The Front Porch Swing

[LeslieDJoyce]

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

3 of the Speckled Sussex were purebred (if that is a word for chickens).  I had high hopes this Spring for them, not anymore.  When I think that my black beauties (Australorps) won't be around, that just kills me.  Those 3 were always together.  Got to get busy......

Lisa

So sorry for your loss, Lisa ... Are you planning to get more chickens in the future ?

 

[zinia8]

 


x2  Zinia, hair is overrated anyway.

Lisa, how are you doing honey?  I never heard how many of your chickens you lost.  Was it a dog? 

Good Morning Linda!

Yes it was the neighbor's dogs.  I call it a 'frenzy' killing.  They just went from one bird to the next killing them. Just a waste.   I lost 12 chickens and have 2 left.  They also killed 2 rabbits.  These were rabbits that were wild but tame in the sense that Ken and I could walk right by them and they wouldn't move.

My two girls that are left finally ventured out of the coop this morning.  They aren't eating much yet.  I went back out and my only laying hen was sitting on the nest. (The other hen I kept because she survived a dog attack 3 years ago).

I am doing better.  It is just so quiet around here.  I miss the roosters crowing and I don't have anyone greeting me when I go outside.  We have some work to do before I can get anymore.  The dogs tore the fencing up on one side.

Lisa

So sorry.
I have 5 (one overly cautious rooster and 4 hens) speckled sussex and I really like them

 

[zinia8]

Hugs for everyone who has lost something or someone this past week.

 

[Searsmom]

I don't mind you asking. This neighbor also has cows. His cows have been jumping the fence and getting on our property. We have gone to him several times telling him about it. The last time he said, 'I am home for the next 4 weeks. I will move the cows and fix the fence'. The cows were moved but then they were back. DH and I fixed the fence. We understand from another neighbor he will not do his part to fix the fences on his property. He has 4-5 dogs that run loose. They run the calves ragged on other properties (seen it). It wouldn't do any good.

Lisa

What would be fun, would be to plant a vegetable garden on your side of the fence and when they break through shoot them for trampling your crops. I know, can't do that, but I've wanted to do it to those cows that come nosing around my garden too.

Absolutely. So true. And the birds are "vegetarian," either, which is one request I sometimes get. All this is why I never seriously considered Certified Organic feed. Also, when we start adding our own wheat to the mix, it won't be Certified Organic.

My sister is so big on organic. I told her the other day that chickens aren't vegetarians and she looked like I shot her cat.

That's where it sticks in my craw too...the ethics of it. When I visited Joel Salatin's farm and saw his "pastured" broilers I had to laugh and it was then I stopped reading his books...many birds stuffed into a 10x10 box, standing on trampled and poopy grass while eating continuous grain feeds is not my idea of "pastured" and he full well knows it. And then professes Christ...it sickened me. As did the overstocking and poor health of layers in his Racken House, the dead rabbits found there, his rude and dishonest attitude towards the people on the tour, the lack of distinction between the eggs being sold as to which were pastured and which were gathered from the birds confined to the Racken House...all were sold as pastured, etc.

I learned a valuable lesson that day... and will never have agricultural heroes ever again. You can't believe what you read in the books and on the websites...especially when there is money being made.

That's a shame. We have friends who taught us how to butcher chickens and we help each other out with finding the "right" chicks. They idealize Salatin. I agree, everything he wants to do is illegal, but sounds like he's found the easy way around it. I have a qualm about saying, "so-and-so professes Christ", we never really know what's in someone's heart and it's not my place to judge. Not correcting you, just expressing my qualm.

Here ya go, LJ!

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Thank you for pointing that out!

What you said weighed heavy on my heart all day today and I just had to come back and thank you for the reproof on it. I've prayed about it and will resolve to do better, with the Holy Spirit's help, on such things. Thank you, Searsmom, for helping me!

 

[lovingmyhens]

Whoo, just made it through 2073 posts, haha! I hope you don't if I join everybody on the porch.

I'm still a bit green when it comes to chicken keeping and reading through this thread sure has gotten me motivated to get crackin' on some my side projects. Already I've sketched out plans for my garden and I've started fermenting layer feed, haha! This year is already turning out to be a good one for the flock and I'm sure it's God's blessing that is making everything so wonderful.

Hey you! Welcome.
I have to really try hard to read some every few hours because this thread goes FAST!

 

[wyoDreamer]

Hugs for everyone who has lost something or someone this past week.

x2

 

[RachaelS]

Whoo, just made it through 2073 posts, haha! I hope you don't if I join everybody on the porch.

I'm still a bit green when it comes to chicken keeping and reading through this thread sure has gotten me motivated to get crackin' on some my side projects. Already I've sketched out plans for my garden and I've started fermenting layer feed, haha! This year is already turning out to be a good one for the flock and I'm sure it's God's blessing that is making everything so wonderful.

Hey girl

glad you made it!

 

[rrrmamma]

Thought ya'll might get a little charge outta this

I need that sign!!!!