Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
WOOHOOO

for perfect!!!!
I dunno, i didn't get to collect today

We "processed" Bacon and i have been bawling

ugh, i dunno if i can do this again. We wound up at 80 cents a pound. Really good, but Roxy was still crying for him at midnight. We moved him to a holding stall far away from all the animals. I didn't want them to see it. I feel awful. I know this was a huge help for our family, but he was with us for 8 months. ugh the pasture looks so empty without him.

I guess I felt like I betrayed him, he trusted me. Is that bad? Or should i not raise pigs.. sorry am just heart broken over it.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Quote:
WOOHOOO

for perfect!!!!
I dunno, i didn't get to collect today

We "processed" Bacon and i have been bawling

ugh, i dunno if i can do this again. We wound up at 80 cents a pound. Really good, but Roxy was still crying for him at midnight. We moved him to a holding stall far away from all the animals. I didn't want them to see it. I feel awful. I know this was a huge help for our family, but he was with us for 8 months. ugh the pasture looks so empty without him.

I guess I felt like I betrayed him, he trusted me. Is that bad? Or should i not raise pigs.. sorry am just heart broken over it.
Just my two cents but I wouldn't name animals that go in the freezer. There is a emotional tie with a name involved. He had a better than normal life and everything living has to die eventually. Its the cycle of life. Hope that helps.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote:
WOOHOOO

for perfect!!!!
I dunno, i didn't get to collect today

We "processed" Bacon and i have been bawling

ugh, i dunno if i can do this again. We wound up at 80 cents a pound. Really good, but Roxy was still crying for him at midnight. We moved him to a holding stall far away from all the animals. I didn't want them to see it. I feel awful. I know this was a huge help for our family, but he was with us for 8 months. ugh the pasture looks so empty without him.

I guess I felt like I betrayed him, he trusted me. Is that bad? Or should i not raise pigs.. sorry am just heart broken over it.

Oh Janet, so sorry you're feeling bad over losing your pig. It is really hard to not get attached. I also think it's a lot harder if you didn't experience the process as a child. We butchered (and consumed) a couple of steers when I was a kid, and I actually watched the killing and initial processing of the second steer. Think I was about 10, but I remember being amazed by how quick and painless it seemed. My parents (raised in suburbia) on the other hand, were quite disturbed by it all and, though they didn't say anything at the time, soon sold off the rest of the cows. They still put a side of beef in the freezer every so often, they just didn't raise it themselves. Don't know for sure how I'd react now, but it certainly made an impression on me long ago-- one moment standing with the warm sun on his back, the next moment he's gone. When it's my time to go, I sure hope it's that easy.

I agree with OK, that it's harder if you name them. A name gives them 'pet' status. We didn't even think about them in capital letters. The steer was always called "the steer" and occasionally "those dam**d roosters" would be sent to the neighbor's for dinner. (We all know, no matter how much OK threatens and makes lists, Roger is safe.)

The fact that he trusted you shows that he was cared for and had a good life. You are a good person for giving him that life. The worst thought for me is for them to have a suffering and miserable existence and never know comfort or pleasure. He was fortunate to have spent his life on your farm.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

In the last post, my dad's description of the roosters became *******. I got censored!

Didn't know that was such a naughty word. My dad was in the navy, lots of salty language in our house, but d*****d wouldn't even rate! Instead of washing my mouth out with soap, I'm going to wash my naughty typing fingers!

Double hugs, jchny!

 

[Lilwanis]

WOOHOOO for perfect!!!!
I dunno, i didn't get to collect today We "processed" Bacon and i have been bawling ugh, i dunno if i can do this again. We wound up at 80 cents a pound. Really good, but Roxy was still crying for him at midnight. We moved him to a holding stall far away from all the animals. I didn't want them to see it. I feel awful. I know this was a huge help for our family, but he was with us for 8 months. ugh the pasture looks so empty without him. I guess I felt like I betrayed him, he trusted me. Is that bad? Or should i not raise pigs.. sorry am just heart broken over it.

I recently processed my rooster. He was an unintentional rooster and was not purchased to be food. He was a brat and had started being overly aggressive with the hens (I thought he had broken ones neck! He literally grabbed her by the neck and threw her). Anyhow, I can relate with how you're feeling. Before Henry, I had never killed anything. I resolve myself to the idea because I am a carnivor and I like knowing where my food came from. I like knowing that the animal that provided my dinner was well taken care of, had a good life and was respected as a living being. Seeing where most of our food comes from... to you. I don't know if it gets easier, but I do feel that it is a worthy pursuit. I don't know if that is the right words for what I am trying to say. I want to get to a point where the majority of my food is from my own stock. I don't know if I can do the larger stock though. Definitely not until I get land for it.

 

[Lilwanis]

I posted that last post, looked up, and the neighbor's dog was mauling and chasing my chickens. Feathers all over the yard and a few partially bald birds. Hate those dogs!

 

[cheeka]

Golly! nearly 4 days, 50 posts... didn't realize how long I had neglected my friends!

OK, very cool news about the eggs and broody, I love pancake broody growls... Peach was so funny that way... and I have 2 RIR hens. they are excellent layers, and as chicks, were quite smart ~ first to walk the rims of the brooder tubs, first to roost... very good foragers, and not unfriendly birds. not cuddly... even as chicks, but once they began to lay regularly, they became quite chilled out. I think one will turn broody, one of them definitely hides eggs. I like them, nice large brown eggs too.

