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Ewww Sumi!
Chickens in your bed????

I won't go that far

 

[sumi]

What? Not even for a quick morning cuddle?

She was the only one I allowed to do that though. And she never pooped in the bed, not once.
What are you up to?
We're waiting for the sale to go through (3 months) and for MIL to decide if she's moving or not. That could take 3 months too

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Just went for a walk around town with 4 dozen eggs in 3 bags, Sold them all @ 5.00 per dozen. Ahhhhh a fool & their money......

 

[NYRIR]

Had a near tragedy today. We were pumping water into our dam last night and at 5:00am the dam wall decided it had enough. My MIL's gardener was standing right next to the wall, in that exact spot when this happened. Thankfully he noticed the wall cracking up before it blew, so he had enough time to get away. He's badly shaken, but unhurt. Thank God!
The flood caused minimal damage, just a big mess! Stones all over the garden, mud everywhere and a few plants upended. There was about 4000 gallons of water in the dam before this happened. I think we got off light!

Omgoodness! That's scary!
Glad all are ok!
I try not to allow chickens in the house...the only ones that come in are contained in brooders or cages if need be but usually my house is chicken free!I do love them, but mine will all poop anywhere! Hold nothing back....and I mean nothing!

 

[sumi]

I allow chickens to stay in the house if they're injured or very small, like when my chicks were getting eaten daily by predators and I had nowhere safe to keep them but inside with us. But I prefer them pooping outside!
I'm still horrified by what could've happened with the dam. That man came so close to getting killed... Dh heard the whole thing from down here where we live and he said it happened unbelievably fast. A loud crack and a second later BANG! He was so very lucky.
I took some eggs to a regular customer today. She wanted extra eggs and another customer wants extra eggs tomorrow and my hens are toi toing (a S.A. term for going on strike). So I really hope I'll have enough tomorrow and the next day to keep everyone happy. I wish people would understand that I don't magic the eggs up, my chickens are going to what they're going to do. I get so irritated sometimes when people moan because they can't get eggs or get more eggs or even worse, drop in when I'm at work and DH sells them eggs and I don't have enough to fill orders. And their feed is so expensive now, I barely get enough sales to cover their food. I often wonder if it's worth carrying on doing this. I've inspired a few other farmers in the area to keep hens and sell free range eggs, so I'm not the only supplier any more

 

[NYRIR]

Man that must be scary....to be so close to being crushed!

I know what you mean about expenses....it is terribly expensive. I don't come close to covering my costs...let alone make any money! I do have fun with it though and love my birds so much!

 

[sumi]

Turning it into a business kinda took the fun out of it for me. I think at the moment I'd just like to keep enough chickens for eggs for us and maybe some to sell to cover their food, but nothing major.
Things are developing on the property selling/MIL not moving anymore front. Don't like where this is going... Am waiting for everyone to calm down and decide what we're doing. A bit of advice: don't EVER buy a property with anyone, unless you're married to that person.

 

[NYRIR]

Turning it into a business kinda took the fun out of it for me. I think at the moment I'd just like to keep enough chickens for eggs for us and maybe some to sell to cover their food, but nothing major.
Things are developing on the property selling/MIL not moving anymore front. Don't like where this is going... Am waiting for everyone to calm down and decide what we're doing. A bit of advice: don't EVER buy a property with anyone, unless you're married to that person.

and even then it can be tricky

I am trying to decide if I wanna go larger or just pick a few breeds to sell to cover some costs.It is a lot of work brooding these guys and all. I am constantly cleaning/watering/feeding/checking etc all the birds. I love it though but people don't realize how much work it is.You need to sanitize feeders,clean coops,collect eggs,treat injuries or illnesses,paint,build,repair,feed,water,hatch,sell.....lol...you get the idea!

What gets in the way is my night job!

 

[sumi]

Maybe get some breeding pairs and sell hatching eggs/chicks? I wanted to do something like that here, but the quarantine

DH decided we're not going anywhere until we sell MIL's house (which we also co-own) as well

So we're moving ahead, but we're still stuck. If that makes any sense. This is so frustrating...