I can't believe how many chickens you guys have

[lisahaschickens]

Hey Mendogurl - does your name happen to mean "Mendocino?"

 

[mendogurl]

Quote:
Sister!
You have just stated everything I am trying to do. Green, sustainable life. I just wish I could have a cow where I live !
I would love to keep meat birds, but can't wrap my head around slaughtering them yet. Though I believe that it is waaaay better than the chickens you get at the store, and that done humanely there is nothing wrong with it.
We buy all of our eggs at the Farmers market and it is night and day. Last week I was at this specialty food store and they were selling 1/2 dozen eggs for 10.00 !!!!!
Out of curiosity I bought them.
My 7 year old took one bite and said "why does this egg taste so different?" And this is a kid who doesn't eat grocery store eggs!
SOLD.

 

[mendogurl]

Quote:
YEP.

I am in SoCal, but grew up in Northern Cal, and carry the dream of a little farm in Mendocino/Sonoma one day.
I know where you are !

 

[KinderKorner]

My family is only made up of three people.

And I still have 100+ chickens at any time. But we have lots of people wanting the eggs. One of our homeschool friends take 5 dozen a week. And another doctor wants 5 dozen a week, but we currently don't have enough to go around. So we have a waiting list. *looks at chicks* 'hurry up and grow!'

 

[onthespot]

I sell, trade and give some of my hatching eggs. I originally got the chickens because I raise cage birds and poodles and wanted steady fresh eggs for the dogs and birds, (and us) and then i got a few more varieties and there are people that would like to buy eggs from me, but I just don't have extras, even with having about twenty of laying age. I have quite a few more coming along, point of lay so maybe this spring I can sell some to the people that want to eat them. I sell the ones for hatching for $5 apiece if my friends want to hatch some of what I got, just because if they don't want 'em, I sure do. Keeps the riff raff from slinking around with their hands out for free eggs. If there is a person in need that I sympathize with their situation I am quite open handed and generous with either eating or hatching eggs. To me it is not all about the $, even though I buy and sell expensive birds and eggs. I just like to have nice birds. I do NOT like to give lazy people a leg up. They can buy their own eggs, incubators or broodies, hatch, raise and cull their own flock. Most people have NO IDEA how much goes into gathering up a nice batch of birds and get a good flock up and running. It has been a challenge and a lot of fun, sweat and exasperation and moolah. Anyone that wants cheap eggs can go to Walmart.

 

[walkswithdog]

So you noticed the ADDICTION thing did you?

I wanted a FEW chickens for eggs.... Then I wanted a flock of chickens (one breed). Then I had two breeds, one in two colors. Then some demented soul here said TURKEYS. There are three bourbon red turkeys out there and .... two "friends" have hatched MORE chickens for me, two MORE breeds.

This is like the "Home by the SEA" you can get in... but you can't get OUT.

They will keep showing you addictive chicken pictures and turkey photos and pictures of baby goats until you're up to your eyeballs in livestock and loving every minute of it...

Did I mention the Great Pyrenees to guard everything???

You begin to see the problem....

 

[KinderKorner]

Quote:
haha I have 11+ different breeds of chickens. And I totally understand what you said. I just recently bought a great pyrenees. Oh and last year I had two goats. Now I have 8 expensive fancy rare breed ones, 4 which are pregent. And buying another. You take one look at those adorable baby goats, or chicks and before you know it your building 6 coops to house all your different breeds! haha

 

[lisahaschickens]

Mendogurl - I sent you a PM

 

[Faverolle]

Well, counting some of the chicks I recently hatched I have around 90 birds now. I eat some of the eggs and give some away to family and friends and also in the case of some of my rarer breeds I also sell some eggs. I like to be able to get fresh eggs and live a more sustainable way of life. I have an organic garden and although my birds would not technically be organic they do free range and get a considerable amount of their diet this way.

 

[mendogurl]

Quote:
How much do you free range, and do you let your birds into your veggie gardens? I am a long time organic gardener and am curious as to how much I can integrate the chickens into the whole?