The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[stonykill]

I apologise for those who are sensitive about killing. It is hard to be realistic and flower coat what happens to the chicken on my plate. I am not being cruel or hard. I am being a responsible chicken lover. I love my chickens. I kill my chickens. I eat my chickens. It is in my chickens best interest for me to learn every thing I possibly can about them, including killing them. I have used the same method for killing for 30 years. I am always open to new ideas. If it makes sence I like to try. Sometimes even if it does not make sence I like to try. Chickens do not live forever. They have a really short life span. Planning for there death is as important as planning for there life. My chickens serve my purpose. I have them to lay eggs. If they stop, there is something wrong. I can pretend there is not, and keep feeding them. I can hope they will be ok, and keep feeding them. I can even get upset they stopped laying and keep feeding them. I can waite and hope they will start again, while I keep feeding them, or I can feed my family. They are my yard decorations and entertainment. I do not want to see a bald, limping, wheezing, scraggly chicken. i want healthy, vibrant, dirt flinging chickens.That is not going to happen with out killing.

I understand but don't apologize. If you are going to raise chickens or any livestock for that matter you need to face death. It is just a reality. We as humans live much longer than our animals. It is what it is.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

Sorry Angela, but X2 for Stormy's reply.

now that is some good information. See by asking a few questions I was hoping to get some information out like this. I may just at least partially dry pluck a few or even all if the market for feathers is good enough.

That is very interesting as my husband is an artist and when we butchered those 2 roosters, he cut the wings off one of them before we scalded and plucked. He was going to dry them and use them for an art project he was going to do. I'll have to show him this and see what he thinks about a whole skin! I may need some good instructions for that one!

 

[delisha]

Quote: As far as silkie eggss and hatching..they seem more lively in the egg than other chicks I have seen..is this your experience? I also have never had blood rings before in my eggs and I have had several come up with it in silkie eggs..is this par for course in silkie eggs?

 

[rambunctious]

Making my 'chicken ER kit'...anyone know where to get NuStock at a decent price? And how different is bag balm from NuStock?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Making my 'chicken ER kit'...anyone know where to get NuStock at a decent price? And how different is bag balm from NuStock?

I think I got mine at Jeffers http://www.jefferspet.com/nu-stock/p/4F-A1/

NuStock has sulfer and pine resins.

 

[Bulldogma]

His story goes something like this. My dad: "I kept that flock of ten turkeys and would send them out to forage all day when they were young. Then I would bring them back to the coop. Every day, this is what I would do. Then one day those stupid turkeys figured they could fly. So up they all fly in one big flapping mess of a flock! Around the property they flew! Over the house! Over the barn! Then they all flew into the trees and broke thier xxxx necks! Every blasted one of them! I hate turkeys. They are the stoopidest of birds."
True story.

Thank you so much for sharing that, Mumsy! A giggle is a great way to start the day!

That is very interesting as my husband is an artist and when we butchered those 2 roosters, he cut the wings off one of them before we scalded and plucked. He was going to dry them and use them for an art project he was going to do. I'll have to show him this and see what he thinks about a whole skin! I may need some good instructions for that one!

X's 2!

 

[rambunctious]

I think I got mine at Jeffers http://www.jefferspet.com/nu-stock/p/4F-A1/

NuStock has sulfer and pine resins.

Thanks! For some reason I went to EBay first and about crapped my pants. They had some for $25! I'll order the NuStock from jeffers..is VetRx something that would be a good idea too? I've got styptic powder as well as 'vitamins and electrolytes" I'm honestly hoping not to need anything..

 

[aoxa]

As far as silkie eggss and hatching..they seem more lively in the egg than other chicks I have seen..is this your experience? I also have never had blood rings before in my eggs and I have had several come up with it in silkie eggs..is this par for course in silkie eggs?

Yes, they move more than any other I've candled. They are addicting because of such. Very cool to watch.

They don't get blood rings any more from other breeds. I think you may just be able to see them better.

 

[ocap]

Originally Posted by PeepsCA



Personal choice for me, but I figure it to also be a practical one... I sometimes sell my Guinea feathers to fishermen who tie their own fishing flies/make their own lures, or to artists that use them for artwork and jewelry... can't do that with a pile of messy, wet, matted up feathers, so dry plucking a few Guineas each season now pays for a bag of feed or 2. Sometimes I just pith, slice the jugular and then skin the bird if I am not going to roast them in the oven... then I salt/dry and sell those skins (with wings attached), whole. I actually get more money for a skin than I do for a live bird!

now that is some good information. See by asking a few questions I was hoping to get some information out like this. I may just at least partially dry pluck a few or even all if the market for feathers is good enough.

years ago i saw a list of roosters that were used for dry flies (hackle feathers) maybe we should contact the big sporting goods stores

 

[stonykill]

Making my 'chicken ER kit'...anyone know where to get NuStock at a decent price? And how different is bag balm from NuStock?

my local feed store has it for $14.00.