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

[Beekissed]

Okay, well its not that easy to step on my toes. I never intended to seem like I was arguing with anyone and I sincerely mean that. I am learning from you guys and from my chickens and from other sites. Whether you like it or not the chickener world is different now than it was 50 years ago. The culture is different. Read some of the great threads from today closely. There were 35 great super great perspectives. Many of them comments on how unpopular culling is within our communities. Read between the lines here Bee. It is not about being right or wrong or smart or dumb or God help us wasteful. Its about the modern mentality and the culture that has seperated the last few generations. Maybe my communication skills are weak and my point gets missed. I certainly feel like I am not the most logical person but I took these chickens on and when I did something that made them get egg bound I felt responsible. There was nothing about over feeding anywhere on the web. We spent too much time and energy on my friends chicken but we felt responsible because we know so little and we still took them on. It didnt cost money, only time and we were inclined and that is what you are going to get with people raised with grocery stores and PETA. I may or may not ever do it again, but at least I know what it feels like to bathe a crusty hen and have her still die and still live and I have a little grip on the odds as well and whether I do it again or not lots of other people will do it and for some of the same reasons. You are offering a sound alternative to the inner thinking of modern chickeners that is mildly discomfitting because of society. That is tremendous. You are making a path down a peice of history at a time when it is most relevant. How can you think its not going to be frustrating at times and boring and at odds with the things you know in your core? As for my posts last night I apologize. I went out with my gorlfriends and I should have just gone to bed. If you want to give me the boot then tell me. Otherwise I won't get the message. I am thick headed just like every other Gentry in my family.

Your communications skills are not at all rusty and you give great insight into the current chicken culture, one of which I am not unaware...hence this thread. That was the prime reason it was started and as Walt states, because these old skills and the knowledge from times past are quickly fading. Gone are the days when someone would even dare to place turpentine down a chicken's gullet as my Grandma did...and it worked! No one has that kind of moxy and old timey practicality now and, what's worse, they make fun of it and aren't a bit ashamed that they have nothing to offer in its place.

I knew it was going to be frustrating, so that is not really an issue, and this was the first time I thought about shutting down the whole thing...not because I was frustrated, but because the thread has served its purpose. Those who wanted to be informed were informed, those that didn't want to be informed, gave it a pass. Mission accomplished. But, apparently, some feel it is an ongoing mission and that it will still be relevant to post here and so I will. I respect Walt, Al and Fred's opinion on this matter and so will not request that it be locked. I may, however, request it become a sticky note for the flock management section.

I will also keep suggesting that newbies read the whole darn thing....if I were a newbie I'd sit down and devour this thing in one setting, if I could. Then I'd burp loudly and go back for seconds....

 

[Beekissed]

I took this photo in a supermarket in Italy, to show our kids here. Too many American kids can't really handle something like this- they carefully packaged the chickens (guinea fowl on the left, rooster on the right, so that you can see the head and feet, and in particular so you can see the eye. Shoppers there are extremely concerned with the quality of their food, and they want to know exactly what they are getting. So many in the US are really separated from the source of food, they hardly even know what a "chicken" is.

This is from a chain supermarket. In the small local butcher shops they just hang them upside down on the wall by their feet, so you really know exactly what you're getting.




What is really sad is that Italians think that is chicken....look at how skinny those birds are! Don't they do any dual purpose chickens in Italy?

Great pic, BTW, G...really brings it home how different the culture is there from here. They even leave the butt hole intact and right at the top of the package....

 

[nyanamia]

I think this thread should be a sticky whether it shuts down or keeps going. And then the OT's will have to prepare themselves for a huge influx of new newbies! lol

 

[Gargoyle]

What is really sad is that Italians think that is chicken....look at how skinny those birds are! Don't they do any dual purpose chickens in Italy?

Great pic, BTW, G...really brings it home how different the culture is there from here. They even leave the butt hole intact and right at the top of the package....

Look at my "Tuscan Chickens" link in my sig, photos I've taken of a small backyard flock that I walk past every day when I'm over there. I haven't met the woman who owns those, but a good friend lives next door and he was telling me how great they taste, and that she knows a special way to cook them, with certain herbs that grow on the hills right above town. I watch for her each time I walk by, I want to chat with her a bit, see what I can learn.

