Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[stonykill]

That is the express purpose and intent of this very site we are on. (well, not the bad information part, but....) It is what it is, Back Yard Chickens, not Back 40 chickens.

This thread, and a few others, provide a measure of counter-point, and such threads enrich the minority's experience.

true. I guess when I joined my idea of back yard chickens were in a country setting being I live in the country. I never once before joining this site ever even thought about anyone raising chickens in a city. Being a broke country boy who avoids the cities the thought never crossed my mind. Thankfully there is this thread.

 

[Beekissed]

Hi OTs,

I’m brand new to raising chickens and in general don’t do well with fussy, high maintenance things. I was so happy to find this thread and confirm my suspicion that my chickens would survive without electricity, indoor plumbing, central heating, a personal chef, a wardrobe and group therapy.

In addition to finding a ton of valuable advice, I’ve also learned (thank you, Bee) why one of my dogs has a glossier coat than the other, and not to read this thread with a mouth full of any beverage, or for that matter, a full bladder.

Thanks all, for sharing your knowledge and your humor!

Jen

So glad you like it, Jen! Welcome! Over on a sister site I have formed a club called P.I.S.S.I (People In Support of Stress-induced Incontinence)...feel free to join us with tongue firmly in cheek and waterproof pad on your chair!

 

[fultzie]

bee i just love the way you bring things out ..ur amazing gal there sis !!

 

[loanwizard]

I agree that it is not just numbers of chickens, and it doesn't take 20 years to gain all the knowledge that you OT's have. It used to but we live in the information age. Today we don't have to sit around a fire and wait for the talk to get around to chickens then try to glean and disseminate information from the elders you trust. I say that because old people gossip same as 3rd graders, seems even in old coffee shops, groups have people that know, people that think they know, people that listen, and the loud mouth.

I have had chickens for 3 years. I have made my fair share of just plain old stupid mistakes, but... I listen, do real research, meaning I don't latch onto the first solution unless it comes from a person or group I trust. I have made a life reading people and there are people on this thread that I trust and a few I take with a grain of salt. I am sure I am viewed the same. I go elsewhere and answer what I can, sometimes stretching my knowledge a little, trying to do my part in paying it forward.

I feel like I have gotten a college education in poultry keeping by absorbing what is here, other places and talking in person to people that know, or should know.

That said, some people treat their dogs differently than I treat mine. Heck within my own household there are differences. I am a fairly tolerant individual I believe, even though it gets less and less as I age.

Once again, I am grateful for a place such as this to hang out. Might as well listen and learn while I am here.

Shawn

 

[Beekissed]

bee i just love the way you bring things out ..ur amazing gal there sis !!

Awww, shucks....

Thanks! I just don't have a BS bone in my body any longer.....I'm old enough to just tell 'er like it is and let the chips fall as they may.

I love to laugh at myself and others on equal terms....some of the stupidest things I've seen in this life occurred of my own making...and that's all tragically comic now.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Yesterday I got a call from a friend of mine in the nearest town to us. He had some chickens to get rid off. Needed them gone like pronto.

A little back story;
He had bought some Cornish Rock chicks at TSC in the spring. Said the picture on the bin looked pretty. He decided he wanted to raise them. A month or so ago he called me to go look at them, said they were "looking funny and couldn't walk right". I took one look at them and said "Butcher them". I spent a half hour trying to explain to him that "Cornish Rock" is not a breed but a meat bird cross. Anyway, I don't think he really believed me because he still said he was going to wait until they started laying and hatch some out. Started with about 25 chicks. I told him he'd be lucky to get even a pair to live long enough to breed. Explained about how fast they grew, the leg and breathing problems, everything I could think of. Oh well, I tried.

Now this guy is one of my best friends, has had chickens before, lots of them, but never really stayed with any one breed, just raises them a while, gets bored, sells them and goes to something else. Has even had some pretty fair birds over the years.

The outcome is when I get there yesterday evening he had 7 left. HUGE birds. He told me I could have them. "Just catch them Terry and they are yours." Said they were eating him out of house and home. Said they were eating a bag of starter a day. Did I want them? For FREE? Heck yeah!

