The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[Noncentzter]

You forgot: "I'm Beekissed and I approve this message."

X2!

I enjoyed your post so much Bee that I asked my wife to read it and she agreed with me...very good!!

 

[just me]

Bee, I really enjoyed reading your post.

I've recently been trying to remind my sons that we all rely too much on the system. I'm afraid that the economy is going to be in such a turmoil in their lifetime, that if they don't remember some of their upcomings, they won't make it. Not that we're "self sufficient", but those boys have been taught to hunt, fish, garden; cut, haul, split and burn wood, and dry clothes in the good ole sunshine!!

Then, as they got older, and I got a "real job", I got lazy!!

That being said, I was pleasently surprised when my middle son drug a deer up this weekend to dress it out. His girlfriend came over, but she wouldn't even watch him skin it out, stating that she's an "animal lover".

I wish I had read your post before then, because the only thing I could say to her is that I love animals too, but that deer is food on the table that had lived a natural, unmedicated life. I explained to her that the deer had a happy and productive life up til the very end, unlike the beef patty in the McDonald's burger she was munching on.

Anyway, with your permission, I'd like to print out your post for her to read.

 

[Beekissed]

I posted one of the outside of the coop but not the inside. There's really nothing much to see on the inside...I moved all the haybales to the outside of the coop but kept them in the same placement, only on the outside of the coop. Instantly better and I don't know why I didn't think about it earlier. Now I have my whole floor space and still have the insulating factor of the bales. I also have a rig up on the back side of the coop to block the wind and keep the entrance to the coop and the dog house dry. It doesn't look pretty but no one can see it unless they go out back of the coop anyway....

Jake likes it and the chickens seem to like it as well. I did move a few blocks of wood in for the chickens to have different places of being and so that I will have something to sit upon when I visit the chickens in their coop. I left one bale, wrapped in the black plastic, as a seat up by the coop and I see the chickens up on it as well now and again. I sit there when I visit with them and the dog and the plastic keeps it a dry seat.

I'll try to get some pics of the more hilarious pieces of winterizing...should be good for a laugh and to show folks that you don't have to spend money to have chickens.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, I really enjoyed reading your post.

I've recently been trying to remind my sons that we all rely too much on the system. I'm afraid that the economy is going to be in such a turmoil in their lifetime, that if they don't remember some of their upcomings, they won't make it. Not that we're "self sufficient", but those boys have been taught to hunt, fish, garden; cut, haul, split and burn wood, and dry clothes in the good ole sunshine!!

Then, as they got older, and I got a "real job", I got lazy!!

That being said, I was pleasently surprised when my middle son drug a deer up this weekend to dress it out. His girlfriend came over, but she wouldn't even watch him skin it out, stating that she's an "animal lover".

I wish I had read your post before then, because the only thing I could say to her is that I love animals too, but that deer is food on the table that had lived a natural, unmedicated life. I explained to her that the deer had a happy and productive life up til the very end, unlike the beef patty in the McDonald's burger she was munching on.

Anyway, with your permission, I'd like to print out your post for her to read.

Definitely! I know how frustrating it must have been. I have been confronted so many times by people at work, by family and even by people at church about eating my chickens and other livestock. And this is smack dab in the middle of farm country and most of these folks either run broiler houses and egg batteries or their families do....go figure!

It's so hard to understand folks who condone commercial livestock operations but feel real good about trying to guilt you about eating your own animals that "you raised from a baby!!!!".....<insert the unspoken "and how could you?????" here>.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I am always amazed by the birds' innate thresholds to what they'll tolerate in weather. Today it is cold 10-15 degrees with breezy flurries and they are out there chookin' around in the crusty snow grass and leaves. And then Saturday we had some thunder boomers come through in the morning (unusual front here for November) That Rooster had them all tucked back into the coop about 5-10 minutes before the front rolled in. Drop in barometric pressure? I don't know. They amaze me every day.

Food Inc: it is graphic, my kids watched a portion I for-warned them about it and told them they didn't have to watch it. They watched a little (either grossed out or bored with some parts they left the room), we talked about it openly and honestly. I think educating them gently but forwardly and honestly in bits is okay. My son and daughter hunt with my husband, so they've seen butchering and what not of wild game...we might have more experience in this house than some. But there is empathy and respect for animals and to be sure spoiled pets in this house.

I think it's okay to not want to butcher too. We are all God's children. I think what you ask of people is to understand the process and that it really is about respecting the animal for those of us that do what we we got to do. I think those that ask you about it might actually have been confronted with those scenarios and maybe know deep down they should be considering it to steward their flocks.

FF x 3 days for my crew. I had some freezing of the food yesterday afternoon and this AM but otherwise they eat it up! solid poos this AM--maybe one loosey. I have one girl with intestinal sloughing going on I think. I've heard it's harmless but I've seen it on the coop floor for about a week. Nobody seems ill or outta sorts. I think I'll just keep trucking with the FF.

Congratulations Bee on such a successful outcome for your gnarly Bunch. This thread and blog are fabulous.

 

[delisha]

Bee,
I agree with your post. The only issue I have is in disagreement of your need to qualify to some unknown person who has a hard time understand eating chicken, and basic nature. Reminds me of the person who said they would not eat eggs from the farm because they come from the butts of the chicken. I guess store eggs are magical. You can't fix stupid no matter how hard you try. They get it or they don't. Even if they don't eat meat or meat by products most humans understand that most of us eat meat. They certainly would understand that butchering your own chickens is healthier for all involved, especially the chicken. I would like to see the people who house 1000's of chickens in a tiny building with no movement and little light to get eggs, (the magical eggs that arrive at the store)eat one of them chickens after they lay-ed eggs for a year. The thought of it makes me ill. I applaud your need to be understood and loved by all. It simply is not feasible. Some people just never get it or understand it. They judge with out information. They do not even do any type of investigations about the food they eat. Head up and stop worry about others. You know you are doing what is right for your family and the hundreds of others who will be reading this.

