The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lazy gardener]

anybody have any idea what breed he is... it was a hatchery mistake.not an ee was black as a chick has a pee cpmb ,was supposed to be a barred cochin bantam ,I am thinking an type OEGB and he is naughty..

He looks like my EE roo. My roo is 16 weeks old, and so far is a nice little boy. He met me at the car when I got home today.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Can I ask a WAY off topic question?

I'm thinking about rabbits for meat, but I'm having a hard time finding information about what it costs to feed them per pound of rabbit you get at butcher. I know there are a lot of variables, but I was hoping someone would have a rough guide somewhere.

When I got into chickens, I found a lot of good info on this, so I knew I wouldn't save money over the cheap grocery store eggs.

Do any of you have any experience with this, or know a website with more information?

 

[misbhaven]

I raise mixed breed rabbits and well spend about $150 on food my rabbits yearly i found a farmer who does timothy hay combo for $5 a bale i watch for food to go on sale and only buy then , i spent $30 on the nz male, 15 for two halequin/cali mixed does, $20 for two lion head/cali does...I sell the cuter babies for $10 each out of 13 i sold 8..3 growing out for meat 2 does keeping to see who i like best as people like cute for pet bunnies, I have another littler of 7 born today...so by doing a combo of selling for pets and eating my rabbits are free to keep and feed..if you don't count the cages which i used cull lumber for..

 

[misbhaven]

I sent a picture to cackle and asked again... here are the results because of his coloring when a chick etc or they added slim chance of ee..wish it was a pullet then the egg would tell


Antwerp Belgian Bantams or Barbu d'Anvers


a.k.a. Quail Bantams

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Quail/BRKQuailBty.html

 

[Leahs Mom]

Can I ask a WAY off topic question?

I'm thinking about rabbits for meat, but I'm having a hard time finding information about what it costs to feed them per pound of rabbit you get at butcher. I know there are a lot of variables, but I was hoping someone would have a rough guide somewhere.

When I got into chickens, I found a lot of good info on this, so I knew I wouldn't save money over the cheap grocery store eggs.

Do any of you have any experience with this, or know a website with more information?

@Kassaundra has started raising rabbits too. She may have something to add.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

well my broody duck must have figured out the eggs were chicken eggs. She broke one yesterday morning and the rest this morning. The eggs were there at 7 am but smashed by 9:30. At least the other ducks and little chicks in that pen are feasting today.

 

[Leahs Mom]

well my broody duck must have figured out the eggs were chicken eggs. She broke one yesterday morning and the rest this morning. The eggs were there at 7 am but smashed by 9:30. At least the other ducks and little chicks in that pen are feasting today.

Wondering... is she continuing to stay in the nest broody or did she just get up and go?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
She got up and went. She is now playing and digging in the pine tree trimming area of the duck pen. She has not gone back other than to smash up the eggs. The entire back yard went nuts when she did that. I had to go and see why every rooster and many hens I had was crowing or sending off the run for your life alarm. It was interesting to hear the younger roosters crowing though.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Interesting that they sounded an alarm - like they knew she was a predator..

 

[Shan30]

She got up and went.  She is now playing and digging in the pine tree trimming area of the duck pen.  She has not gone back other than to smash up the eggs.  The entire back yard went nuts when she did that.  I had to go and see why every rooster and many hens I had was crowing or sending off the run for your life alarm.  It was interesting to hear the younger roosters crowing though. 

This seems so strange to me. Do birds do this often? It's just something I've never heard of or seen. I could see one of them simply abandoning the eggs if they discovered that they were another species but to furiously smash them all seems odd. Guess she was pretty upset that you played such a trick on her