The smallest was 8 pounds before dressing, a bit over 5 pounds dressed. The largest was a bit over 10 pound live weight and dressed out at 8 pounds even.

I love it.

Anybody wanna guess what Sunday dinner is going to be?

 

[donrae]

Yesterday I got a call from a friend of mine in the nearest town to us. He had some chickens to get rid off. Needed them gone like pronto.

A little back story;
He had bought some Cornish Rock chicks at TSC in the spring. Said the picture on the bin looked pretty. He decided he wanted to raise them. A month or so ago he called me to go look at them, said they were "looking funny and couldn't walk right". I took one look at them and said "Butcher them". I spent a half hour trying to explain to him that "Cornish Rock" is not a breed but a meat bird cross. Anyway, I don't think he really believed me because he still said he was going to wait until they started laying and hatch some out. Started with about 25 chicks. I told him he'd be lucky to get even a pair to live long enough to breed. Explained about how fast they grew, the leg and breathing problems, everything I could think of. Oh well, I tried.

Now this guy is one of my best friends, has had chickens before, lots of them, but never really stayed with any one breed, just raises them a while, gets bored, sells them and goes to something else. Has even had some pretty fair birds over the years.

The outcome is when I get there yesterday evening he had 7 left. HUGE birds. He told me I could have them. "Just catch them Terry and they are yours." Said they were eating him out of house and home. Said they were eating a bag of starter a day. Did I want them? For FREE? Heck yeah!

The smallest was 8 pounds before dressing, a bit over 5 pounds dressed. The largest was a bit over 10 pound live weight and dressed out at 8 pounds even.

I love it.

Anybody wanna guess what Sunday dinner is going to be?

Why can't I have friends like that?

 

[fowlman01]

Yesterday I got a call from a friend of mine in the nearest town to us. He had some chickens to get rid off. Needed them gone like pronto.

A little back story;
He had bought some Cornish Rock chicks at TSC in the spring. Said the picture on the bin looked pretty. He decided he wanted to raise them. A month or so ago he called me to go look at them, said they were "looking funny and couldn't walk right". I took one look at them and said "Butcher them". I spent a half hour trying to explain to him that "Cornish Rock" is not a breed but a meat bird cross. Anyway, I don't think he really believed me because he still said he was going to wait until they started laying and hatch some out. Started with about 25 chicks. I told him he'd be lucky to get even a pair to live long enough to breed. Explained about how fast they grew, the leg and breathing problems, everything I could think of. Oh well, I tried.

Now this guy is one of my best friends, has had chickens before, lots of them, but never really stayed with any one breed, just raises them a while, gets bored, sells them and goes to something else. Has even had some pretty fair birds over the years.

The outcome is when I get there yesterday evening he had 7 left. HUGE birds. He told me I could have them. "Just catch them Terry and they are yours." Said they were eating him out of house and home. Said they were eating a bag of starter a day. Did I want them? For FREE? Heck yeah!

The smallest was 8 pounds before dressing, a bit over 5 pounds dressed. The largest was a bit over 10 pound live weight and dressed out at 8 pounds even.

I love it.

Anybody wanna guess what Sunday dinner is going to be?

Where they still able to walk?

Walt

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Where they still able to walk?

Walt

Put it this way Walt.... they weren't hard to catch. lol

They could take a few steps then would just collapse. The smaller ones moved a bit more than the larger ones. The two biggest cockerels just sorta hopped once then just sat there. None had any feathers on their breasts from laying on them. As a matter of fact I had to dress them quick, by the time I got them home (A 10 minute drive) one was gasping it's last breath. It was sort of a matter of grabbing the worst stressed ones before they croaked. Only two would have lived I think just from the stress of moving them. Sad in a way, but I was tickled to get the free meat.

The ironic part? When I picked them up I offered to help butcher and clean them on the halves.

He said "I can't eat them... I fed them".

I wonder how much he had tied up in them just in feed alone?

 

[Beekissed]

That whole story was just incredibly sad in so many ways...even with the part about free meat.