100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[Angelicisi]

Hahahaha Thats awesome! Can't wait to see that cuteness.

Today is the big day for them to go outside. It's still kinda cool outside right now but as soon as it starts warming up, they are going OUT. I will just let them roam around in the yard . I won't even put them in any type of pen. They will have the run of everything. I will have to stay outside with them all day because if the turkeys see them, they will fly over the fence and come charging at t hem. I'll take pics of them out in the front yard. I'm sure I"ll get all kinda stares and cars stopping when they see an army of white dots.

 

[Angelicisi]

Psssst....you didn't trip did you?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Good morning all. Sorry for the late update but I am was so exhausted this weekend. Saturday was clean day in the chicken yard along with other things. I had hired a young boy to come over and help me out on the weekend. I had been looking for someone to work for me for the last 5 years and have not been successful. People say that they want to to work but when they see the work involved, there's always an excuse as far as why they can't come out. I'm not sure what the problem is, besides people being afraid of hard work, but good help is so hard to find. I'm still searching and I think I will be searching for a worker for many more years. :/

Anyway, I put the broilers in the front yard. I have to say they did VERY well. Although all of the grass is dead, they didn't have any green grass to eat and I was sad about that. They looked so happy running around . I thought they would be running all over the place but they pretty much stayed together. A few of the chickens that were already out walked over to them to check them out but didn't make a fuss about it. However a muscovy hen came over and pecked one of them and fly off, that was about all. It was a little chilly because the sun had not come out yet but they were ok.

As I was putting all of them out, I saw a hawk flying over. So, I rushed inside to get my rifle in the event there was an attack. Of course, I wasn't going to shoot the hawk because it's against the law to shoot a hawk. :/ At one time, he was flying VERY close to them but he didn't drop too far down to attempt a snatching. I placed the rifle in an area where he could see it and kept it there the entire time. He eventually fly away.

I must say that they have outgrown the pen I put up for them last weekend. It's already too crowded. :/

Here is a pic of them outside. I took several others pics but I"m having trouble downloading the pics from my phone to my computer.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Psssst....you didn't trip did you?

I survived!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Everyone underestimates the growth rate - even the most enlightened.

It's exhausting work, isn't it?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Everyone underestimates the growth rate - even the most enlightened.

It's exhausting work, isn't it?

VERY exhausting! If I had someone to help, then it wouldn't be so bad. :/

 

[aoxa]

VERY exhausting! If I had someone to help, then it wouldn't be so bad.

So the young boy didn't work out I'm guessing? Bummer...

 

[kuntrygirl]

VERY exhausting! If I had someone to help, then it wouldn't be so bad. :/

So the young boy didn't work out I'm guessing? Bummer...

No, I don't think it's going to work. Now don't get me wrong, he was SO VERY nice and VERY respectful and he loves animals and is very knowledgeable when it comes to chickens and other animals but I think the work is too much for him. At the same time, loving animals can be a downfall when you are around so many different animals at one time. It turns into FUN! It's fast paced (NON-STOP)and you have to be alert at all times.

Examples:

When I'm cleaning out the pools, I dump out the water, clean the pool real good and put the hose on full blast and set it in the pool. I then walk away and go to the next chore. No need of wasting precious time by holding the hose and allowing the water to fill up in the pool. I explained this to him and eventually he did it but did it half way. He left the water on and place the hose in the pool but the water was on as very slow drip. This was totally unacceptable because now it's taking more time to fill the pools up because of the slow dripping hose in the pools. It would have take an hour to fill up the pools on the slow drip as opposed to 5 minutes if the hose was on full blast.

I asked him to clean the feeders out for the broilers and he wasn't able to do it. His idea of cleaning out the feeder was using the nozzle to knock the feed off. He said that it was as clean as it could get. Uh, well what about the scrubber that I use to get it spotless??????? His idea behind not cleaning it was that it would get dirty again when I put more feed in it. I'm like, "HUH"?

He spilled feed ALL over the ground while pouring the feed in the feeders. And you all saw what my feeders look like a few posts back. His thinking was that the chickens would eat the wasted feed off of the ground. I'm like, "HUH"?

He missed the opening for the 400 lb feeder and wasted feed all on the top of feeder. His thinking was that the chickens would fly on top and eat all of the feed off of it. I"m like, "HUH"?

He was also afraid of the geese, so any chores inside of the chicken yard, he told me to do them. I"m like, "HUH"? In all fairness, I can understand him being afraid of the geese, but all you have to do is stay clear of them and they won't bother you.

