Feeling Guilty

[KelliR]

You guys are all awesome. I adore my birds and they know it. They have a beautiful coop that was once my childhood playhouse. My dad built it for me as a kid and now that I am all grown up I was looking for a use for it. They have flowers and fun things in their run...organic feed, fresh water daily, a pan to wash their feet, a sand box, and some cool homemade boredom toys. I clean the coop daily and rake out the run. They get 2 hours a day to roam the yard while I can watch them since we are in a neighborhood. They get fresh tomatoes and greens and blueberries and grapes and other good treats. These are some spoiled, loved, well treated, egg laying chickens. They are cheaper than therapy and bring me so much joy. I think we are doing all right! Thanks for the words of encouragement and the advice to stop reading so much. I just want to know what I need to know to take good care of them and so far this website has been the best place to get that info besides the Chicken Chick!
The girls are much bigger than this now!!!!!

 

[GitaBooks]

Amazing coop! Beautiful birds!

I have a chicken named Pip Squeak also.

 

[KelliR]

Thanks so much! I have done a lot more since these pictures were taken.

 

[All Ball]

I think this is a really interesting question you are raising. I started thinking about this when my SLW got egg yolk peritonitis, internal laying. They say typically hybrids get that because they are bred for such high production - but I see from BYC that a lot of SLWs, a heritage breed, are among the internal laying stories. Speckled Sussex had concluded that genetics/breeding might be the cause of the problem; some people also pointed to the big upswing in chicken interest, which likely contributed to poor stock getting propagated. Some people were saying that broody hens get a break from laying, which may help their systems recuperate - so you may want to think about more broody breeds in the future, as they are still taking that natural break (if you can arrange for it). A lengthy molt, rather than a quick molt, also gives a break. Of course, you then get fewer eggs.

You might be interested in some of the permaculture writing, or some of Joel Salatin's thinking - he has talked about husbanding in a way that allows chickens to be chickens, pigs to be pigs, etc. - letting them help with the farm and land in a way that exploits their natural tendencies and enjoyments.

 

[Sutremaine]

I would say go ahead and read PETA's writings. It's a great opportunity to learn about writer's bias and reader's judgement.