Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[lightm]

This is true, but thankfully we don't get long spells of -45C.

In December the sun rises after 11:00 am, but is so low in the sky that it never clears the trees on our forested property, so we don't get actual rays of sunshine until much later in the spring.

It sounds bad, but it is not. A crisp night sky filled with stars, Northern Lights, no crowds, lots of lovely snow to play in, it is really a great place to live.

Winter tax:
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Another great photo!

Cold climate cultivates tough people. I know I am very weak so glad to be where I am.

 

[lightm]

Good memory! Indeed I do. I think they may be the same. Mine were described as lawn ornaments but they aren’t great for that as they tend to fall over so I stuck them in between the framing and the wire of the Chicken Palace.
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I have the advantage of "binge thread reading"...

Oh Lulu and Bernie

 

[Ponypoor]

Haven't called dr yet. they all have names .

We all worry here

Really enjoying your baby chickies pictures they are adorable

 

[Ponypoor]

Is the hay all in?

Only 300 bales

It will be the remaining 100 this Saturday if I can get help with them.

 

[featherhead007]

Found them! Oh have to get them before Spring

https://www.bitsandpiecescanada.ca/...Ecdy0zs58NFujhawyoAtiYv7sUsjauuRoCVOkQAvD_BwE

 

[Ponypoor]

Only 300 bales

It will be the remaining 100 this Saturday if I can get help with them.

Ooops 200 not 100!

 

[bgmathteach]

@bgmathteach I forgot the second part . I'm curious to know if it's not too inquisitive how you came to have so many chickens, and ducks and geese .. and do your own processing, in a short time ? Was it something you were doing already when you were growing up ?

I did grow up on a small family farm. very large gardens and we raised out own beef cows (but took them to a slaughterhouse for processing). We also raised, for a while, suckling pigs each spring, and acquired an old mare from a friend my my grandfather when she was close to 20, that we learned to ride on. We had exactly 2 old hens for ?maybe? a month (my grandparents sold the farm and 'moved to town' - a very sad story - and had 2 old hens left that we took. They were cranky, mean old bitties..that became soup in short order. They were my ONLY experience with chickens...and I disliked them very much. We did, sort of, have ducks. Some white ducks that someone had let loose and they found our pond. We didn't really do anything for them other than give them 'treats' once in a while (scrap veggies or such) but they became quite friendly, and we would search for their eggs (they laid them anywhere, including in the pond itself!) And every year one would hatch some ducklings...some would make it, some the snapping turtles would get,,and/or something else. They usually got them into the water within a day or tow of hatching!

So, that's my background. I loved eggs, not chickens, plus no real experience with them, going into this. I have a bunch of hormonal issues which soy esterols seem to exacerbate. Someone I worked with, who was allergic to soy, could not eat store-bought eggs without having a reaction. That, plus always wanting to farm, and wanting more 'healthy' meat and eggs in general, prompted me to buy 16 straight run chicks of assorted breeds. Intent was to keep hens for eggs, process boys for meat. I had heard how 'stupid' chickens were, and I didn't like them based on my small encounter with them when I was 5-6. I was not expecting to 'enjoy' them.

However, as chicks, they were adorable, and each had a unique personality! While I wasn't convinced yet they were smart, there were a couple of young ones that would seek me out when I came to watch/feed/clean brooder, etc. they found a small soft spot in my heart. Then, as they grew...one of the hens & one of the roos was kinda mean (more to others than to me, but the Roo did get aggressive at times....looking back maybe it was just idiot hormones? I decided to process him first. It took me 2 hours to pluck him, with me blubbering and saying 'I'm sorry' the whole time. I couldn't see I was crying so hard. I couldn't process the others...someone my hubby knew - their father raised & processed Turkeys each year, so he came and helped. I could do plucking, gutting, etc. I couldn't kill them. I ended up keeping the one sweet Roo instead of the mean hen, and I had my 8 hoped for chickens. One hen, Rosie, a Partridge Rock was the head hen, and she rules quite nicely. She was also very smart....and had me trained. I would come home from work and she would squawk " Bawwwwwwwwkkk, bawk, bawk, bawk. I swear she was saying "Let me OOOUUUUUTTTT, out, out ,out! And she would be waiting a the presonell gate for me to let them out to free range. She wasn't cuddly, but she would follow me everywhere - especially if I was working in the garden or flower beds. She would also find a way into our fenced off garden...and eat all of our kale! She stole my heart...and there was no looking back. At the time we had just over an acre, but in a place we weren't supposed to have chickens (I had checked with neighbors ahead of time!), and 'paid them off' in eggs. Rosie lived to 5 1/2 years old, and I still miss her! I lost some due to predators (some because of free ranging, some due to owner error), and added chicks to replace the next year, and got some cornish rock crosses to specifically raise for meat. (I wasn't impressed - big 'lumps' and the meat had less flavor & texture).

