Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[Beekissed]

I read several years ago, it was in the Northwest, Portland or Seatle, that there were businesses that have sprung up to help people with their chicken afterlife issues. They offered counseling to the bereived and burial. Also, they were running a retirement home for birds that were no longer wanted. Could be some business opportunities there for those of us that can keep a straight face.

But seriously, I think that a community of folks will develop that are interested to true to breed birds that are productive even if it is a small group. It will be interesting to see what breeds draw the most interest. I have heard that the standard bred brown leghorn can make a decent fryer as well as lay eggs, my BR make a good large roaster and it sounds like there are strains of NH that do a good job of splitting it right down the middle. People like labels and they like to collect. Once they learn that the chickens from the hatcheries are mutts, maybe there will be more interest.

No way! Shades of P.T. Barnum, there....a sucker born every minute.

You can see why I feel a little jaded about the new interest in chickens, but it's likely you could be right....in time there may be a small nucleus of people that started out with one goal in mind and end with another. I've seen that in some folks on here...mostly women... and that's a good sign, and I truly hope those are seeds planted for a new generation of true chicken folk. It has been the women in my family that have tended the flocks, generation after generation, so I don't downplay the importance of women in keeping this all alive and thriving. After all, I are one.

I guess change is inevitable, but I always mourn the good old days, the old farmers, the old ways that are passing out of time and mind. I guess that's one reason I really loved reading The Call of the Hen....it's like having my own old farmer guy to listen to, even though most that I knew are now gone...and I thank God for those still left!

Missing my grandpa, I used to take my young boys to the stock auctions on Saturdays and sit behind a group of old farmers, just to hear them discuss farming, the livestock coming in, and grouse around about prices of feed and such. That was my idea of good entertainment and the boys got to see and hear it all too, so it was free education and something to see.

 

[Lacy Blues]

>snip<

Doing this "as much as I can" for myself and endeavoring for the breeding and maintenance of running a self sufficient homestead as a single person gets to be somewhat painful at times... carrying in and out the water AND a kittie liter sized bucket of FF (fermented feed). But stubborn I am...

It is a small scale of the life I always wanted to have so I keep going.

I can offer some advice here. Fermented feed is HEAVY and hard on the shoulders/back.

This is what I do. I have a 2 gallon heavy duty bucket that I fill most of the way with ff. I also have a very small 3 quart bucket (I think)...wait... I just checked it and the darned thing doesn't tell me anything except that it is 3.5 liters... whatever that comes to. Anyway, I fill this this up too and I have a very long stainless steel spoon that I bought off of eBay for a few bucks... it's 18" long, so I don't have to bend over very far at all.

I take both these buckets out and set the big one down in a central location and cover it with a piece of plywood I have for the very job. It keeps the wild birds out of my bucket of feed. I use most of the smaller bucket up, passing it out to various feed pans in various pens and then I come back to the big bucket and refill the little one. This saves my back and my shoulders a lot of grief. Just thought I would pass that on.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Yes Lacy Blues, I scoop it OUT of a larger container into the Liter bucket at the rate of one scoop per head count. But of course it is inside for winter. In summer I just do the other container in the coop and scoop out what is needed. But in winter of course they eat more as they sometimes won't leave the coop. In summer they range until I am ready to feed in evening (gets them to come running to coop up.... well, MOST of the time. ) Also gets them to coop up for scratch anytime I hear or see a hawk threatening if they haven't already taken cover.

 

[DesertChic]

Yes Lacy Blues, I scoop it OUT of a larger container into the Liter bucket at the rate of one scoop per head count. But of course it is inside for winter. In summer I just do the other container in the coop and scoop out what is needed. But in winter of course they eat more as they sometimes won't leave the coop. In summer they range until I am ready to feed in evening (gets them to come running to coop up.... well, MOST of the time.

) Also gets them to coop up for scratch anytime I hear or see a hawk threatening if they haven't already taken cover.

I train all of my birds to come running to the coop at the sound of a small plastic container filled with meal worms being shaken. Even my 3-week old chicks know to come at that sound. Saves me the hassle of having to chase them.

 

[Regin]

Quote: Peanut jar gets the attention of mine.

