Fugly Farm

[Shadrach]

You know how the Universe likes to throw you a curve ball every now and then? Well, we caught a doozy...I've been layed off, my last day at work is 2/28. I'm terrified of course, and angry and hurt. I've been there 16 years.

I'm also relieved in a way. I hated my job. I'm not at all pro corporation and people are horrific. When you don't have to look a person in the eye you can say or write whatever you want. The interwebs are the worst, but working a phone is a very close second.

As a result I'm downsizing my flock. I've decided to keep only the 2 Nn pullets from my last hatch and process the rest of those chicks at 16 to 20 weeks. Jr will have 6 girls and the whole flock will be Nn to some degree.

I'm stepping back from processing our birds for meat. If we get a broody we'll hatch and process or keep pullets for eggs but I'm not working to produce larger birds as a project.

I'd already been considering these changes. Having this many birds is a LOT of work. Coop chores, yard cleanup, feed costs. I can't go anywhere without finding a sitter and it's getting old. I'm not enjoying my chickens so it's time to cut back. Also, my diet is already heavily plant based and I'm gradually moving Igor in that direction with meat as a side. This is both for cost and health reasons really. I have nothing against eating meat. Killing something to eat it has had an impact on this decision too. I can do it, I will do it if necessary, but I don't like it.

The chickens will help with weed control and they're wonderful for helping with the compost pile. Maybe I'll finally get an automatic pop door from all that savings on feed and we won't be quite so tied down. Maybe I'll expand my gardens and put a bunny in the mini coop. We'll see where life takes us...

I can't say I'm sorry you got laid off IM when I know you hated the job.
What I can say is I hope something turns up to relieve any financial stress and provide you with something you like doing.

Killing something to eat it has had an impact on this decision too. I can do it, I will do it if necessary, but I don't like it.

It does tend to make one think.
Even with the advantages that free ranging gives people look very surprised when I tell them that the chickens here and the way I manage them is a lot of hard work. Apart from the stress of all the chicken dramas and the grief when they get predated, there are the chores and they need to be done whatever the weather and however one feels. 7 coops to keep clean and maintained for me.
I think downsizing, if you are not overly attached to your flock, is an excellent idea.
In another life I would probably keep three hens and a rooster and see how I got on. The option to let a hen sit and hatch is there for most breeds given time. I don't need the eggs and here, they are cheap to feed.
You hang in there IM.

 

[igorsMistress]

I can't say I'm sorry you got laid off IM when I know you hated the job.
What I can say is I hope something turns up to relieve any financial stress and provide you with something you like doing.


It does tend to make one think.
Even with the advantages that free ranging gives people look very surprised when I tell them that the chickens here and the way I manage them is a lot of hard work. Apart from the stress of all the chicken dramas and the grief when they get predated, there are the chores and they need to be done whatever the weather and however one feels. 7 coops to keep clean and maintained for me.
I think downsizing, if you are not overly attached to your flock, is an excellent idea.
In another life I would probably keep three hens and a rooster and see how I got on. The option to let a hen sit and hatch is there for most breeds given time. I don't need the eggs and here, they are cheap to feed.
You hang in there IM.

Thanks Shad I am rather attached to my rooster and I like most of his girls. The chicks were destined for meat anyway, just maybe not until I tried breeding from them first.

We definitely eat the eggs so a few extra girls will be nice to have around regardless. I do very much enjoy having a smaller flock of 6 or so and that may be all that I keep. We'll see.

 

[RUNuts]

Is the Biology degree a gial or would you put it to use in some way?(sometimes I just like to learn something for the sake of knowledge itself)

What is a gial? Don't know that one.

At this point, the degree sounds like fun. I enjoyed the biology department and tolerated the others. The other career paid more. Like Monty Python says, "I always wanted to be a lumberjack." Idealized job and getting to play in the woods. Career wise, I think I will retire here. The good Lord willing and all that. This place gives me more free time for the chickens and kids. Good people to work with is important too.

Is it wrong to live vicariously through your kids? LOL! Always enjoyed plants and DD#1 taught me a few things. Grandpa always had a large garden. I've always wanted one, but family, career and sleep came first. Getting closer every year. The chickens was a learning exercise that stuck around. "Keeps me out of the bars."

 

[igorsMistress]

What is a gial? Don't know that one.

At this point, the degree sounds like fun. I enjoyed the biology department and tolerated the others. The other career paid more. Like Monty Python says, "I always wanted to be a lumberjack." Idealized job and getting to play in the woods. Career wise, I think I will retire here. The good Lord willing and all that. This place gives me more free time for the chickens and kids. Good people to work with is important too.

Is it wrong to live vicariously through your kids? LOL! Always enjoyed plants and DD#1 taught me a few things. Grandpa always had a large garden. I've always wanted one, but family, career and sleep came first. Getting closer every year. The chickens was a learning exercise that stuck around. "Keeps me out of the bars."

Oopsie, goal.

 

[BlueBaby]

@igorsMistress I'm still going to be breeding Roger to this FNN pullet when she get's old enough.

 

[igorsMistress]

We've been talking about our pigeon problem. They are horrendous and I really hate them going into the coop. Also, with deep litter in there it's difficult to keep them out of the gravity feeder because the floor height changes. Leaving a feeder out in the elements where ground height is consistent allows food to get wet in some of our storms; gotta love vertical rain.

Our solution is to use the mini coop. The floor can be cleaned regularly, it's big enough for 2 or 3 feeders mounted on a wall plus the 5 gallon waterer. The feeders can be mounted just out of pigeon reach to limit food waste. I'm removing the door from it, which I'm recycling as a grass frame.

Igor made a grass frame today from leftover 2x2s and some hwc. I'm putting it outside the garden and planting xeriscape grass in it. The door will have another type, will have to check the label. Here's the frame

 

[BlueBaby]

@igorsMistress It sound's like you have been busy over there.

I'm on the lookout for more pullet's again.

 

[igorsMistress]

@igorsMistress It sound's like you have been busy over there.

I'm on the lookout for more pullet's again.

Why?

 

[RUNuts]

Why?

Chicken Math, maybe?

 

[BlueBaby]

Why?

Because I'm getting ready to start up my second flock. I don't want to be buying hen's for $25.00 each this time though like I did for that lady that had the Barnevelder's.