NY chicken lover!!!!

[PhoredaBurds]

I've seen portions of food inc. Disgraceful - Michael Pollans' book (Omnivores' dilemma) is well worth a read too...:/

I recently learned about Jamie Oliver & his campaign against pink slime meat used in McDonalds products. Wasn't a fan of McD's before, not sure I can go there at all now. Scary what they put in some food.

Then again, in a pinch I needed some thawed chicken & found free range, no antibiotics happy chicken for $8.99/lb. yikes! Those are the farms that should be receiving subsidies.

Maybe if they would have pulled some funds out of Medicare & invested in healthy food production, we might not have such a severe healthcare crisis. Just a thought.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Evening all. We have moved out of the ice age, through the polar express and on to mount snow. You would think that people would have food in their house from the last storm we had but apparently not. The store was jam packed today and so was the grocery store and petsmart. Im thinking really people? You are out of the 50 gallons of milk, 50 loaves of bread and 20 dozen eggs you bought last weekend? Thats a lot of french toast being consumed! I was flinging coffee today and just got hammered with big orders. Some people left because they were in too much of a hurry to wait the 5 minutes or less to get to the register to take their order. There were more than enough kind people who thanked us for our quick service and friendliness so today was a good day. Dont get a whole lot of those.

Dh was on cheep duty today and tomorrow since I have to leave before they are up ( and before the sun is up). Of course the terrorist wenches lied and said I havent given them anything nice so they got corn and boss. At least they finally laid a dozen today so maybe the turnaround is happening. It will make my egg customers happy and I might get to eat some as well. Tomorrow they get a cabbage to destroy.

Im still on the fence about chickenstock as my daughter graduates from college around that time. If I do make it, I would be willing to demonstrate how I process chickens. I will be able to make a final decision in a couple more weeks or so.

My feed store here carries the non gmo in 50 pound bags. He started ordering it when a few of us started requesting it. Its the only feed that I have found that allows me to eat my eggs. Poulan was good but I couldnt eat me eggs as I would have a severe allergic reaction. I dont go overboard and eat them every day but now I can have them for a meal or make egg salad and eat it knowing I wont need shots of benedryl or an epipen to keep me kicking. The feed store guy is an independent store and he does a lot of business and is always willing to order stuff for you if you ask him too. Price is pretty comperable with some stuff a little higher but if I dont have to drive 30 miles one way to get something, I am saving on gas.

Aria---how are those silkies doing?

Ke5shade--havent seen you on in a while. I hope all is well with you and yours.

Gramma--feel better soon. I know how hard it is to take care of the cheeps when one is feeling miserable.

We are supposed to get more snow sunday through tuesday. I hope it waits till I get home from work tomorrow. Everyone be safe in this weather, be it snow or the dangerous cold. I hope all your critters are safe and well too.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Oh no!!!! Feel better. Are you boosting your immune system?

Yes with Vit C & zinc ...my fever has broke im a little better ..thanks ..Chickens are still Great of Course

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

Evening all. We have moved out of the ice age, through the polar express and on to mount snow. You would think that people would have food in their house from the last storm we had but apparently not. The store was jam packed today and so was the grocery store and petsmart. Im thinking really people? You are out of the 50 gallons of milk, 50 loaves of bread and 20 dozen eggs you bought last weekend? Thats a lot of french toast being consumed! I was flinging coffee today and just got hammered with big orders. Some people left because they were in too much of a hurry to wait the 5 minutes or less to get to the register to take their order. There were more than enough kind people who thanked us for our quick service and friendliness so today was a good day. Dont get a whole lot of those.

Dh was on cheep duty today and tomorrow since I have to leave before they are up ( and before the sun is up). Of course the terrorist wenches lied and said I havent given them anything nice so they got corn and boss. At least they finally laid a dozen today so maybe the turnaround is happening. It will make my egg customers happy and I might get to eat some as well. Tomorrow they get a cabbage to destroy.

Im still on the fence about chickenstock as my daughter graduates from college around that time. If I do make it, I would be willing to demonstrate how I process chickens. I will be able to make a final decision in a couple more weeks or so.

My feed store here carries the non gmo in 50 pound bags. He started ordering it when a few of us started requesting it. Its the only feed that I have found that allows me to eat my eggs. Poulan was good but I couldnt eat me eggs as I would have a severe allergic reaction. I dont go overboard and eat them every day but now I can have them for a meal or make egg salad and eat it knowing I wont need shots of benedryl or an epipen to keep me kicking. The feed store guy is an independent store and he does a lot of business and is always willing to order stuff for you if you ask him too. Price is pretty comperable with some stuff a little higher but if I dont have to drive 30 miles one way to get something, I am saving on gas.

Aria---how are those silkies doing?

Ke5shade--havent seen you on in a while. I hope all is well with you and yours.

Gramma--feel better soon. I know how hard it is to take care of the cheeps when one is feeling miserable.

