Hi fellow chicken lovers
A little about me and my chicks.
I have kept chickens (for eggs) for about 8 years now. At the time I came across info about how the egg industry produces what ppl can buy in the grocery stores. I always have a soft spot for the under dog. Going to the store after that and trying to buy eggs.......after reading article after article and seeing video and pics. I just couldn't do it anymore.........so we got some baby chicks at our local feed store. Over the years our flock has had an 'ebb & flow'. Everything from old age deaths to dogs killing all but one that jumped the fence into the next yard(that stinking dog went through 2 fences to get to the flock! I love dogs, but I am glad that chicken killer dog from down the road has gone on to doggie heaven! We recently had a downturn. My health has had some difficulty and I decided to just let our "Old lady flock" live out their lives and then not get any more. But wouldn't you know it. Once you get chickens.......I don't think you can ever not have one again. I got a diagnosis which helped improve things and my daughters science teacher ordered some hatching eggs for a school project. And because we "have chickens" somehow my girl thought that makes us experts on helping her teacher through the process. Hmmm......I have never even done that. But when the eggs all started hatching WAY before the teacher was told they should hatch, I got an emergency call. So to the rescue I went with heat light, feeder, waterer and etc. Somehow my daughter felt entitled to receive one the chicks since they used some of our gear. Actually she wanted to bring all of them home. But other kids were taking some as well and she ended up only with one. Once again my soft heart was just not able to stand the though of a lone chick. That's just sad, one lonely baby. So my girl went to Daddy and gave him sweet eyes. We now have a beautiful different new flock of 9week olds in a new coop. New kinds, new questions and a new adventure. On top of that we got a crazy idea that it would be a good idea to buy some Jumbo CornishX. They are so disgusting!! But I only have a couple of weeks left for those before they can be butchered. Lesson learned. I don't know if I can ever do them again. Well, unless we move somewhere else with more land and they can be further from the house. STINKY THINGS!!! I am moving in to the frame of mind that I would rather have a sustainable flock. Which raises many more questions about breeds that I have been reading and pondering. I ended up with a pair of Houdans in this new batch of chicks we got from the feed store. Which I am sure (from what I have read) are not up to standard on size. They are way more stand offish than other breeds have been for me and I am interested to see what the rooster ends up being like temperament wise. Probably more importantly for me personally is how loud will he be, lol. Pretty sure I heard someone trying out their crow this am. But now sure if it was him. Time will tell.
I must give props for the Processing thread and FF threads in the Meat section. They have been very helpful. All the birds really love the FF.
My flock includes the new babies.....1 Barred Rock(I believe, from school), 1 pair M Houdans, 3 Silkies, 1 white Bantam, 1 Frizzle Bantam, 3 Red Sex Link hens, 2 Ameracauna hens, 1 Egyptian Fayomi.
The old ladies, 1, Barred Rock, 2 Red Sex Link, 3 Ameracaunas, 1 white Crested Black Polish.
And the stinky 20 CX........going to freezer......not soon enough.
Was it me 3 mo ago that said just let them live out their lives and not get anymore.......hmmm......distant memories that I cannot quite remember.
A little about me and my chicks.
I have kept chickens (for eggs) for about 8 years now. At the time I came across info about how the egg industry produces what ppl can buy in the grocery stores. I always have a soft spot for the under dog. Going to the store after that and trying to buy eggs.......after reading article after article and seeing video and pics. I just couldn't do it anymore.........so we got some baby chicks at our local feed store. Over the years our flock has had an 'ebb & flow'. Everything from old age deaths to dogs killing all but one that jumped the fence into the next yard(that stinking dog went through 2 fences to get to the flock! I love dogs, but I am glad that chicken killer dog from down the road has gone on to doggie heaven! We recently had a downturn. My health has had some difficulty and I decided to just let our "Old lady flock" live out their lives and then not get any more. But wouldn't you know it. Once you get chickens.......I don't think you can ever not have one again. I got a diagnosis which helped improve things and my daughters science teacher ordered some hatching eggs for a school project. And because we "have chickens" somehow my girl thought that makes us experts on helping her teacher through the process. Hmmm......I have never even done that. But when the eggs all started hatching WAY before the teacher was told they should hatch, I got an emergency call. So to the rescue I went with heat light, feeder, waterer and etc. Somehow my daughter felt entitled to receive one the chicks since they used some of our gear. Actually she wanted to bring all of them home. But other kids were taking some as well and she ended up only with one. Once again my soft heart was just not able to stand the though of a lone chick. That's just sad, one lonely baby. So my girl went to Daddy and gave him sweet eyes. We now have a beautiful different new flock of 9week olds in a new coop. New kinds, new questions and a new adventure. On top of that we got a crazy idea that it would be a good idea to buy some Jumbo CornishX. They are so disgusting!! But I only have a couple of weeks left for those before they can be butchered. Lesson learned. I don't know if I can ever do them again. Well, unless we move somewhere else with more land and they can be further from the house. STINKY THINGS!!! I am moving in to the frame of mind that I would rather have a sustainable flock. Which raises many more questions about breeds that I have been reading and pondering. I ended up with a pair of Houdans in this new batch of chicks we got from the feed store. Which I am sure (from what I have read) are not up to standard on size. They are way more stand offish than other breeds have been for me and I am interested to see what the rooster ends up being like temperament wise. Probably more importantly for me personally is how loud will he be, lol. Pretty sure I heard someone trying out their crow this am. But now sure if it was him. Time will tell.
I must give props for the Processing thread and FF threads in the Meat section. They have been very helpful. All the birds really love the FF.
My flock includes the new babies.....1 Barred Rock(I believe, from school), 1 pair M Houdans, 3 Silkies, 1 white Bantam, 1 Frizzle Bantam, 3 Red Sex Link hens, 2 Ameracauna hens, 1 Egyptian Fayomi.
The old ladies, 1, Barred Rock, 2 Red Sex Link, 3 Ameracaunas, 1 white Crested Black Polish.
And the stinky 20 CX........going to freezer......not soon enough.
Was it me 3 mo ago that said just let them live out their lives and not get anymore.......hmmm......distant memories that I cannot quite remember.
