Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[no fly zone]

Agreed. I got a lot of my info from reading many Joel Saladin books. Although we have a “local” (90 minutes away) hatchery somewhat nearby, they don’t have every breed we were looking for. Many people have no local source for chicks, and what what better way to not support “big chicken” like Tyson or Egglands Best then to have your own egg layers or meat birds.

Also same. We pay a bit more, but I like knowing the animals we eat have good lives while they are on the planet. Mothers allowed to nurse with and cuddle their young on pasture (pigs & cows), chickens who live daily under blue sky and on grass.


I think it’s impossible to eliminate the big guys entirely, but we now make a conscious choice to buy animals (and plants and other products) locally from small farms.

Joel Saladin should be placed in charge of the Dept. of Agriculture.

 

[Marie2020]

I know Shad will answer for himself, but I think something got lost in translation there. I think he thinks some keepers act like children.

THINK. Hmmm I'm saying nothing at all

 

[Molpet]

Joel Saladin should be placed in charge of the Dept. of Agriculture.

Would have to go back to family farms for that to work. Too many people to feed and too many people needed for modern jobs (that aren't really needed, like fast food) . Have to go back 75 yrs in lifestyle.

 

[Shadrach]

A nine gun salute! Very cute. I have been working at both ends trying to catch up on this HUUGE thread. It's fascinating, heartbreaking, and very informative. But also sometimes very, very funny. I have no chickens yet, so I am sorry I can't pay taxes yet. I appear to be riding in micstrachan's tail. Sry.

Ooohhhh, no taxes. The Fagin in me is deeply troubled.

 

[Iluveggers]

Would have to go back to family farms for that to work. Too many people to feed and too many people needed for modern jobs (that aren't really needed, like fast food) . Have to go back 75 yrs in lifestyle.

If we eliminated big farms, family farms could actually sustain themselves and everyone could get meat locally. I would love to farm full time.

 

[no fly zone]

Have to go back 75 yrs in lifestyle.

I am fine with that.

 

[no fly zone]

A few clips from earlier today

 

[Shadrach]

A very interesting read indeed. I wonder how the chickens would do with all of the moving around suggested here in reference to using paddocks. I can't imagine they're very content with having their territory disrupted that often. Also some interesting points against free ranging.

What I liked most was him coming to realise that his original keeping arrangements were not doing him or the chickens any favours.
While I do bang on about free ranging; fundamentally it's how I believe chickens should be kept for some of the reasons mentioned in that article/blog.
It's not an easy life for the chickens or the keeper. It's an awful lot more work if you're doing the job properly. The stress is considerable.

 

[Shadrach]

Overdue off topic tax
1-2. Ginger loves the compost piles and standing in the pallet frame. She even used them to jump the fence and go on an adventure in the neighbor’s yard last week. That one escapade seems to have quenched her wanderlust for now, as she hasn’t done it since.
3. Goldilocks looking pretty.
4. Cordelia is getting more color in her comb, so I expect she will start laying again. Her laying was very erratic when she started in the fall, and she stopped laying entirely in the coldest winter months. I’m curious to see how she does now that the weather is nicer and days are much longer.
5-6. Kitchen scrap time, plus an egg that got dropped on the floor and partially cracked open. I scrambled it up shell and all. It was gobbled up in about 15 seconds.

You got a couple of lovely shots in that group of pictures.

 

[Molpet]

If we eliminated big farms, family farms could actually sustain themselves and everyone could get meat locally. I would love to farm full time.

Only having chicken for Sunday dinner. Unless your rich....my parents met because a farmer was selling 3 chickens for a dollar in late 1930s...my mom made friends with the farmers daughter, visted in summers and ride their horses... met my dad who worked at a local stable.