We are supposed to get more snow sunday through tuesday. I hope it waits till I get home from work tomorrow. Everyone be safe in this weather, be it snow or the dangerous cold. I hope all your critters are safe and well too.

I hope you get to come Pharm It will be a busy time for me too as May is graduation time which is mandatory that staff attend and I have to help son bring his stuff home for the summer from College in Plattsburgh plus have one of the boys graduating from High School in June so have his party to plan but that is ok I like to stay busy. I would really like a few of your silkies or some of the eggs to hatch if you come. Will be a bonus if you can do the chicken processing demonstration .

 

[JLaw]

Do any of you raise a large number of chicks inside your home through the winter? If you do, did you build your own brooders? When do you put them outside? Does anyone use a hoop house for them to play in through the winter?

I am thinking there is a better set up than what I currently have and don't want to re-invent the wheel...

I have done the last two nyd hatch alongs. Atm I have like 25 chicks in a 2x6 metal trough from tsc. I really need to split them soon. In my basement I have 9 ducks and I think 9 chickens. only because we got lazy on feeding and watering and trying to get through the snow so chickens was dieing so we moved them in also a few was getting frost bite. I think next week I will move them all out side again and then put the bantam cochins/silkies down stairs. Next year I need to set up some wind blocks 3ft drifts each day is a pain to get to chickens.

 

[Purpletie3]

I have done the last two nyd hatch alongs. Atm I have like 25 chicks in a 2x6 metal trough from tsc. I really need to split them soon. In my basement I have 9 ducks and I think 9 chickens. only because we got lazy on feeding and watering and trying to get through the snow so chickens was dieing so we moved them in also a few was getting frost bite. I think next week I will move them all out side again and then put the bantam cochins/silkies down stairs. Next year I need to set up some wind blocks 3ft drifts each day is a pain to get to chickens.

I agree with you on the 3' drifts. I have been mulling and mulling this chicken thing. I have a HUGE barn in which I can renovate and use for as many chickens as i need. However, it is a little ways from the house. And oddly not a single outside door opens to it.

Then, i had purchased a garage from the Amish that is 10' x 20' which i thought about turning into a chicken house and run also...maybe having two chick locations.

All I know is Spring can not come soon enough. My house is filling up with chicks & I can not seem to find the perfect sized and shaped grow out area for them.

 

[boskelli1571]

I recently learned about Jamie Oliver & his campaign against pink slime meat used in McDonalds products. Wasn't a fan of McD's before, not sure I can go there at all now. Scary what they put in some food.

Then again, in a pinch I needed some thawed chicken & found free range, no antibiotics happy chicken for $8.99/lb. yikes! Those are the farms that should be receiving subsidies.

Maybe if they would have pulled some funds out of Medicare & invested in healthy food production, we might not have such a severe healthcare crisis. Just a thought.

As I understand it, many of the organic farms have to pay $$$s' to get certified organic. It is a large chunk of change, so to cover production costs they have to raise prices. As Joel Salatin says - 'the Gov't now owns organic'. There is a movement starting where your land/livestock/produce is checked by non-certified organic farmers and if you pass, you can become a non certified yourself. It's an attempt to cut the Gov't out of the equation and make organic food affordable. It has a name, but CRS strikes again!!

Perhaps we should simply stop paying for people to have kids they can't afford??

 

[Metella]

Amen on that !

I tell my egg customers I am "functionally organic" with no pesticides or GMO's or such for over 7 years on my place ... but I do feed any human leftovers friends share and I can't pay extra for organic feed ....


I also respect other farmers who say organic but are not certified - the ones you look in the eye - not a label in a store.

 

[demp4]

As I understand it, many of the organic farms have to pay $$$s' to get certified organic. It is a large chunk of change, so to cover production costs they have to raise prices. As Joel Salatin says - 'the Gov't now owns organic'.  There is a movement starting where your land/livestock/produce is checked by non-certified organic farmers and if you pass, you can become a non certified yourself. It's an attempt to cut the Gov't out of the equation and make organic food affordable. It has a name, but CRS strikes again!!    Perhaps we should simply stop paying for people to have kids they can't afford??

I think NOFA certified is cheaper as well. A couple of farms I buy from have that. It's crazy how much the govt controls everything so they get $$.

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Do any of you raise a large number of chicks inside your home through the winter? If you do, did you build your own brooders? When do you put them outside? Does anyone use a hoop house for them to play in through the winter?

I am thinking there is a better set up than what I currently have and don't want to re-invent the wheel...

I used to hatch in early March, don't anymore. The chicks can't go out to the barn till early May. TOO, TOOO much chicky dust in the house. I've decided to not hatch 'til April. In a perfect world they'll be in the house for 4 weeks then out in the barn brooder in May. Not sure how it will work out.............................all depends on Mother Nature, but that's the plan.