 

[Beekissed]

My birds stay hungry enough that they don't need any incentive, sound or treat to train them to come. I step out of the house at any time of the day and I've got a crowd, if I take a step towards the coop they will race me for it. If I don't move in that direction they will follow me a ways anyway, just to see if I will eventually head to the coop.

No training necessary...just chickens bein' chickens.

 

[CodyP]

WOW.. I just read the first page of comments and this is where I need to be.. I'm just going to copy and paste my original first forum post into this thread because I feel like this is where it will garner more replies lol



Quote:

hopefully, later my girlfriend and I will be able to buy the land we have our eyes on and we'll be able to have and do whatever we want.. unfortunately she's just now starting graduate school so we're in a starter home in a rural city.. we can't have roosters but hens will be doable..

any links to specific breeders are greatly appreciated!

 

[neopolitancrazy]

WOW.. I just read the first page of comments and this is where I need to be...I don't have any chickens and these will be my first... I want to learn proper care...we're in a starter home in a rural city.. we can't have roosters but hens will be doable..

If you have never had chickens before, I would suggest you start with day-old hatchery chicks to learn basic chicken-keeping. If you enjoy being a flock keeper, you can gradually upgrade your flock to the breed of your choice as time and finances permit. My parents, siblings and I have regularly ordered hatchery chicks over the past 40 years with uniformly good results; they are consistently healthy, vigorous and reasonably priced. These large companies are professionals and generally far more reliable than the poultry equivalent of puppy mills, no matter how cutesy their blogs or Facebook pages. I would also suggest you build all your coop/run before you bring home your first chick, and build it as strong and predator-proof as if their lives depend on it, (because it does!) But first and foremost, be certain your city ordinances, neighborhood covenants, rental agreement and the like will ALL permit chickens on your property.
Best wishes,
Angela

 

[gjensen]

If you have never had chickens before, I would suggest you start with day-old hatchery chicks to learn basic chicken-keeping. If you enjoy being a flock keeper, you can gradually upgrade your flock to the breed of your choice as time and finances permit. My parents, siblings and I have regularly ordered hatchery chicks over the past 40 years with uniformly good results; they are consistently healthy, vigorous and reasonably priced. These large companies are professionals and generally far more reliable than the poultry equivalent of puppy mills, no matter how cutesy their blogs or Facebook pages. I would also suggest you build all your coop/run before you bring home your first chick, and build it as strong and predator-proof as if their lives depend on it, (because it does!) But first and foremost, be certain your city ordinances, neighborhood covenants, rental agreement and the like will ALL permit chickens on your property.
Best wishes,
Angela

This is good advice.

 

[CodyP]

If you have never had chickens before, I would suggest you start with day-old hatchery chicks to learn basic chicken-keeping. If you enjoy being a flock keeper, you can gradually upgrade your flock to the breed of your choice as time and finances permit. My parents, siblings and I have regularly ordered hatchery chicks over the past 40 years with uniformly good results; they are consistently healthy, vigorous and reasonably priced. These large companies are professionals and generally far more reliable than the poultry equivalent of puppy mills, no matter how cutesy their blogs or Facebook pages. I would also suggest you build all your coop/run before you bring home your first chick, and build it as strong and predator-proof as if their lives depend on it, (because it does!) But first and foremost, be certain your city ordinances, neighborhood covenants, rental agreement and the like will ALL permit chickens on your property.
Best wishes,
Angela

Thank you for the in-depth reply,

I have checked the city ordinances and we're in such a rural area they allow everything from mules to cattle to bees with no restrictions other than not to be loud and to keep them fenced in. I'm good on that front.. and also, I'll definitely have the coops built before any purchases are made. I just like planning and getting all of my bases covered beforehand. I don't like the idea of getting a coop built and THEN just starting to look around for chicks.. but, I also won't be eating these birds.. they'll be pampered from most peoples perspectives and live LONG lives without being on the dinner table which is why I was wanting to purchase from the best bloodlines from the get go.. I'll still look into different hatcheries, I've heard cackles was the best, but I'm REALLY wanting the best chicks..

Are you speaking from a money saving standpoint or saying I might not be able to take care of them vs. hatchery raised chicks? I figured the better bred birds would be easier to take care of and more hardy leading to less disease and problems?