Old Fashioned, Common Sense Chicken Keeping.

[BantyChooks]

I can understand your position and you bet your bottom dollar the climate here is nothing like yours...thankfully
I'm curios in most cases. I should have my coop article posted in the next couple of days and you'll be able to see what I build....nope, they're not pretty
I picked on you BantyChooks because you posted the spoiler but yes I do understand your position. We get a few very cold days here in the winter, -6 to -9 Centigrade, but it's what one would call a cold snap,not the persistent snow and below freezing you have to deal with.
Thanks for the detailed reply by the way....you're a gent.

-9 as a cold snap... Yeah, what works for us is going to be wildly different. Let me know when you post your article, I'd love to have a look.

You're welcome! This thread is interesting largely because of the varied environments, situations, and purposes each flock is in and for. I like seeing what works for other people.

 

[BantyChooks]

Guess this entire article has something to do with a minimum 'have a badge' posting quota? Was not aware any of the things you listed was or is known as old-fashioned chicken keepin'.

I'm not sure who that was directed at, but I believe this thread was mainly intended as a way to sift out those that diaper their chickens, dote on them like chihuahuas, or think that eating them is a crime. All those are distinctly new attitudes. Whether the inverse is "old fashioned" is up for the individual to decide; it's just a good name for the thread and perhaps a bit of a grouse at the current state of things here

 

[Chullicken]

I'm not sure who that was directed at, but I believe this thread was mainly intended as a way to sift out those that diaper their chickens, dote on them like chihuahuas, or think that eating them is a crime. All those are distinctly new attitudes. Whether the inverse is "old fashioned" is up for the individual to decide; it's just a good name for the thread and perhaps a bit of a grouse at the current state of things here

Ok, see that makes sense to me. I can and do fully embrace this amusing antidote to my puzzled look. As you know more than I do, this topic has been overly covered on this fantastic site. Thank you for the clarification.

 

[bobbi-j]

Ok, see that makes sense to me. I can and do fully embrace this amusing antidote to my puzzled look. As you know more than I do, this topic has been overly covered on this fantastic site. Thank you for the clarification.

And I thought we were just getting a good start!

 

[centrarchid]

Ok, see that makes sense to me. I can and do fully embrace this amusing antidote to my puzzled look. As you know more than I do, this topic has been overly covered on this fantastic site. Thank you for the clarification.

You cannot say that. I am the one that knows less than all the old folks that ply this site. I am the whipper snapper here. lol


Seriously though, do not take the stuffiness seriously. The old timers here, well it is very much a relative thing, and it does not mean the blue hair club has the market cornered on smart.........unless there is a lot if backside involved. A lot of backside can be found which is why I really do not put much weight in the term "common sense".

 

[Stacyoung13]

Well, I don't free range, but my birds are food-not pets, I think that qualifies as 'old fashioned'.

They live outside within a week of hatching with a heat plate and are integrated into the flock by 4-6 weeks. My coop is not cute, but functional-which is beautiful to me. Every years I slaughter (or sell) and eat all the extra cockerels that hatch and older hens to keep my population matched well with the available coop/run space I have-which is way bigger than 'factory farms' regulations and the main reason that I 'grow my own' eggs and chicken meat. Sick birds are euthanized, not given meds. Herbs and spices are reserved for when they get cooked to eat.

The 'pet' chicken thing really sticks in my 'craw'.
Accepted, pffft, encouraged/applauded 'chicken math' is an abomination, IMO.
Tiny 'dollhouse' (or 'easy bake oven') coops stuffed with way too many birds, SMH.
Obliviousness to chicken biology, which is trumped by misplaced 'love'.
It's a darn(wants to use a different, much stronger, expletive) shame that the backyard chicken fad has changed from a 'grow your own real food' into an anthropomorphic pet craze. I's better stop there. Thank you @bobbi-j, for starting this thread...hope I haven't gone too far sideways on ya.

I have both, I have my meat and egg chickens in one coop with run, and I have my pets in another coop and run, fence separates them.

 

[Shadrach]

-9 as a cold snap... Yeah, what works for us is going to be wildly different. Let me know when you post your article, I'd love to have a look.

You're welcome! This thread is interesting largely because of the varied environments, situations, and purposes each flock is in and for. I like seeing what works for other people.

@BantyChooks

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/shadrach’s-multi-coops.74344/

 

[HarringtonHomestead]

I'm a mix of both, I think.

I raise my birds for eating, and homeschool education. My husband will eat the misbehavers, and extra roos if they make it that long, or when he gets tired of them, we offer them to people at work. The kids and I eat the eggs, but not the actual animal. This year, my son wants to make some money off the extra.

The chicks stay inside because it's a Science project until they're "old enough to go outside" (read: Mommy and Daddy are tired of this stank in our house, get these ever loving birds out of here). The chicken tractor/coop is/was an engineering lesson (that admittedly was supposed to happen pre-chicken acquisition, but didn't).

We now apparently rehabilitate injured/sick chicks because my oldest wants to be a vet, and it's a good practice lesson. Also, I'm a bleeding heart and would rather see any living creature live some semblance of a real life before they die. We don't overmedicate, though. Most of our medication is through food, as I have been studying nutrition as medicine for years and throw my knowledge of that into our animals.

My ducks are my babies, though. I'll admit it. However, even with them, the drakes won't be safe from the butcher block, as I don't need them offing my egg-givers because they can't take no for an answer.

Mine free-range in all but actual freedom. I can't have "unconfined" animals where I live, so they have to be in some sort of run/cage, however, they have a huge area outside where they have free reign. We put them to work to destroy.... I mean weed and till... our garden and lawn. Our dogs bark off anything during the day, and they get locked up at night.

 

[HarringtonHomestead]

I have both, I have my meat and egg chickens in one coop with run, and I have my pets in another coop and run, fence separates them.

We raise our (kids') pet chickens/ducks with the meat/egg chickens/ducks. Is there a reason you separate? Our decision was based on not wanting to bother, but maybe we should. I always joke that my husband will be person non grata at the chicken coop if he keeps walking out with some and not bringing then back.

 

[Aceoky]

I guess we're a "mix" of sorts, they have a 2500 sq ft fenced area , surrounded by electric fence perimeter, the electric fence is not "old fashioned" but we'd lose them over time without it. They're not pets, they earn their keep (one way or the other) We do enjoy watching them, feeding them, fresh water and the occasional treat. I've also called the show "chicken TV" LOL

It's not some fad for us, it's something we enjoy and have for a long time.