He didn't have the necessary strength to push 300 lbs of feed in a wheel barrow. :/ I purchase 1 ton of feed each month. :/

He wanted to buy a rooster and commenced to walking around to find what rooster he wanted (without asking me if I had any for sale) and commenced to catching it. I told him that he was on his time and he needed to clock out if he was going to catch a rooster. He said that he would clock out AFTER he caught the rooster. I'm like, "HUH"? Less than 24 hours later, he contacted me and told me that the rooster got out of the pen and ran into the woods and was found dead the next morning. My poor rooster.

Rabbit feeders half way filled. Don't know why.

I could go on and on and on but I won't. Like I said, he was very nice and has a great family but I don't think this is the kind of job for a school aged kid.

We didn't even touch the surface of the real duties. I didn't even show him how to clean out the chicken coops, cleaning the chicken house and scrubbing and wiping down walls in the chicken coops and stalls. That's an 8 hour job. :/

 

[aoxa]

No, I don't think it's going to work. Now don't get me wrong, he was SO VERY nice and VERY respectful and he loves animals and is very knowledgeable when it comes to chickens and other animals but I think the work is too much for him. At the same time, loving animals can be a downfall when you are around so many different animals at one time. It turns into FUN! It's fast paced (NON-STOP)and you have to be alert at all times.

Examples:

When I'm cleaning out the pools, I dump out the water, clean the pool real good and put the hose on full blast and set it in the pool. I then walk away and go to the next chore. No need of wasting precious time by holding the hose and allowing the water to fill up in the pool. I explained this to him and eventually he did it but did it half way. He left the water on and place the hose in the pool but the water was on as very slow drip. This was totally unacceptable because now it's taking more time to fill the pools up because of the slow dripping hose in the pools. It would have take an hour to fill up the pools on the slow drip as opposed to 5 minutes if the hose was on full blast.

I asked him to clean the feeders out for the broilers and he wasn't able to do it. His idea of cleaning out the feeder was using the nozzle to knock the feed off. He said that it was as clean as it could get. Uh, well what about the scrubber that I use to get it spotless??????? His idea behind not cleaning it was that it would get dirty again when I put more feed in it. I'm like, "HUH"?

He spilled feed ALL over the ground while pouring the feed in the feeders. And you all saw what my feeders look like a few posts back. His thinking was that the chickens would eat the wasted feed off of the ground. I'm like, "HUH"?

He missed the opening for the 400 lb feeder and wasted feed all on the top of feeder. His thinking was that the chickens would fly on top and eat all of the feed off of it. I"m like, "HUH"?

He was also afraid of the geese, so any chores inside of the chicken yard, he told me to do them. I"m like, "HUH"?

In all fairness, I can understand him being afraid of the geese, but all you have to do is stay clear of them and they won't bother you.

He didn't have the necessary strength to push 300 lbs of feed in a wheel barrow.

I purchase 1 ton of feed each month.

He wanted to buy a rooster and commenced to walking around to find what rooster he wanted (without asking me if I had any for sale) and commenced to catching it. I told him that he was on his time and he needed to clock out if he was going to catch a rooster. He said that he would clock out AFTER he caught the rooster. I'm like, "HUH"?

Less than 24 hours later, he contacted me and told me that the rooster got out of the pen and ran into the woods and was found dead the next morning. My poor rooster.

Rabbit feeders half way filled. Don't know why.

I could go on and on and on but I won't. Like I said, he was very nice and has a great family but I don't think this is the kind of job for a school aged kid.

We didn't even touch the surface of the real duties. I didn't even show him how to clean out the chicken coops, cleaning the chicken house and scrubbing and wiping down walls in the chicken coops and stalls. That's an 8 hour job.

This sounds like something your own child would do, not something a child raised to respect people would do.. I grew up quite privileged, and god help me would never do anything like that.

My parents put respect your elders (and employers) VERY high up on the always do it list.

I'm wondering if you could get free help from 4H'ers Some need to complete farm hours and it's free for the farmer... I know you'd have to show them.. but these kids may be more serious about it.

I have free help from the neighbour kids in the summer, but sometimes it's just not worth the trouble. They talk so much, but are so darn cute. At least it's free.

