Maine

[ashandvine]

Can they be eaten raw?

Yes they can but they are very acerbic. The kids eat them sometimes but I will warn you the birds are often first to get them even when I am watching. A net like you use for blueberries might help.
Elderberries are local and there are a couple varieties but there are also two 'types', one which is not edible. The ones which are edible bare fruit in a lacecap type formation. It if its a foamy cluster, like False Solomon's Seal its not edible except to the birds. Elderberries are known to very high in antioxidants and are good for reducing swelling in the body. They make an amazing jelly and beautiful wine.

I will have to look into St John's. I got mine from a local greenhouse and wish I'd bought more.

I also have what appears to be a semi-paralyzed chicken now. I believe she was struck by a car. Its the only reasonable explanation to me. I think her pevis has been damaged as she is sort of able to walk but can not hold her tail up and sort of drags her back end now instead of standing upright. Its sad because she is the only Breda I have and I really wanted these. I have had them before and she's the only one to hatch out. Sweet birds, really nice, and they lay a whopper of white egg compared to their size, so with no comb to speak of they work out really well here for my colored basket... until they have an accident like this.

 

[Marcy54]

Where are they hoping to settle? Are they looking for an apartment, house, city, rural???

Around Manchester, NH, small town. My DD's DH, works in international marketing and his office is in Italy, so they need to be close to an airport. They are looking for good schools, a house, his mother is in New York, so NH is not quite halfway, but close enough for them to drive to either of our homes in a short time and vice versa. I am most likely to provide child and pet care if my DD goes over to Italy, so it would be about a 2 hr drive for me. Better than half a days plane ride like now.

 

[buckabucka]

If anyone has any brilliant ways of separating multiple cockerels, I'd love to see your ideas. My bachelor pen is dissolving into a bloody battleground. I hope to build something with multiple separate compartments, although I can't see coming up with a great plan before the October 4 butcher date. But maybe I can start on something for next year....., The season always seems to end in a scramble for individual cages.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Nope. Our rooster hoop house usually ends in a bloody mess, too. Most of them can stand each other but the few on the low end of the pecking order get beaten up badly. I usually end up letting them free range all day and return to the hoop house at night. That cuts down on the fights.

I also decide who to separate from their heads based upon bad behavior, regardless of weight. That usually calms the rooster house down for a few days until they start to fight to see who is head jerk again, thus starting the separating from their head cycle all over again.

 

[buckabucka]

Nope. Our rooster hoop house usually ends in a bloody mess, too. Most of them can stand each other but the few on the low end of the pecking order get beaten up badly. I usually end up letting them free range all day and return to the hoop house at night. That cuts down on the fights.

I also decide who to separate from their heads based upon bad behavior, regardless of weight. That usually calms the rooster house down for a few days until they start to fight to see who is head jerk again, thus starting the separating from their head cycle all over again.

They are such a pain! The top three bad guys were after the guy I was hoping to keep, so all three went in a jumbo cage. Then my guy became the top dog and started terrorizing, so he got his own cage. The lowest on the pecking order got a solo cage too, because all were determined to kill him.
Seven are living together, fighting, but not drawing blood. They have restricted range during the day. Now the three top dogs housed together are drawing blood, so I stuffed the worst one I a tiny cage, but the other two are still going at it.
Even if I get a whole bunch of cages constructed, I'll need scores of dishes!

 

[suzMEchicks]

Ashandvine: sorry to hear about your injured chicken. I understand how you feel. The one thing I have learned this summer is these chickens are tough! My black chicken that almost became a springer spaniel ' s dinner on July 20th, is almost back to normal feathers and all. She's still not laying though and neither is the R.I.R. that got a broken wing (I figured out later) during the same attack. I hope that with some rest and nourishment your chicken will be on the mend also.

 

[suzMEchicks]

Ashandvine: sorry to hear about your injured chicken. I understand how you feel.the one thing I have learned this summer is these chickens are tough! My black chicken that almost became a springer spaniel ' s dinner on July 20th, is almost back to normal feathers and all. She's still not laying though and neither is the R.I.R. that got a broken wing (I figured out later) during the same attack. I hope that with some rest and nourishment your chicken will be on the mend also.

 

[Tnic]

Can they be eaten raw?

This guy says YEP!

 

[lazy gardener]

Rooster drama has got to be the single biggest down side to raising chickens. I'm starting to think that the way to go might be to just breed sex-links and auto-sexing birds, and euthanize the roosters at hatch. It's a tough call to make. The other option would be to raise them out to 12 weeks, and then cull, ending up with tiny little single serving sized birds. I doubt that the feed expenditure, and time spent in processing would make that option worth while. Opinions????

 

[BirdsOfAnarchy]

I agree with lazy gardener. Rooster drama is the worst! Ours keeps us up all hours of the night. There are no lights on, no sounds- just the crickets & I doubt there is anything lurking around for him to crow about every night all night long! The coop has plenty of food & water..Im thinking of putting a milkcrate over him at night so he can't stretch to crow. He fits in one just enough to kind of stand, more like hunch. He is a black cochin batam so hes small enough.

Has anyone tried this or do any of you have an alternative solution besides chicken soup? (Im a vegetarian & besides as much as this roo is a jerk sometimes hes good with the girls so not interested in offing him)