 

[Beekissed]

Yes, I agree! The problem with where I lived was that my place was right on the main road and it seemed like everyone in that whole nosy county watched my animals. I kid you not! The day I got a milk cow I was visiting patients in the next county and someone said, "I heard you got you a milk cow!". Is that news in a rural area? You bet.

They watched all my free range chickens (just not something that is done in an area with so many commercial chicken houses) and my hair sheep(in a county that had only woolly breeds up until then) and all my gardening endeavors and my kids were quizzed about every little thing each day on the school bus. It became quite the irritant to me at times because I was raised back in a holler where you can do what you like and no one for a mile in any direction to question it. Finally you just get tired of all the chin wagging and tell it like it is. They act like you are speaking in a foreign tongue but they eventually stop trying to make you feel guilty or stop asking you what are you doing there NOW?

I can't bear nosy...it's an affront to my sensibilities and I guess I was born in the wrong area to feel that way, but there it is. I like privacy and I don't ask what others are doing at their house either...their business, not mine.


Quote:
Mine shed quite a bit of bowel lining also after starting the FF and I was glad for it....out with the old, in with the new! Thank you for the kind words and please check back with progress on your flock after being on the FF?

 

[Attila the Hen]

Bee
I've expressed my thoughts on killing and eating one's own animals before with you. I admire anyone who has the ability to slaughter and process their own animals after giving them a good and natural life. Up to now I have not had the courage to do it. I truly don't believe a person has a right to eat meat if they are not willing to carry out the slaughter. Having said this, my beliefs are not in accord with my actions. I continue to buy packaged meat for my family and, in my case, abstain most of the time. Knowing what factory animals go through--I do not want to participate in their suffering.
I think there are several other reasons, besides a lack of couarge, that account for my reluctance to kill my own animals. First, I have never seen it done and I just know I would botch the process. I recall a story of a person on the forum who did just that in front of his child he was trying to instruct. Very traumatic for both of them.
Having said all of this, if I did not have the luxury (and it is a luxury) of going to the store and buying good meat alternatives I would not starve. I would probably eat "anything" available if my life depended on it. I am the same person who can be moved to tears by a dead animal in the road (what a waste) yet believe if it came to it I would kill one of my animals including the dogs if I were starving.
All these contradictions. I have come to terms with them for the most part.

 

[just me]

Yes, I agree! The problem with where I lived was that my place was right on the main road and it seemed like everyone in that whole nosy county watched my animals. I kid you not! The day I got a milk cow I was visiting patients in the next county and someone said, "I heard you got you a milk cow!". Is that news in a rural area? You bet.

They watched all my free range chickens (just not something that is done in an area with so many commercial chicken houses) and my hair sheep(in a county that had only woolly breeds up until then) and all my gardening endeavors and my kids were quizzed about every little thing each day on the school bus. It became quite the irritant to me at times because I was raised back in a holler where you can do what you like and no one for a mile in any direction to question it. Finally you just get tired of all the chin wagging and tell it like it is. They act like you are speaking in a foreign tongue but they eventually stop trying to make you feel guilty or stop asking you what are you doing there NOW?

I can't bear nosy...it's an affront to my sensibilities and I guess I was born in the wrong area to feel that way, but there it is. I like privacy and I don't ask what others are doing at their house either...their business, not mine.

I was raised with no nieghbors in sight, also. Daddy would take his midnight whiz right off the front porch. Might I add, he sleeps in the nude, and never bothered to put any clothes on to go do the deed. The way the house was "laid out', you had to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to see anything. All the kids slept upstairs.

Anyway, even though I have some neighbors now (not right in the yard, but a lot closer than I'm used to), I have to say I've got some good ones. When people ask me what I think about my neighbors, I always say, "I got the perfect neighbors. They mind theirs, I mind mine but they know where I am if they need me, and they'd come running if they knew of anything I need"!! Gotta love it when God blesses you with good neighbors!!

 

[Beekissed]

I know it must be hard. I cannot step into your shoes but I can imagine how they would look on me...it would be tough to be in such a quandary about such things.

It's a weird place society has made for itself...that place between realism and the ease in ignoring it. On TV it can just be turned off. In our real life, in that place where you think about life~ right before you go to sleep~ it becomes much harder to ignore.

I would dearly love to be able to tutor people in the home processing and I even advertised a workshop on it in my local area. Attempted to advertise in the free publication but they would not post the ad...too many "animal lovers" would be offended. I put up fliers, put it on Craigslist...one person called to see if it was a joke, said he wanted to learn so he could teach his son but wouldn't commit to coming. Not one person called to sign up for the workshop.

This tells me that no one around here really wants to know...they would much rather not know because then they could not say they didn't know how. I give up on society...they will gladly line their basket with fluffy thoughts as they ride to hell in it. When the economy really hits the wall and those meats are not on the shelves like they were before, folks are going to be eyeing their backyards and wanting to raise some food in a real hurry. Too late. The price of everything is going up and there will be scarcity of foods in the future...I guess one needs to enjoy it while they can!