Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[NotableNancy]

We are 13 miles from town one direction and 16 miles from another town the other direction. People just don't want to spend the gas money driving all that way and in the nearest town you are allowed to have anything in the city limits except a mess...so there are a lot of people with chickens right there anyway. We have a couple of hunting leases that are regulars but other than that...nada. I thought about the delivery solution but we only go into town once every two weeks or so. I really don't mind giving the eggs to charity they are a side effect of my obsession with poultry anyway.

I think it's fantastic you donate so many eggs!! I sound like a money grubbing egg hoarder/seller in my post... lol I would have to drive into the city to
donate eggs as far as I know and that would entail having to pay for parking at about $20 so I have no where to donate them to the needy.
I donate to my dentist, postal workers, hair dresser, friends and family though

But I would love to give them to the truly needy. I give unwanted/outgrown
clothes to the thrift shops in underprivileged areas. Not in my area. Here, the ladies show up in Mercedes and Jaguars to shop in the local thrift stores. I want to give to the
ones that need it. Makes me feel good!!

 

[jtn42248]

I think it's fantastic you donate so many eggs!! I sound like a money grubbing egg hoarder/seller in my post... lol I would have to drive into the city to
donate eggs as far as I know and that would entail having to pay for parking at about $20 so I have no where to donate them to the needy.
I donate to my dentist, postal workers, hair dresser, friends and family though

But I would love to give them to the truly needy. I give unwanted/outgrown
clothes to the thrift shops in underprivileged areas. Not in my area. Here, the ladies show up in Mercedes and Jaguars to shop in the local thrift stores. I want to give to the
ones that need it. Makes me feel good!!

Sounds like you live in/near a sizable city. The nearest big/little town to us is barely 5K people and most of them are over 60 years old. There are no parking lots and no parking meters. The City Hall is converted from the old railroad station and we have brick streets still. Oh, there is one traffic light and it doesn't work. There is a real need for assistance as many of these old folks are retired farmers or laborers and have only a small Social Security income to exist on. Thus, the churches in town (and there are a bunch of them) all got together and started this food pantry/bank in the old high school cafeteria.

I think the only Mercedes I have seen around here was converted into a pick-up truck and if there was a Jaguar any where around we would all get our guns out to shoot it.

Next town up the road has about 400 folks and after that is one with 152 citizens. So we are sort of rural...it is West Texas after all. We really like it but it is costly. Home owners insurance is an arm and a leg since the nearest fire hydrant is 13 miles away. There is not cable t.v. or internet. We have a land line on old copper wire because nothing works if the power goes out...and it does. Everything else is satellite and they know they have us over a barrel and charge accordingly.

But, after 28 years in Los Angeles and another 18 in Austin, TX retiring and buying this farm was just what the doctor ordered.

 

[MamaShell]

 
I think it's fantastic you donate so many eggs!!  I sound like a money grubbing egg hoarder/seller in my post... lol     I would have to drive into the city to
donate eggs as far as I know and that would entail having to pay for parking at about $20 so I have no where to donate them to the needy.
I donate to my dentist, postal workers, hair dresser, friends and family though       But I would love to give them to the truly needy.  I give unwanted/outgrown
clothes to the thrift shops in underprivileged areas. Not in my area.  Here, the ladies show up in Mercedes and Jaguars to shop in the local thrift stores.  I want to give to the
ones that need it.  Makes me feel good!!

Sounds like you live in/near a sizable city. The nearest big/little town to us is barely 5K people and most of them are over 60 years old. There are no parking lots and no parking meters. The City Hall is converted from the old railroad station and we have brick streets still. Oh, there is one traffic light and it doesn't work. There is a real need for assistance as many of these old folks are retired farmers or laborers and have only a small Social Security income to exist on. Thus, the churches in town (and there are a bunch of them) all got together and started this food pantry/bank in the old high school cafeteria.

I think the only Mercedes I have seen around here was converted into a pick-up truck and if there was a Jaguar any where around we would all get our guns out to shoot it.

Next town up the road has about 400 folks and after that is one with 152 citizens. So we are sort of rural...it is West Texas after all. We really like it but it is costly. Home owners insurance is an arm and a leg since the nearest fire hydrant is 13 miles away. There is not cable t.v. or internet. We have a land line on old copper wire because nothing works if the power goes out...and it does. Everything else is satellite and they know they have us over a barrel and charge accordingly.

But, after 28 years in Los Angeles and another 18 in Austin, TX retiring and buying this farm was just what the doctor ordered.

I love your description of your "neighborhood". Very funny stuff! You definitely have to take the good with the bad, don't you? My family is looking at more rural properties to move to and my daughter is the only one not excited by the prospect. She cannot imagine her world without steady cell service!

 

[jtn42248]

I love your description of your "neighborhood". Very funny stuff! You definitely have to take the good with the bad, don't you? My family is looking at more rural properties to move to and my daughter is the only one not excited by the prospect. She cannot imagine her world without steady cell service!

If you are prepared you will find it to be one of the most satisfying things you ever do. But, be prepared. We are a little over a mile from our nearest neighbor so there are days when we see or hear no other people but ourselves. Even in retirement and only 3.5 acres it is a lot of work. Chores must be done without regard to weather...hot, cold, wet, dry, windy...they must be done. We have predators that we have had to (for the first time in our lives) buy guns to protect ourselves and our poultry from. Let your daughter make a list of 3 or 4 farm projects she might be interested in and then commit to letting her do one of them with the understanding of how much work and responsibility it is. When I was just a kid we lived with my grandparents on their farm so, after all those years behind a desk, moving out here was like going home again to me. I have little recollection of when I have been happier. My blood pressure and BMI have all come back down to what they should be for my age. I sleep better and eat better. I only wish that we had been able to do this sooner when we were younger.

