Colorado

[COChix]

Thought I would share a pic of some of the ladies venturing out for the first time in days. Belle the Blue Wyandotte, Bonnie behind her, Jay and Pea the Silver Spangled Hamburgs and Twinkie the Bo. Also one of my favorite picks of my flowers. And where the dog put my slippers while I was with the chickens.

Aww nice shots, love the flower and too funny on your slipper. We have a pit mix that carries our socks, underwear, slippers, paper towels in her mouth and often things end up outside.

 

[suncatcher]

I almost clicked on the forced molt, but if it is the article I am thinking of, I came across it months ago by accident, and was horrified what egg producers will do to their hens.

Yep, is our responsibility to dispatch them, I lucked out and sold my three 3 year old layers to a gal who will dispatch them when they are no longer laying, or just keep them as pets!

With breeding one always has extra roosters, and I would rather dispatch them myself than worry they may be used for God knows what with someone else. Is not easy, but is just the way it is. Thought this would be our first year to process our extra roosters, but ended up with two roosters out of thirteen total chicks hatched, and sold both of them with some pullets, so did not happen this year. Will probably have ten roosters to three pullets next year!!!!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I think all of us struggle with the idea that we will eventually cull an older bird due to lack of production and such. Ok I guess I won't speak for everyone, but I do and will, but like you said you started this and you will finish it as discussed probably before you got the birds. It's hard when all of them have personalities, but this is what we have to do, especially if you got them merely for egg production. I applaud you for your decision as you are not delusional thinking oh well I will just sell them on Craigslist when the tough get going. I came across this article and while the title talks about molting, there is much more to the story so read it all. Couldn't have said it better myself, these are our chickens and therefore we will not pass or shirk that responsibility to someone else. Meaning when it comes time to cull, I will be there from beginning to end with the chicks we raise. Just my two cents.

http://www.nwedible.com/2014/02/forced-molt.html

So true. I had planned to do all the processing myself but DH would not approve. He does have a point in that we have a very nosy neighbor and cleaning birds in town is forbidden. For me it is the responsible thing to do for not only my chickens but for my family.
I did read the link in whole. It is sad that it happens. Kinda disappointing that profit outweighs kindness.
When I was a kid Saturdays in the summer were chicken cleaning days at my aunts house. I was small so I got the job of pulling the tiny feathers out. Sundays was a fried chicken dinner at aunties in return for the work on Saturday. I am not new to it but DH is. I have to respect his wishes in this case.

 

[trsturself]

Does anyone know what breeds of chicks Murdochs feed store usually has? They said that their chicks are going to arrive the first week of March and that there would be a "variety." Also, has anyone bought chicks at the stock show, or is anyone planning to?

The murdoch's I have been to will post a list near where they will keep the chicks, closer to spring. If not, I have emailed them before off their website and they emailed me a spreadsheet of the breeds for the stores I was interested in. I have never seen chicks for sale at the stock show.

Got a broody?

Here is our most broody girl and she has been since the first cold snap. I remove her from the nest boxes almost everytime I collect eggs. She has plucked all the feathers off her belly, I read they will do that in order to keep the eggs warmer.


Something to keep in mind about having bee's and putting in any flowers and perennials, buy your plants/starts from a reputable nursery who carries plants that do not have the neonicotinoids and do not use insecticides containing them. Most big box stores all treat with these harmful products which has been linked to the decrease in honey bee's. Here is a good link to an blurb from a sustainable nursery right up the street from us. Also on the water source issue, our bee's would drink out of anything with standing water, such as concrete troughs in the chicken free range area. We did get some honey from our hives as well as some other honey he got from other hives. Pretty amazing the difference in flavor, it is raw and never heated above the temp of the hive, thus keeping all the medicinal aspects to the honey. Ours tasted amazingly sweeter than the other honey, it was definitely more floral tasting, must have to do with all the gardens and flowers we have around our place.

http://www.harlequinsgardens.com/2010/06/08/plant-for-the-bees-and-other-pollinators/

@21hens - we will have hatching eggs from our mixed flock this spring if you would like to get some. Of course there is no way to know what type of mixes we will get from our mixed flock. If you don't care about them being a mutt, just wanted to throw that out there.

Our pipes are still frozen....

We will grow all our plants from seed but unfortunately the bees go so far I can't guarantee what they'll be getting into. That's why I laugh when I see 'organic' honey.

Speaking of frozen pipes. DH is ticked at our friend that decided not to stay at our house while we're gone. She called this afternoon when she got to the house (even though she told me last night she'd be going first thing in the morning) to say a pipe had burst and destroyed our basement (finished). I've been dealing with insurance, plumber, mitigation company, and my friend all day. Not to mention my ticked off spouse. Great way to start the new year!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Speaking of frozen pipes. DH is ticked at our friend that decided not to stay at our house while we're gone. She called this afternoon when she got to the house (even though she told me last night she'd be going first thing in the morning) to say a pipe had burst and destroyed our basement (finished). I've been dealing with insurance, plumber, mitigation company, and my friend all day. Not to mention my ticked off spouse. Great way to start the new year!