Also, another friend told me last time I was there that his father, who lives up in the hills above town, has a decent sized flock of all sorts of Italian breeds; I want to go up and visit him some time, and when I do I'll take lots of pix.

 

[Celie]

Hens are good for laying past 2 years. Everyone says they go down 40% after that time but that has not been my experience. I think it depends on the breed, the conditions in which they were raised, genetics and overall health. I have had 6 and 7 yr olds laying steady in my flocks and currently have a 6 yr old laying daily, right through slow down and molt season. I cull for laying each year during peak laying time, in which all hens should be laying unless they are gone broody.

If I only could choose 2 breeds, one would be White Rock and the other Black Austalorps. Both are superior to any other dual purpose breeds, IMO.

Thanks so much for all of the advice. I have quite a few Black Austaloups, they lay like crazy. I just got them this year. They are very large like the Black Giants and built like the Buff Orpingtons. I also have a few Rocks, Mostly the Barred Rocks that lay rather dark eggs, Color wise. Most of my hens are laying very dark yolks. I am so appreciative that you decided to continue this thread. It is by far the most informative I have read anywhere. It took a long time to read all the way through, but it was very well worth it. I have had it marked as my favorite, since joining BYC. I am probably older than most in years, buy not in chickens. I look forward to logging in to learn something, or just for the Wise cracks, as soon as my morning chores are finished, every day. I truly appreciate the straight forward, no drama, no diapers approach, only wisdom and maturity can offer. Thanks to you and all of the Old Timers and not so old timers, who I have been fortunate enough to have gleaned from!

 

[Beekissed]

Look at my "Tuscan Chickens" link in my sig, photos I've taken of a small backyard flock that I walk past every day when I'm over there. I haven't met the woman who owns those, but a good friend lives next door and he was telling me how great they taste, and that she knows a special way to cook them, with certain herbs that grow on the hills right above town. I watch for her each time I walk by, I want to chat with her a bit, see what I can learn.

Also, another friend told me last time I was there that his father, who lives up in the hills above town, has a decent sized flock of all sorts of Italian breeds; I want to go up and visit him some time, and when I do I'll take lots of pix.

I see plenty of good dual purpose breeds in that flock....nice looking birds, at that. Probably not the breeds that are in the supermarket....

Thanks so much for all of the advice. I have quite a few Black Austaloups, they lay like crazy. I just got them this year. They are very large like the Black Giants and built like the Buff Orpingtons. I also have a few Rocks, Mostly the Barred Rocks that lay rather dark eggs, Color wise. Most of my hens are laying very dark yolks. I am so appreciative that you decided to continue this thread. It is by far the most informative I have read anywhere. It took a long time to read all the way through, but it was very well worth it. I have had it marked as my favorite, since joining BYC. I am probably older than most in years, buy not in chickens. I look forward to logging in to learn something, or just for the Wise cracks, as soon as my morning chores are finished, every day. I truly appreciate the straight forward, no drama, no diapers approach, only wisdom and maturity can offer. Thanks to you and all of the Old Timers and not so old timers, who I have been fortunate enough to have gleaned from!

You're welcome! I've never had any other breed lay as well and as long as the BAs...but my WRs are such a close second that it's hard to choose one of the other. The WRs are a much heavier build, though, so have a good carcass wt when they are done laying and must be utilized for meat.

 

[arienwolf]

After seeing Nifty's poll on years of flock management, it seems there are enough old timers here to compile some good, old-fashioned and time-honored tricks of the trade....anyone care to share their philosophy on chickens and all things pertaining?

Now then, I'd like to ask folks to be respectful of one another when the methods of husbandry aren't the same....naturally this is going to happen.

THREAD WARNING: The old-timers are just that, nothing more and nothing less. Their speech may be to the point, sassy, and no-nonsense~this does not mean they meant to offend you or each other. This is just how old farmers talk.

If you are very sensitive and offend easily, it may be time to turn your car around and head back to where the couches are soft and the music is soft and dreamy....this is where the rubber meets the road and only the strong survive.