I got the tiniest pullet egg 2 days ago, precious and blue. Mylee took it right away and cooked it. I had to let her... I would have loved to blow the egg and save the shell, but eh... it won't be my last tiny pullet egg. the yolk was the size of a dime. she has gotten so good at cracking and opening eggs, I made a great video. I have to post it to youtube so I can create the url to post here.

we had a surprise birthday party for my friend who will turn 85 in 2 weeks. it was supposed to be on Friday, but we had a nasty ice storm and she cancelled our "lunch date", so we had it on Saturday. Mylee's sister and her Grammy came, a few of my friends came... the surprise was all the company and the cake... and the candles and the singing... can't all jump out and yell surprise at her age... everyone had a great time, especially the birthday gal! Mylee was especially charming, during this trip, the light bulb in her brain turned on for "Why?" pretty much the only time she wouldn't come back with "why?" was if the last answer was "because I love you". they left this morning.

6:30 am flight. been up since 3:30... left for the airport at 4:30... got back to the house around the time they departed... then sat in my chair, sipping coffee, waiting til 8:40 at the latest to hear if I had to work. so glad to get the day off... I've been zombified all day. it's too quiet around here. and I don't have my helper to do all of what she called her "berry important jobs". the last few days were just fantastic, crappy weather, but so busy! the entire family is coming back in a mere 6 weeks. sadly, it's to bury my MIL who died in January... we will celebrate her life and get to spend at least a week together. I'm hoping to convince another Grandma to come back with her and stay for another week... we'll see

she is a lucky kid, she has 4 Grandmothers, 3 Grandfathers, so many aunts, uncles, cousins... I come from a small family, this is a new experience for me too, and I see so much value in Mylee's future with all of these wonderful people contributing to her life.
they are home safe and sound... the neighbor who took care of Mylee's kitties used her sidewalk chalk to write a huge WELCOME HOME note outside.

I have to go back outside in a bit to check for eggs, so far only Peachies today. she hasn't missed a day since she started back up. I've had 5-6 eggs everyday, new interspersed with the regular recognizable eggs. it's so nice. they've all been blue and green... the one thing I can say... I will be able to get pictures of my eggs again... and share them with other folks! everyone understood that I was on reserves for family first... and Mylee was quick to cook them everyday. I didn't want to risk a temper tantrum over a picture... not that she pitched them often, but when she did... she threw things, so I didn't want to have her throwing eggs around the kitchen... she let me take lots of pictures of her cracking them open... I guess that counts.

MC, you crack me up! sounds like something I would have done back in the days of my riding, sometimes I wish I still had my motorcycle. it's beautiful riding around here, but pretty dangerous at times. sandy shoulders, knuckleheads who drive in the middle of the road going 30 mph over the speed limit around corners... not to mention deer... I always want more chicks... I know I can place extra's, even sell some, but i'm sticking with the feathered incubator... it's ever so much easier, and it limits me to their schedule... good way to keep the addiction from taking over.

 

[cheeka]

I posted that last post, looked up, and the neighbor's dog was mauling and chasing my chickens. Feathers all over the yard and a few partially bald birds. Hate those dogs!

here, in this county... we have the right to shoot any loose dog on our property. kinda scary to think that might happen to someone's pooch that accidentally got out, but that's the responsibility of the pet owner... I do love all dogs, all animals, but I hate the opportunistic creatures that snatch our fairly defenseless chickens! glad as all get out that the dog didn't kill any of them!

 

[BullChick]

Golly! nearly 4 days, 50 posts... didn't realize how long I had neglected my friends!

OK, very cool news about the eggs and broody, I love pancake broody growls... Peach was so funny that way... and I have 2 RIR hens. they are excellent layers, and as chicks, were quite smart ~ first to walk the rims of the brooder tubs, first to roost... very good foragers, and not unfriendly birds. not cuddly... even as chicks, but once they began to lay regularly, they became quite chilled out. I think one will turn broody, one of them definitely hides eggs. I like them, nice large brown eggs too.


MC, you crack me up! sounds like something I would have done back in the days of my riding, sometimes I wish I still had my motorcycle. it's beautiful riding around here, but pretty dangerous at times. sandy shoulders, knuckleheads who drive in the middle of the road going 30 mph over the speed limit around corners... not to mention deer... I always want more chicks... I know I can place extra's, even sell some, but i'm sticking with the feathered incubator... it's ever so much easier, and it limits me to their schedule... good way to keep the addiction from taking over.

I haven't been getting many dark brown eggs from my RIR. I keep wondering why they are so pale.
Do you know how to make sidewalk chalk? I have a recipe for play dough, sidewalk chalk and paint. Let me know if you need the recipes.
And what addiction are you talking about? Saying chickens are an addiction is like saying eating, sleeping and breathing are an addiction!

Quote: Yup. It can hurt. But it is a better life for them. And I think the bigger animals are harder because they are more visible.
OK, how is the mama doing?

 

[okallthis4eggs]

The feathered "bator" is still growling. Looks like a road kill laying on those eggs. Flat and feathers puffed up. No neck. She is on a mission. So far so good. I will have to try to get a picture of her