I often use them for opening and closing up the barn. All kids are wonderful at collecting eggs if they are given a basket


I think this meatie wants to eat that cat

The oldest one was wonderful with refilling feeders and waterers. The little one was obviously way too young for anything but being freaking adorable. All 3 wanted to help me process, but I did not want the questions involved. Especially when I was just starting to process.

Maybe next year.

 

[kuntrygirl]

No, I don't think it's going to work. Now don't get me wrong, he was SO VERY nice and VERY respectful and he loves animals and is very knowledgeable when it comes to chickens and other animals but I think the work is too much for him. At the same time, loving animals can be a downfall when you are around so many different animals at one time. It turns into FUN! It's fast paced (NON-STOP)and you have to be alert at all times. Examples: When I'm cleaning out the pools, I dump out the water, clean the pool real good and put the hose on full blast and set it in the pool. I then walk away and go to the next chore. No need of wasting precious time by holding the hose and allowing the water to fill up in the pool. I explained this to him and eventually he did it but did it half way. He left the water on and place the hose in the pool but the water was on as very slow drip. This was totally unacceptable because now it's taking more time to fill the pools up because of the slow dripping hose in the pools. It would have take an hour to fill up the pools on the slow drip as opposed to 5 minutes if the hose was on full blast. I asked him to clean the feeders out for the broilers and he wasn't able to do it. His idea of cleaning out the feeder was using the nozzle to knock the feed off. He said that it was as clean as it could get. Uh, well what about the scrubber that I use to get it spotless??????? His idea behind not cleaning it was that it would get dirty again when I put more feed in it. I'm like, "HUH"? He spilled feed ALL over the ground while pouring the feed in the feeders. And you all saw what my feeders look like a few posts back. His thinking was that the chickens would eat the wasted feed off of the ground. I'm like, "HUH"? He missed the opening for the 400 lb feeder and wasted feed all on the top of feeder. His thinking was that the chickens would fly on top and eat all of the feed off of it. I"m like, "HUH"? He was also afraid of the geese, so any chores inside of the chicken yard, he told me to do them. I"m like, "HUH"? In all fairness, I can understand him being afraid of the geese, but all you have to do is stay clear of them and they won't bother you. He didn't have the necessary strength to push 300 lbs of feed in a wheel barrow. :/ I purchase 1 ton of feed each month. :/ He wanted to buy a rooster and commenced to walking around to find what rooster he wanted (without asking me if I had any for sale) and commenced to catching it. I told him that he was on his time and he needed to clock out if he was going to catch a rooster. He said that he would clock out AFTER he caught the rooster. I'm like, "HUH"? Less than 24 hours later, he contacted me and told me that the rooster got out of the pen and ran into the woods and was found dead the next morning. My poor rooster. Rabbit feeders half way filled. Don't know why. I could go on and on and on but I won't. Like I said, he was very nice and has a great family but I don't think this is the kind of job for a school aged kid. We didn't even touch the surface of the real duties. I didn't even show him how to clean out the chicken coops, cleaning the chicken house and scrubbing and wiping down walls in the chicken coops and stalls. That's an 8 hour job. :/

This sounds like something your own child would do, not something a child raised to respect people would do.. I grew up quite privileged, and god help me would never do anything like that. My parents put respect your elders (and employers) VERY high up on the always do it list. I'm wondering if you could get free help from 4H'ers Some need to complete farm hours and it's free for the farmer... I know you'd have to show them.. but these kids may be more serious about it. I have free help from the neighbour kids in the summer, but sometimes it's just not worth the trouble. They talk so much, but are so darn cute. At least it's free. I often use them for opening and closing up the barn. All kids are wonderful at collecting eggs if they are given a basket I think this meatie wants to eat that cat The oldest one was wonderful with refilling feeders and waterers. The little one was obviously way too young for anything but being freaking adorable. All 3 wanted to help me process, but I did not want the questions involved. Especially when I was just starting to process. Maybe next year.

Good looking group of kids. I thought about it all weekend and I don't think that a kid would work out. It's too strenuous and too demanding . It's not an easy job at all. When it comes to cleaning out my chickens coops, chicken house and stalls, I want their area to be spotless or close to it. I don't want poop anywhere on the walls or the roost. I don't want poop in the nesting boxes, so the bedding has to be taken out and replaced. I want my feeders and waterers exceptionally clean. I want the waterers so clean that I would want to drink out of it. When caring for my animals, I don't think it's too much to ask someone to do since they are getting paid to do it. Some people look at it and say, "It's just an animal." And that's why it's probably not important to others but it's VERY important to me. :/