Hubby and I had been looking for an 'us' place for a while (couple of years)...and the spring when we ended up finding this place...we were 'pushed' even more so by 1 of our neighbors. They originally were fine with us having chickens. But then they bought the house they were renting. The day they closed on the house, they came over and said 'we don't want you to have chickens.' And they stopped accepting eggs from us. By then, I was up to about 12 chickens. (Again, purchasing a few chicks, straight run, each year - replacing losses, processing the boys -but always having one in the flock) Then Bella went broody ( my 2nd partridge rock) Suddenly, we had more - as I had ordered chicks, plus now had home hatched chicks. We needed to find a place for sure! I was attached, and couldn't give up my 'kids'.

Note that also, I ALWAYS wanted kids - at least 2, but preferably more. With my hormone issues,i couldn't have any. The chickens became my 'kids' both in sentiment, and in emotional support over that issue. I am too old, given my health issues, to feel comfortable adopting, and Hubby and I have only been married 9 years.

So, the chickens moved into the new place 9 months before we did, as we had to relocate them, but the house needed work, and we had issues with a contractor 'messing things up' in a serious way - long story & drama there. Couldn't fix his work until after court date (him taking us!!!), so couldn't move forward with massive mold remediation (needed to tear out & replace sheetrock plus!) nor removal of asbestos. Stress elevated, emotionally drained, and tractor supply was trying to get rid of flying chicks on the cheap. I was weak. Plus I had ordered a 'few more' prior to getting them. I'm now up to about 35 chickens and a couple of ducks (3, 1 drake & a couple of hens). Some will be processed (extra boys) and a couple older hens - but not my beloved Rosie, bringing me back down to about 24 for the winter.

That fall, the assistant manager at TSC smashed his finger really badly loading a firearm safe. It was in the evening, only 2 workers on, him and 1 other. He was clearly in shock, but was going to drive himself to the hospital (he was in NO shape to do that). I offered to drive him to the Hospital, as the other employee couldn't leave store to take him. This event turned out to be the icing on the cake regarding chickens. The next year he called me every time they had 'older' chicks that would start flying and setting off the alarms at night. Did I say I was weak? Did I also mention that I just love a bargain? (Ask @RoyalChick ! ha, ha)

Next thing I knew, I had 80+ chickens...lowered some at fall processing time (by now, I could do the processing, but I would still & do still, cry) Then last summer, I was over 100 with chicks & adults (TSC was selling chicks @ 50cents each, but I got the 'flyers' for 10 cents...and got ducklings for 50 cents, same as chicks.) Again, lowered to somewhere around 80 after processing.

Then this year arrived. I had been wanting Geese to help with hawks, and loved the look, size, true duality of Silver Appleyard ducks, So, this spring ordered mated goslings, a pair of silver Appleyards, and some peking hybrids to process. Also ordered a few of my favorite chickens that I couldn't get at TSC. Then, of course, had hens go broody and got one set of chicks (only a few this year) from TSC at the reduced 'flyer' rate. So, at the moment I have 96 adults (counting teens) and another 33 chicks. I've already processed 10 (mix of ducks and chickens), and will process the extra Roos from both my hatched & straight-run purchased (I'll keep my home-hatched BR mix, and maybe 1 or 2 of the straight run bought roos), and some of my older girls. Not as many as I should, but that is me being soft. I also held back 2 sweet peking hybrid girls (ducks)

so, to make this VERY long story short. I grew so big because I have the space, a very soft heart, a weakness for a bargain, and happened to be in the right place at the right time...so I am one of a couple who get called (or asked in store) and offered 1.5 week old chicks at a bargain. And did I mention...I just can't resist a sweet chicken???? They really have stolen my heart.

really, I can't resist any of these:

 

[bgmathteach]

I've been using strips of plywood the whole time. What has happened to yours?