 

[NanaLynn]

We're down to a few eggs a day now too. Just 6 yesterday from our 21 chickens. There are feathers everywhere. I gave them some more BOSS in their scratch yesterday and am going to try to give them more each day. Maybe that up in protein will help out. I should have purchased some higher protein feed and TSC last time I went, but didn't think of it at the time. Our RIR, Ash is the last of the older girls to finally molt. She is a little over a year and a half and this is her first time. Most of the babies, we have 16 that are a little over a year, are molting now too and our older EE (1 1/2 yrs) is going through her second molt. No wonder I do not have many eggs!

I like the idea too of living away from everyone and running a farm. We are not that far from retirement ourselves, but I imagine we'll just do what we can with what we have at our house now. We may get a goat or a lamb in the future and expand my garden, but other then that no further changes besides remodeling the house, etc. My husband and I have talked about getting land in a neighboring town and having a farm, but I do not see that happening since we do not want to start another mortgage. If by chance someone out of the blue comes by and wants to purchase our house and land for triple it's worth, then that might be possible.

I think it would be neat to live a little more isolated. Fortunately, our house was built away from other houses, not like the houses built now. So we do not have neighbors bumped up against us which is nice.

I only donate to friends and family right now since I do not usually end up with extras after that. My two sons and there families, my sister, mom, brothers, in-laws, etc. My son sometimes sells a couple dozen at work and my daughter gives some to some of her friends when they ask. The rule here for neighbors and friends is the first one is free and after that it is $5 a dozen. Our one neighbor that is the closest to the coop gets them for $2.50 a dozen from us. I do not have many $5 sales.

 

[twoboystwogirls]

We're down to a few eggs a day now too. Just 6 yesterday from our 21 chickens. There are feathers everywhere. I gave them some more BOSS in their scratch yesterday and am going to try to give them more each day. Maybe that up in protein will help out. I should have purchased some higher protein feed and TSC last time I went, but didn't think of it at the time.

I am in the same boat. 17 hens and only 5 eggs yesterday. We used to get a dozen a day. Most of them are molting plus with no electricity in the coop I can't add extra daylight. What is BOSS. I have been trying to figure out what to add to their diet to help them with the molt. This year seems to be the worst and lasting the longest. I was thinking of making them some homemade yogurt. I have done that in the past and I do not know whether it helps but they sure do love it.

 

[autumnhearth]

BOSS is Black Oil Sunflower Seeds. I haven't had to deal with molt yet as it is our girls first year. But here are some other ideas: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/08/molt-muffins-for-chickens-during.html

 

[NotableNancy]

I am in the same boat.  17 hens and only 5 eggs yesterday. We used to get a dozen a day.  Most of them are molting plus with no electricity in the coop I can't add extra daylight.  What is BOSS.  I have been trying to figure out what to add to their diet to help them with the molt.  This year seems to be the worst and lasting the longest. I was thinking of making them some homemade yogurt.  I have done that in the past and I do not know whether it helps but they sure do love it.

Extra protein helps so if you have leftover meat, fish, canned cat food but not too much because of the sodium, high protein chicken feed or there's a feed called Feather Fixer that's good too.

If I didn't have my younger girls laying right now I would barely have eggs too.

 

[trsturself]

We have a couple that have finished their molt and others took their spot so we have different eggs, but still less than usual.

We processed Dinner yesterday. Do not continue reading if you don't like these things.



Note, do not try to skin an old bird. Young ones are easy but this older (6mo) rooster was tough! Next time I know to have the water ready to pluck it.
He had more meat than I expected. Unfortunately I didn't have time to weigh him, I was running out the door to pick up my dad at the airport. DD was all gung ho about doing the deed but when the time came she couldn't do it. I can't be around for it so luckily DD's best friend was there to hold the cone for DH. I had read about someone using branch cutters for cutting off the head so we brought some new ones (our current ones were really dull) and gave that a try. DH said it didn't work well at all.

Dinner has been in the crockpot all night. If I had plucked him I would've roasted him low and slow but with no skin he would've just dried out. We're making stock and giving the meat to our pregnant dog. She is just days from giving birth and she all she wants to eat is meat and lots of it. She is turning her nose up at anything else even though she used to be a pig. My other dogs know she's getting special food even though we feed her in a different room and they are now on strike about their normal food. Pests!

 

[jtn42248]

Nice to know about the branch cutters. I also had head that they were a handy solution but I am beginning to think the cut throat and let bleed out is best and fastest. No blood to the brain = brain dead and not signals from the nervous system. I am only guessing here since I have never done the deed myself and am not really sure how. I have looked at the YouTube video instructions and it is much like watching Texas Chainsaw Murders. We have always been a "no kill" farm except for critters that were not welcome here and having to put down the occasional seriously injured bird. However, I have 5 Andalusian hens that are 8 months old that are pushing their luck. I may end up just re-homing them but I know that I will never buy a Mediterranean breed again. They just are too aggressive as they mature. You say you skinned the bird. That is a lot more logical if you are going to skin and de-bone in the end anyway. But, what about gutting? Is it done the same way?