Texas

[Ms Jellybean]

Check out these chickens. I thought they were a silkie mix, but the ad makes it sound like they are not.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Long article, but interesting to read. I've been looking for boneless thighs to buy lately. I think I may just switch to buying whole chickens. Natural whole chicken.

"Natural" on the label is not what you and I think of as natural. You should see all the c*ap that goes into commercial chicken feed that isn't on the label and is outlawed in places like Europe. There is a huge and very powerful commercial farming lobby.

My goal is to be able to supply 100% of my animal protein from eggs and chickens I raise myself. It's a win-win for everyone, including the chickens. The chicken I eat has a wonderful life being a chicken and for longer than the standard 10 weeks instead of packed into a horrible dark, dirty building for its short, brutish life which ends with a not nice slaughter process. I get better tasting, more healthful food, instead of the flavorless mush they pass off as chicken in the grocery store. I'll eat less meat, too, so less animals end up slaughtered. I just wish slaughter were easier. I just hate killing anything.

 

[gameandmore]

Check out these chickens.  I thought they were a silkie mix, but the ad makes it sound like they are not.

They aren't they were pure ameraucanas that got the silkie mutation. There's a thread on here about them.... I its called "what's wrong with there feathers?"
And also "silkied ameraucanas" I would post a link but bad at that.

A quick search should bring them up tho.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

"Natural" on the label is not what you and I think of as natural. You should see all the c*ap that goes into commercial chicken feed that isn't on the label and is outlawed in places like Europe. There is a huge and very powerful commercial farming lobby.

My goal is to be able to supply 100% of my animal protein from eggs and chickens I raise myself. It's a win-win for everyone, including the chickens. The chicken I eat has a wonderful life being a chicken and for longer than the standard 10 weeks instead of packed into a horrible dark, dirty building for its short, brutish life which ends with a not nice slaughter process. I get better tasting, more healthful food, instead of the flavorless mush they pass off as chicken in the grocery store. I'll eat less meat, too, so less animals end up slaughtered. I just wish slaughter were easier. I just hate killing anything.

I would have a very hard time killing any animal, but an even harder time killing something that I raised. If I was able to kill it, I couldn't eat it. Not on the small scale a backyard flock has. Maybe if I had a larger flock on some acreage. I wouldn't get so attached then...

They aren't they were pure ameraucanas that got the silkie mutation. There's a thread on here about them.... I its called "what's wrong with there feathers?"
And also "silkied ameraucanas" I would post a link but bad at that.

A quick search should bring them up tho.

I'll have to look for that.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I like any part of the chicken as long as it's dead and cooked. Except for the feet. I've seen feet for sale in the store a few times. I don't think you could boil it enough to get all the poo out from under the nails.

Actually, the feet make the BEST stock. You scald them (160F) and then peel them. There are YouTube videos that show it. I've never used the feet--by the time I'm finished processing them, I am starting to get a bit upset and want to be done with the whole thing. I believe the outer layer of the toe nail peels off.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I would have a very hard time killing any animal, but an even harder time killing something that I raised. If I was able to kill it, I couldn't eat it. Not on the small scale a backyard flock has. Maybe if I had a larger flock on some acreage. I wouldn't get so attached then...

I'll have to look for that.

I find killing anything disturbing, but the commercial farming and slaughter practices are beyond disturbing--they are just horrible. If I truly love animals and chickens, which I do, and intend to continue to eat meat then I want to get to the point where I raise everything myself. I'm not there yet. So far, I'm only processing the unwanted cockerels.

Here's another little bit of information I bet few people who are new to chickens know. When you order pullets, did you ever think of what happens to the baby cockerels that no one orders? They go down a shoot that ends with a shredder. Yup, a shredder. I now will never advocate ordering pullets only.

There are so many horrible things that go on hidden.

 

[gameandmore]

I find killing anything disturbing, but the commercial farming and slaughter practices are beyond disturbing--they are just horrible.  If I truly love animals and chickens, which I do, and intend to continue to eat meat then I want to get to the point where I raise everything myself.  I'm not there yet.  So far, I'm only  processing the unwanted cockerels.

Here's another little bit of information I bet few people who are new to chickens know.  When you order pullets, did you ever think of what happens to the baby cockerels that no one orders?  They go down a shoot that ends with a shredder.  Yup, a shredder.  I now will never advocate ordering pullets only.


There are so many horrible things that go on hidden.

They also end up as food for said pullets or that's what i heard anyways

 

[Brookshire11]

That's sad


Ok, I'm probably going to sound dumb, but I am just so clueless when it comes to construction.
I've seen/heard its better to pint the wood BEFORE assembling.
When it comes to paint...I use primer, then Exterior I'm guessing, but do I need to seal it with anything/waterproof it?
It doesn't rain a ton, and it's not AS humid up here, but..?
Also..what's the stigma with pressure treated wood?

 

[Ms Jellybean]

That's sad


Ok, I'm probably going to sound dumb, but I am just so clueless when it comes to construction.
I've seen/heard its better to pint the wood BEFORE assembling.
When it comes to paint...I use primer, then Exterior I'm guessing, but do I need to seal it with anything/waterproof it?
It doesn't rain a ton, and it's not AS humid up here, but..?
Also..what's the stigma with pressure treated wood?

Painting before is easier but not always best. For a coop I would think it wouldn't matter.
As long as you use exterior paint you don't need to seal it. I would use a satin or semi-gloss to help with keeping it clean.

 

[LBejaran]

Is $350 for an organically-fed pregnant, 400# Yorkshire pig too much? It sounds about right, but no one has wanted to buy them and it seems odd. I wish I had more space so I could purchase her. I really like the idea of raising pigs.