- Dec 26, 2011
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I'm from San Antonio and lived on the East and West coasts before buying a house in Northeast Austin. I have a 20-by-10 foot vegetable garden in its second year, compost piles and would like to learn to keep chickens. I have three cats and a pit bull named Kimbo.
I've never kept chickens, but have fond memories of helping my grandmother with her flock of Plymoth Rock barred chickens. I've been getting my hands dirty helping other people with their flocks. Not only has this given me some experience, but more importantly, it went a long way toward determining that I'm able to add chickens to my routine.
My main interest is eggs, but I would also like to learn to butcher a chicken. I mostly eat vegetarian meals, but have eaten meat three times this year: wild pig, bison and there was some turkey parts in the stuffing at Thanksgiving. I'll continue to eat some sustainable meat and want to have the knowledge to humanely and safely butcher my birds should I want or need to.
I plan to start with four or five chickens in a kind of coop/chicken run combo. I've been building the coop out of materials I've salvaged from trash bins and free Craigslist postings. I believe the capacity would be about eight chickens.
I'm considering Plymoth Rock barred chickens because they are dual purpose chickens and the breed reminds me of my grandmother. I remember playing with my grandmother's chickens as a child, noticing how some were shy and others bold. Some pecked while others flew up and sat in my arms.
My grandmother didn't exactly name her chickens, but would rather describe them as "la fea," or "la brava." Keeping chickens will provide me with a slightly more sustainable way of life, help improve my garden and entertain me. There is also a strong element of nostalgia and I hope to recapture some of the knowledge my mother nor I failed to pick up from my Abuelita Luz. For that reason, all of my chickens will have Spanish names in her honor.
I've never kept chickens, but have fond memories of helping my grandmother with her flock of Plymoth Rock barred chickens. I've been getting my hands dirty helping other people with their flocks. Not only has this given me some experience, but more importantly, it went a long way toward determining that I'm able to add chickens to my routine.
My main interest is eggs, but I would also like to learn to butcher a chicken. I mostly eat vegetarian meals, but have eaten meat three times this year: wild pig, bison and there was some turkey parts in the stuffing at Thanksgiving. I'll continue to eat some sustainable meat and want to have the knowledge to humanely and safely butcher my birds should I want or need to.
I plan to start with four or five chickens in a kind of coop/chicken run combo. I've been building the coop out of materials I've salvaged from trash bins and free Craigslist postings. I believe the capacity would be about eight chickens.
I'm considering Plymoth Rock barred chickens because they are dual purpose chickens and the breed reminds me of my grandmother. I remember playing with my grandmother's chickens as a child, noticing how some were shy and others bold. Some pecked while others flew up and sat in my arms.
My grandmother didn't exactly name her chickens, but would rather describe them as "la fea," or "la brava." Keeping chickens will provide me with a slightly more sustainable way of life, help improve my garden and entertain me. There is also a strong element of nostalgia and I hope to recapture some of the knowledge my mother nor I failed to pick up from my Abuelita Luz. For that reason, all of my chickens will have Spanish names in her honor.