I think I cut them too narrow...a couple of spots, though not splintery - the top layer of laminate has peeled off in a small spot. If I do use plywood again, I need to make it wider (I think) than the just under 1/2 inch. Or else seal it better.

 

[bgmathteach]

I'm thinking about buying a camera for my partner's bday so I can also use it for the chickens.

I say go for it! My father bought my mother a chainsaw for Christmas one year.
(She got him back 2 years later by buying him a dishwasher the year I went away to college!)

Encouragement Incentive:

 

[Ponypoor]

I did grow up on a small family farm. very large gardens and we raised out own beef cows (but took them to a slaughterhouse for processing). We also raised, for a while, sucklinig pigs each spring, and acquired an old mare from a friend my my grandfather when she was close to 20, that we learned to ride on. We had exactly 2 old hens for ?maybe? a month (my grandparents sold the farm and 'moved to town' - a very sad story - and had 2 old hens left that we took. They were cranky, mean old bitties..that became soup in short order. They were my ONLY experience with chickens...and I disliked them very much. We did, sort of, have ducks. Some white ducks that someone had let loose and they found our pond. We didn't really do anything for them other than give them 'treats' once in a while (scrap veggies or such) but they became quite friendly, and we would search for their eggs (they laid them anywhere, including in the pond itself!) And every year one would hatch some ducklings...some would make it, some the snapping turtles would get,,and/or something else. They usually got them into the water within a day or tow of hatching!

So, that's my background. I love eggs, not chickens, plus no real experience with them, going into this. I have a bunch of hormonal issues which soy esterols seem to exacerbate. Someone I worked with, who was allergic to soy, could not eat store-bought eggs without having a reaction. That, plus always wanting to farm, and wanting more 'healthy' meat and eggs in general, prompted me to buy 16 straight run chicks of assorted breeds. Intent was to keep hens for eggs, process boys for meat. I had heard how 'stupid' chickens were, and I didn't like them based on my small encounter with them when I was 5-6. I was not expecting to 'enjoy' them.

However, as chicks, they were adorable, and each had a unique personality! While I wasn't convinced yet they were smart, there were a couple of young ones that would seek me out when I came to watch/feed/clean brooder, etc. they found a small soft spot in my heart. Then, as they grew...one of the hens & one of the roos was kinda mean (more to others than to me, but the Roo did get aggressive at times....looking back maybe it was just idiot hormones? I decided to process him first. It took me 2 hours to pluck him, with me blubbering and saying 'I'm sorry' the whole time. I couldn't see I was crying so hard. I couldn't process the others...someone my hubby knew - their father raised & processed Turkeys each year, so he came and helped. I could do plucking, gutting, etc. I couldn't kill them. I ended up keeping the one sweet Roo instead of the mean hen, and I had my 8 hoped for chickens. One hen, Rosie, a Partridge Rock was the head hen, and she rules quite nicely. She was also very smart....and had me trained. I would come home from work and she would squawk " Bawwwwwwwwkkk, bawk, bawk, bawk. I swear she was saying "Let me OOOUUUUUTTTT, out, out ,out! And she would be waiting a the presonell gate for me to let them out to free range. She wasn't cuddly, but she would follow me everywhere - especially if I was working in the garden or flower beds. She would also find a way into our fenced off garden...and eat all of our kale! She stole my heart...and there was no looking back. At the time we had just over an acre, but in a place we weren't supposed to have chickens (I had checked with neighbors ahead of time!), and 'paid them off' in eggs. Rosie lived to 5 1/2 years old, and I still miss her! I lost some due to predators (some because of free ranging, some due to owner error), and added chicks to replace the next year, and got some cornish rock crosses to specifically raise for meat. (I wasn't impressed - big 'lumps' and the meat had less flavor & texture).

