LGBTQ+ Poultry Keepers

[Canadian Wind]

So... My two cents on this breeding for sweetness and cuddles thing is that these are traits that a lot of humans really enjoy, but is that the better thing for chickens as a species? I mean -- bear with me here -- breeding for roosters that give people hugs and hens that sit on our laps sort of assumes that we humans are going to be on top of the food chain forever. Either that's people like us, who care for and feed and shelter "our" birds while "giving" them forage and outdoor time in nature -- things they would have without us, btw. Or, that's the whole rotten spectacle of factory farms and battery cages.

My question is, what happens to the chicken (as a species) if humans have to go back to living in subsistence-seeking and self-sufficient clans and tribes, hunting and foraging, and can't keep chickens the ways we do now. BUT we've bred those very traits out of chickens in favor of cuddlers and huggers on the backyard homestead side, and birds that can't even walk on the factory side?

With the way humans are destroying the very ecology that sustains our way of life, the scenario I paint isn't unrealistic.

You might think with 35 billion chickens on the planet, they aren't in danger of extinction, but left to their own resources, I'd say at least 90 - 95% of them would die very quickly without human scheming, factory farms, hatcheries and so forth. And if the ones who remain are just clucking around looking for a human to hug, they will quickly end up in that hungry human's soup pot over the fire.

So... That's my long reason for being fine with the stand-offish and self-preserving chickens I meet and even hoping they pass on those traits. I'm not here forever. And neither is civilization as it crumbles now. I'd like to see chickens who can carry on without us -- they've been around a lot longer than we have. View attachment 3603299
Woo-hoo! Those weird giants are gone! Back to the jungle!

I don't think most of them would survive simply because of environment. Here where I am, if I didn't feed them in the winter I doubt they would be able to find food.

That being said, if ever something happens and we're thrown back to the stone age, I'm getting myself ready to be able to give the chooks and ducks subsistence over the winter, so they can provide me with subsistence through the year. And that also means breeding for broodiness. I won't keep any animal that can't reproduce on it's own.

Although I must say I am *very* interested in the ancient Egyptian incubators...

 

[fluffycrow]

Super sweet!

They are! And yes, I am indeed saying that the chicks I produced are the cutest ones, arrest me. Actually don't, because then I wouldn't be able to see them. By the end of the week I'm expecting Cruella to take them to a roost

 

[TwoCrows]

I don't think most of them would survive simply because of environment. Here where I am, if I didn't feed them in the winter I doubt they would be able to find food.

That being said, if ever something happens and we're thrown back to the stone age, I'm getting myself ready to be able to give the chooks and ducks subsistence over the winter, so they can provide me with subsistence through the year. And that also means breeding for broodiness. I won't keep any animal that can't reproduce on it's own.

Although I must say I am *very* interested in the ancient Egyptian incubators...

Bring on the stone age, I think I'm ready!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I don't think most of them would survive simply because of environment. Here where I am, if I didn't feed them in the winter I doubt they would be able to find food.

That being said, if ever something happens and we're thrown back to the stone age, I'm getting myself ready to be able to give the chooks and ducks subsistence over the winter, so they can provide me with subsistence through the year. And that also means breeding for broodiness. I won't keep any animal that can't reproduce on it's own.

Although I must say I am *very* interested in the ancient Egyptian incubators...

Have you seen some of the brooders they found?

 

[TwoCrows]

They are! And yes, I am indeed saying that the chicks I produced are the cutest ones, arrest me. Actually don't, because then I wouldn't be able to see them. By the end of the week I'm expecting Cruella to take them to a roost

I believe they ARE the cutest chicks ever produced! ❤ Cruella is doing such a wonderful job with these babies, especially since she's a first time mom. She wins the award for all time best broody!

 

[fluffycrow]

I don't think most of them would survive simply because of environment. Here where I am, if I didn't feed them in the winter I doubt they would be able to find food.

That being said, if ever something happens and we're thrown back to the stone age, I'm getting myself ready to be able to give the chooks and ducks subsistence over the winter, so they can provide me with subsistence through the year. And that also means breeding for broodiness. I won't keep any animal that can't reproduce on it's own.

Although I must say I am *very* interested in the ancient Egyptian incubators...

Yes. Everything about this conversation stands as long as we're talking about a climate that the birds can thrive in. Partly why I'm so glad I didn't go with brahma in the end, they do not do well in our heat at all. Aldo what is this with the Egyptian incubators, I've seen it being discussed in the Shadrach thread as well, but I have no clue what yall are talking about

 

[fluffycrow]

I believe they ARE the cutest chicks ever produced! ❤ Cruella is doing such a wonderful job with these babies, especially since she's a first time mom. She wins the award for all time best broody!

You should do a contest for best first time broody stories! And yes, I'm very glad you agree. Cruella would be very mad if you disagreed after trying to get ownership of them this morning

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yes. Everything about this conversation stands as long as we're talking about a climate that the birds can thrive in. Partly why I'm so glad I didn't go with brahma in the end, they do not do well in our heat at all. Aldo what is this with the Egyptian incubators, I've seen it being discussed in the Shadrach thread as well, but I have no clue what yall are talking about

Mine wouldn't survive the winters here, plain and simple. There's not a ton for them to eat in the summer other than bugs, and when the bugs go away, that's it.

 

[TwoCrows]

what is this with the Egyptian incubators, I've seen it being discussed in the Shadrach thread as well, but I have no clue what yall are talking about

Me either, Wind needs to enlighten us!

 

[TwoCrows]

You should do a contest for best first time broody stories! And yes, I'm very glad you agree. Cruella would be very mad if you disagreed after trying to get ownership of them this morning

Not a bad idea on the Contest! We do a Broodies and their Babies contest every spring around Easter. You need to enter Cruella in our next contest!

I never want to hurt Cruellas feelings, she's a Star in my broody book! ❤