Eastern Tennessee Thread

[tnchickenut]

6 months is a bit old....but I was just worried about freezing temps with young ones. Im probably more careful giving advice on bantams because I am not as familiar with them. It may be that they are fine with the cold weather at 3 months old?

They are the same as big birds... once feathered, they can keep themselves warm. Bairo, you assume because they are small that they are fragile... such a manly way of thinking

 

[stanglover2001]

I would be great to have a self sustaning flock, but the noise is out of bounds for now. All roos here will go to Freezer camp-if we ever getany(sign). I might do one run of chicks using dry feed, take notes--then run the same type of everything just change to FF with the next. Then poor DH will only have to build us one tractor. Don't care if it looks like a store bird, just after a safer, hopefully better tasting choice. I am so over recalls on food. Acouple of years ago, we recieved a notice from Sam's that something we bought had been recalled. Problem was the notice came after we had eaten it all at least 2 weeks beforehand--at least no one got sick. So mant options on chicks--and so little space .

Well, if you just want something in your freezer and going to butcher them all anyways, I'd go FR or CX... I've done both, they both make a tasty fat chicken... with CXs having the fastest feed to weight conversion. I have notes somewhere of my feed to weight on 5 chicks I marked with a sharpie and kept notes...

 

[stanglover2001]

HEHE!! I found it, this is one of the FIRST chickens I bought from TSC back in April of 2010, This is the NH I said grew out the fastest and the gloves... well you can guess what I was about to do!

 

[tnchickenut]

So really, no one talking about meat birds is interested in a XW (Thompson Line) Barred Rock I have?!?! Bred for flavor?!?! WHAAAAAAA

 

[stanglover2001]

So really, no one talking about meat birds is interested in a XW (Thompson Line) Barred Rock I have?!?! Bred for flavor?!?! WHAAAAAAA

HAHA! I just talk... I'm so screwed right now for space... I just ordered 2 breeds and still scratching my head as to where to put them..

ETA: HE is a GORGEOUS rooster though!

 

[tnchickenut]

HAHA! I just talk... I'm so screwed right now for space... I just ordered 2 breeds and still scratching my head as to where to put them..

Well, he will be dead by Monday... I'z gonna eats hims. I still rather him be used to improve/create a better meat bird. Doing 4 Monday or Tuesday... doing 5 more a week or so after that. And if I really am in the mood I'll do a few more a week or two after THAT. lol. Just kidding... I only have 9 extra roosters to do.

 

[stanglover2001]

Well, he will be dead by Monday... I'z gonna eats hims. I still rather him be used to improve/create a better meat bird. Doing 4 Monday or Tuesday... doing 5 more a week or so after that. And if I really am in the mood I'll do a few more a week or two after THAT. lol. Just kidding... I only have 9 extra roosters to do.

Everyone watch out! Stacy is over there licking her lips looking out the window watching her chickens walk around!

 

[itsthelaw37801]

That looks like a picture from my house. I have 5 pearl guineas and 2 coral blue ones. Are yours coral blue or lavender? The are so noisy, and crack me up because they will randomly take off and fly everywhere like somethings after them. They never go far. I do enjoy my chickens more beceause guineas seem much harder to make them friendly.

I have 3 lavender, 3 royal purple and 4 pearl gray. The man I got them from has two rare breeds. He is raising his first run of blues and buff. (not white) I would love to see a photo of yours. I love mine even more than the chickens because they are too fun to watch. We put a bench in front of them to see them having flying contest. And they go nuts if you start pulling grass for them. They've never been loose. We keep moving the run over by two feet to give them new grass, but they dig in quick.

 

[itsthelaw37801]

Does everyone on here use their birds for meat?

 

[TNBarnQueen]

Oh that's not bad at all, I can give shots, but the surgery is usually around $100 even with coupons when I checked last with my vet. I would much rather have them fixed before they go somewhere, I have already caught 5 cats in my traps this year and I still have some stalking chickens, I can't catch them as fast as they reproduce here. Many are ferals, but some are peoples pets that live around here and the owners don't have enough common sense to get them fixed or keep them inside. Sadly when I was looking for more kittens where I found these I also came across a dead one

If you have that many feral cats showing up then you must have a colony established near you. With the feral ones it may be best if you let them go to return to it otherwise more will move in to replace them. It is hard to break a colony once they are settled in or you could socialize them and find homes. I use to work with a rescue group and did a lot of the colonies in our area. Even after I left the rescue I still do a lot of what you do...trap, fix, socialize or release. If I have someone who is getting a cat I take it to the vet who is fixing it and have the new owners meet me there to pick it up...that way I am certain they are fixed. That is a really good deal in that PPAW program.

Hobbychicken...Allen and his wife had them there for people to see what quality chickens look like and give them a chance to see other breeds.