Hubby and I had been looking for an 'us' place for a while (couple of years)...and the spring when we ended up finding this place...we were 'pushed' even more so by 1 of our neighbors. They originally were fine with us having chickens. But then they bought the house they were renting. The day they closed on the house, they came over and said 'we don't want you to have chickens.' And they stopped accepting eggs from us. By then, I was up to about 12 chickens. (Again, purchasing a few chicks, straight run, each year - replacing losses, processing the boys -but always having one in the flock) Then Bella went broody ( my 2nd partridge rock) Suddenly, we had more - as I had ordered chicks, plus now had home hatched chicks. We needed to find a place for sure! I was attached, and couldn't give up my 'kids'.

Note that also, I ALWAYS wanted kids - at least 2, but preferably more. With my hormone issues,i couldn't have any. The chickens became my 'kids' both in sentiment, and in emotional support over that issue. I am too old, given my health issues, to feel comfortable adopting, and Hubby and I have only been married 9 years.

So, the chickens moved into the new place 9 months before we did, as we had to relocate them, but the house needed work, and we had issues with a contractor 'messing things up' in a serious way - long story & drama there. Couldn't fix his work until after court date, so couldn't move forward with massive mold remediation (needed to tear out & replace sheetrock plus!) nor removal of asbestos. Stress elevated, emotionally drained, and tractor supply was trying to get rid of so flying chicks on the cheap. I was weak. Plus I had ordered a 'few more' prior to getting them. I'm now up to about 35 chickens and a couple of ducks (3, 1 drake & a couple of hens). Some will be processed (extra boys) and a couple older hens - but not my beloved Rosie, bringing me back down to about 24 for the winter.

That fall, the assistant manager at TSC smashed his finger really badly loading a firearm safe. It was in the evening, only 2 workers on. He was clearly in shock, but was going to drive himself to the hospital (he was in NO shape to do that). I offered to drive him to the Hospital, as the other employee couldn't leave store to take him. This event turned out to be the icing on the cake regarding chickens. The next year he called me every time they had 'older' chicks that would start flying and setting off the alarms at night. Did I say I was weak? Did I also mention that I just love a bargain? (Ask @RoyalChick ! ha, ha)

Next thing I knew, I had 80+ chickens...lowered some at fall processing time (by now, I could do the processing, but I would still & do still, cry) Then last summer, I was a little over 100 with chicks & adults (TSC was selling chicks @ 50cents each, but I got the 'flyers' for 10 cents...and got ducklings for 50 cents, same as chicks.)

Then this year arrived. I had been wanting Geese to help with hawks, and loved the look, size, true duality of Silver Appleyard ducks, So, this spring ordered mated goslings, a pair of silver Appleyards, and some peking hybrids to process. Also ordered a few of my favorite chickens that I couldn't get at TSC. Then, of course, had hens go broody and gor one set of chicks (only a few this year) from TSC at the reduced 'flyer' rate. So, at the moment I have 96 adults (counting teens) and another 33 chicks. I've already processed 5 10 (mix of ducks and chickens), and will process the extra Roos from both my hatched & straight-run purchased (I'll keep my home-hatched BR mix, and maybe 1 or 2 of the straight run bought roos), and some of my older girls. Not as many as I should, but that is me being soft. I also held back 2 sweet peking hybrid girls (ducks)

so, to kmake this VERY long story short. I grew so big because I have the space, a very soft heart, a weakness for a bargain, and happened to be in the right place at the right time...so I am one of a couple who get called (or asked in store) and offered1.5 week old chicks at a bargain. And did I mention...I just can't resist a sweet chicken???? They really have stolen my heart.

really, I can't resist any of these:
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Awesome story Glad they don’t chicks here for 10 cents!!! Hahaha