Oh Holy cow! Now what? Are you going to have to shorten your trip?
I am thinking this friend is not such a good friend. That is about the worst thing you could have happen when you are away.
Wondering how the doggie is. Hopefully not suffering from going out and not being able to get back in.

 

[trsturself]

Oh Holy cow! Now what? Are you going to have to shorten your trip?
I am thinking this friend is not such a good friend. That is about the worst thing you could have happen when you are away.
Wondering how the doggie is. Hopefully not suffering from going out and not being able to get back in.

She has definitely moved down on my friend list.
She said all the animals were fine. I texted with her last night and expressed my worry about the pug that gets stuck outside and she said she was up all night worried about her and said she was worried the whole drive over that she would find her frozen. Guess it wasn't enough of a worry to get there before noon though even though I know she is an early riser.

 

[Latestarter]

Sorry... for me that/all of this, would be the end of the use of the term "friend" with her. Up all night worrying about her?? PSHAW! Maybe that's why she had to sleep in this morning and couldn't get there till noon? So sorry you're having to deal with this... Hope it all gets worked out.

 

[uzisuzuki]

She has definitely moved down on my friend list.
She said all the animals were fine. I texted with her last night and expressed my worry about the pug that gets stuck outside and she said she was up all night worried about her and said she was worried the whole drive over that she would find her frozen. Guess it wasn't enough of a worry to get there before noon though even though I know she is an early riser. 

Wow. I'm sorry this all happened to you guys while away for the holidays. That's terrible.

 

[COChix]

So true. I had planned to do all the processing myself but DH would not approve. He does have a point in that we have a very nosy neighbor and cleaning birds in town is forbidden. For me it is the responsible thing to do for not only my chickens but for my family.
I did read the link in whole. It is sad that it happens. Kinda disappointing that profit outweighs kindness.
When I was a kid Saturdays in the summer were chicken cleaning days at my aunts house. I was small so I got the job of pulling the tiny feathers out. Sundays was a fried chicken dinner at aunties in return for the work on Saturday. I am not new to it but DH is. I have to respect his wishes in this case.

I understand about respecting your husbands wishes, at least your going to keep those older ones as pets? I wasn't trying to make you feel bad or anything, I hope you didn't take it like that.

The murdoch's I have been to will post a list near where they will keep the chicks, closer to spring. If not, I have emailed them before off their website and they emailed me a spreadsheet of the breeds for the stores I was interested in. I have never seen chicks for sale at the stock show. 


We will grow all our plants from seed but unfortunately the bees go so far I can't guarantee what they'll be getting into. That's why I laugh when I see 'organic' honey. 

Speaking of frozen pipes. DH is ticked at our friend that decided not to stay at our house while we're gone. She called this afternoon when she got to the house (even though she told me last night she'd be going first thing in the morning) to say a pipe had burst and destroyed our basement (finished). I've been dealing with insurance, plumber, mitigation company, and my friend all day. Not to mention my ticked off spouse. Great way to start the new year!

Oh wow.......

She has definitely moved down on my friend list.
She said all the animals were fine. I texted with her last night and expressed my worry about the pug that gets stuck outside and she said she was up all night worried about her and said she was worried the whole drive over that she would find her frozen. Guess it wasn't enough of a worry to get there before noon though even though I know she is an early riser. 

I know your daughter and her daughter are best friends and all but I would personally be done with her if she was my friend. I spend too much time and energy into raising my animals and expect when someone agrees to look after mine they will at least do the bare minimum. I would expect them to do above and beyond in the cold we have been having. I think you should charge her the cost of getting the pipes fixed, send her a bill, afterall she agreed to stay there did she not?

Sorry... for me that/all of this, would be the end of the use of the term "friend" with her. Up all night worrying about her?? PSHAW! Maybe that's why she had to sleep in this morning and couldn't get there till noon? So sorry you're having to deal with this... Hope it all gets worked out.

I couldn't have said it better.

 

[uzisuzuki]

This reminds me of the comments my brother makes to me in regards to my chickens. He keeps telling me I shouldn't have named them because he knows now that they have names, they'll live until they die of old age or other natural causes.

And he's not wrong. My family raised pigs when we were kids (I'm 7yrs older than him), and the first pig we had we named. I'm sure we named all the pigs we raised, but this is the one that effected me the most. So, naturally, when she got to the right weight, the slaughter guy came out to our house and does his job. We get the meat processed, and that's that for awhile. Until the one morning when my brother and I were having breakfast at our grandparents' house. Instead of asking for more bacon or sausage, my brother asks for more of the pig by name instead.

I still have issues eating pork products to this day.

So, my chickens are definitely more pets than livestock for me. It's also why I'm trying to keep my hatching/chick buying to a minimum. With how awful people are with animals, I would have a very hard time selling chicks/pullets/cockerels to just anyone. I always had a hard tim with that when we had litters of puppies. I'm glad I found this community, though. Makes me feel like there's at least 1 group of people that you know aren't animal abusers who might have use of extra chicks.

I am interested in the rare-ish breeds, though, and trying to help establish them a little more. If I had the money and the luck to aquire breeding pairs!