Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[Arielle]

In terms of supplemental protein sources for chickens, I have a pretty good perspective on it. May not be the most politically correct, but it is what it is.

I trap the vermin around my flock in the wintertime, and skin them and sell their fur. It is quite surprising to see just what a chicken will eat. A flock of twenty five can turn a coyote carcass into a skeleton in a weeks time, if it doesn't freeze too hard. Even frozen meat is not completely safe from a chicken beak. They will dig through the snow to get to the carcass pile. They will ignore grain and chicken feed and make a mad dash through the snow to get there, so it must be pretty good. The smartest hens hang out near the fleshing beam where I scrape the fat off of the hides. It seems that fat is a hotter commodity than the protein in the winter. I don't do it when it gets warm, too smelly, plus the fur is worthless in warm weather. Quite ironic to see hens feeding on foxes and coons that would have gladly reversed roles.

great recycling!! nothing wasted.

 

[Fentress]

Great Discussion. Not much to add, Yellow House nails it. Jeff issued a warning that I have been concerned about, expensive chickens that can't take care of themselves. I have this vision of chickens bred for show, living in pens for generations, who are walking zombies on free range, with signs hung around their necks that say "eat me" Can't wait to show the RIR I got from Sand Hill Preservation Center. I will post picutures when they are 6 months. I am sure they are not show quality, but I think they look OK and maybe their production and behaviors have not been compromised.

Harvey did issue a warning regarding botolusim and the maggots. I can't remember the language exactly.

Mark

 

[gallorojo]

I've had Sandhills RIR rose comb and they were good birds. Not hatchery stock! Maybe not perfect, but something you could work with, they had the correct size, build, and shape. Unfortunately, they liked to roost in trees and coons got them all. They were good chickens.

 

[Fentress]

Excellent. I have the SC and I can see some good qualities along with what I think is a high degree of variance in the stock, but I think that should be expected, Sandhill probably doesn't select as tightly as a small private breeder. But even I can tell that they are not production reds. Were your roosters people aggressive? For now, in year 2 of my chicken career, getting some decent roosters is a top priority. thanks, look forward to your comments when I post in a couple of months.

Mark

 

[gallorojo]

The Reds I had were not agressive at all. Actually were very tame. They would walk right to anybody.

 

[Fentress]

thanks.

 

[galanie]

Great Discussion. Not much to add, Yellow House nails it. Jeff issued a warning that I have been concerned about, expensive chickens that can't take care of themselves. I have this vision of chickens bred for show, living in pens for generations, who are walking zombies on free range, with signs hung around their necks that say "eat me" Can't wait to show the RIR I got from Sand Hill Preservation Center. I will post picutures when they are 6 months. I am sure they are not show quality, but I think they look OK and maybe their production and behaviors have not been compromised.

Harvey did issue a warning regarding botolusim and the maggots. I can't remember the language exactly.

Mark

Not all "show birds" are unable to care for themselves. I have some of the most vigorous I've ever had. They hatch when ordinarily I'd think they shouldn't, they live and thrive when I think they've been dealt too hard to blow to survive, and they forage like crazy. In fact I'm hardly feeding them anything at all any more, they don't eat it since they can free range all day. And yes I have lots of hawks. Guess what? They're from show stock.

I decided to quit babying them so much "just to see" how hardy they were and wow. They are hardy. But they are Buff O's and will eat you out of house and home while growing so I'm not recommending them for the Homestead. Just clarifying that not all "show stock" is really that tender.

 

[Fentress]

That's good to know. And I was exagerating a little bit in order to express a concern. I would want to be very familiar/comfortable with the breeder and the characteristics of their stock before I would ever purchase from them.

 

[write2caroline]

I am very interested in this thread. I see photo's of the chickens my ancestors kept and they are so much larger than the ones I have raised. I am restarting my flock. I am getting Dominiques because I liked they way they looked in an old photo.

I love how huge these chickens appear.
I have not processed chickens for meat yet but I do plan to do it. I plan to raise these chickens and then later I will get a Dom Rooster and start to improve my flock.

Caroline

 

[galanie]

That's good to know. And I was exagerating a little bit in order to express a concern. I would want to be very familiar/comfortable with the breeder and the characteristics of their stock before I would ever purchase from them.

ALWAYS a good idea!

ETA: I'm aware of Harvey's warning but to this day I still see posts from people thinking to do the same thing, having gotten the idea from him, that seem totally unaware of the warning.