Dixie Chicks

[Bogtown Chick]

I'm going to get out my sprouting trays. Good Idea. The birdies would love some sprouted Boss. I've been tossing them Baby spinach this winter but I think they would like the sprouts....

We finally are getting winter. I was kind of hoping that it would just sort of stay away now for the rest of the year. It may still be an early spring yet....

 

[Outpost JWB]

Someone posted on Craigslist "Free Snow! Bring your shovels and take all you want!" LOL!

 

[vehve]

I think they're going to be waiting for a while for someone to show up...

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I would say there is not much demand at this time in the snow market...

 

[minihorse927]

@minihorse927
, Is it dumping snow on your place?  If not, it's headed your way.  Started here this morning at about 6am.  Just spitting snow at first.  Now dumping inches and inches.  UGH!  Good day to hibernate!

yes, dumping snow like crazy! I'm hibernating and keep g the garage warm for mama and babies.

@AmberjemMama had 10 out of 12 eggs hatched. The other 2 were chirping in the egg but failed to hatch. Not too shabby for sitting in January and extreme cold! I've got 4 in the incubator with most of the others pipped. One of the orp/ohiki crosses can't seem to get its legs underneath of itself. It's not spraddled? I'm trying to fabricate something in my mind to get it up so it can gain strength. It pipped at the wrong end and gad to be helped out cause it was stuck.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Nope, never killed anything directly, never wanted to and I still don't really. But I do believe in knowing where your food comes from and raising animals in as humane way as possible and I think it's a really honest pursuit to raise your food with love and care and dispatch it with respect and humanity when the time comes. It's weird, I don't like the idea of killing an animal or that something has to die in order for me to eat but I do enjoy eating meat/animal protein in my diet. From a health perspective I think it's possible but very difficult to be healthy without having animal fats and proteins in your diet- it can be done but you have to know what you are doing and put quite a bit of effort into it in my opinion. So, from a spiritual perspective I guess, I would prefer not to have to eat anything that was breathing - but let's be honest, they taste great and provide good nourishment. I just don't want to have to think about it too much and ironically, raising my own chickens will put me in this position at one point or another - if I'm being a responsible chicken owner and not trying to pawn my roosters off on someone who won't put it in the pot just because I became too attached to do it myself. With more and more people raising backyard flocks I think we will continue to see those ads on craigslist for the unwanted roo or old laying hens. I read a blog post recently, forgot the name, but the title was something like "Don't get chickens" - and she was speaking to mainly the small flock keeper who may only be able to keep a few hens and when one stops laying it needs to be replaced but the owner not wanting to kill it herself OR have anyone else do the deed (she had a friend who really wanted chickens but couldn't hurt a fly). She took issue with the people wanting to have hens for eggs while they lay and then rehome them to someone else who will just let them live out their natural life in chicken-pecking bliss. She said this is irresponsible and if we are to raise chickens then we need to be responsible for them until the end. Anyhow, I think I'm rambling now... But that is what I want to be - a responsible, respectful chicken owner who loves her chickens, raises them well and then dispatches them (or by proxy DH) with respect and humanity. And that is more than most chickens ever get.

JulesChicks: Very well said and at some point you'll maybe get there. Thank you for these well written words. This is where the "head" needs to be for raising chickens. If a Backyard chicken keeper can't "get there" then they shouldn't probably get chickens.

It really bothered me, like you, where and how my eggs & meat was being raised. So I've changed that for myself with some steps. Baby steps maybe. Trying to live consciously and making steps to change the things that bother me. I've learned alot & about myself. It's not always easy. Sort of makes you stronger though, you know?

To be honest, my DH, I think, has more feelings for the birds than he lets on. It is up to me as he refused my request to help me dispatch an extra roo. In fact, he even sort of was against the culling of one bird.

Not helpful when I knew what had to be done. I had extra roos though this last fall again and was planning to cull. He told me to ask around first...and we ended up rehoming them to very nice coops and set ups. I couldn't get over it. So those boys are doing well and are loved and that's good.

 

[Beer can]

Someone posted on Craigslist "Free Snow! Bring your shovels and take all you want!" LOL!

Just had to post that on our town website Lol !

-3F this morning, 15 mph winds, had -40F wind chill last night, looked nice and sunny from inside. Had to snow blow the driveway so the sister in law could pic up our daughter, high winds and snow drifted 2 feet deep across 100 yrd long drive last night. Made one pass down and one up and gave up, about lost my face, wind blowing one way than the other right in my face. This weather isn't fit for man nor beast!
Got one egg from a EEgr and one from the welsummer and they are all still alive!

 

[Beer can]

Vehve, love the sprouting system, more ideas runnin around my brain...

 

[bamadude]

@bamadude have you seen those golden laced brahmas? Those are good looking brahmas.

yeah. There are all sorts of strange brahmas.

 

[minihorse927]

Someone posted on Craigslist "Free Snow!  Bring your shovels and take all you want!"  LOL! 

bahahahaa, I'll even provide the snow blower!