****A suggestion has been made by a newbie that we all place our relative years of chicken husbandry next to our location on our profile....I think this is a good idea and will sort the wheat from the tares, so to speak. Get yer years up there and show yer ages in doing so....we won't laugh...much. ********

I'd love for a more condensed version of this thread with this warning posted every couple of pages, scared me enough to not want to put my .02cents ANYWHERE

Maybe the OTs can place the most common questions (that drive you crazy) and a Dry no none sense Answer to it. And You keep going. (Like You started with this thread)

I love the thread I've learned A LOT I've wanted to say that for a while now, but thought Id be respectful and wait for an opening. Thanks for All the wisdom and the tried and true methods.
I have a cull under my belt. She made the best buttery chicken soup I have ever tasted.
I no longer want a pretty little doll house coop. I don't want to kill or sicken my chickens, thank you very much. I realize the chickens haven't complained about their digs either.
I let them out so they can be chickens. For the first time I've heard them cooing while they destroy my compost pile.

I will not be deworming with store dewormers. It's pumpkin, good husbandry and freedom for them, from me. Oh ya and a gallup or two of ACV with the mother in their water.

I have tried to implement all you OTs methods into my small flock. Please don't grow impatient with the questions, some of us ARE listening. And writing the information down into a chicken notebook of "how to's" I know about calfmana and boss now. I even made some suet( and bought some) for them "spoiled" chickens.

So Thank You very much OT's. And if you all do this whenever you encounter someone asking this annoying questions you could just quote the first page.

(by the way as Im writing this I am wathcing Iron chef America, they got a silky chicken battle going on, they called them "a weird bird with the most chicken flavor from any chicken" ???

Thought Id share that)

 

[Mountain Momma]

Your communications skills are not at all rusty and you give great insight into the current chicken culture, one of which I am not unaware...hence this thread. That was the prime reason it was started and as Walt states, because these old skills and the knowledge from times past are quickly fading. Gone are the days when someone would even dare to place turpentine down a chicken's gullet as my Grandma did...and it worked! No one has that kind of moxy and old timey practicality now and, what's worse, they make fun of it and aren't a bit ashamed that they have nothing to offer in its place.

I knew it was going to be frustrating, so that is not really an issue, and this was the first time I thought about shutting down the whole thing...not because I was frustrated, but because the thread has served its purpose. Those who wanted to be informed were informed, those that didn't want to be informed, gave it a pass. Mission accomplished. But, apparently, some feel it is an ongoing mission and that it will still be relevant to post here and so I will. I respect Walt, Al and Fred's opinion on this matter and so will not request that it be locked. I may, however, request it become a sticky note for the flock management section.

I will also keep suggesting that newbies read the whole darn thing....if I were a newbie I'd sit down and devour this thing in one setting, if I could. Then I'd burp loudly and go back for seconds....

Thanks for the note. I am trying to read the whole thing. This site and getting back to where you were is very tedious especially since Im on a slow computer. But Im a reader and I will make it through. It would be easier for me to just print it out. The whole ream of paper. I wonder if I can just do that and hilight the things I want to remember best...mmmm...Have a great night Bee.

 

[Celie]

You're welcome! I've never had any other breed lay as well and as long as the BAs...but my WRs are such a close second that it's hard to choose one of the other. The WRs are a much heavier build, though, so have a good carcass wt when they are done laying and must be utilized for meat.

I guess that's why they used the White Rock to cross with the big muscled Light Cornish to get the Cornish cross broilers hybrids with the big breasts. I never see Light Cornish offered at any of the hatcheries, but I have seen the Dark Cornish and they do have large breasts and are very muscular! I started with what the hatcheries call Duel purpose Heavies, Rocks, Brahmas, Whyndotties, Orps, Then added some Americanas and Marans for egg color. The Marans lay very dark eggs, that were in high demand for a while, but mine don't lay much at all and the eggs are usually rather medium in size, larger than a pullet, but smaller than most of my other hens. Most of my hens lay large to very large on the egg scale. I also have Rouen and Pekin Ducks, that keep multiplying, on the pond, about 80 or so last count. The 4 African Geese are the flocks' alarm.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Silkies have more flavor because all the other chickens wipe their tushies with them.....wipes all that extra flavor right into them. Concentrated chicken stock.....

I'm so glad someone remembered the first page! It's been a long time since I've seen it...still sounds like good advice to me. I'm so very glad that someone is listening out there. Let us know how your chickens are faring on the OT advice you received here and spread the word to others who have questions. We don't get tired of the same old questions....much...