Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens & Sheep (for now)

[thistlewick]

You could have someone process them for you. 36 chickens a year is doable if you've got the room.

Here in NC, the state does not give processors licenses to do processing for small farms like me - I've looked this up! I can find a place in South Carolina (I have a tab open with them, but I don't have any cullable birds right now anyway)

OR I can rent a Mobile Processing Unit, but that means doing it myself :O

I have 24 total acres, 7 of it fenced as pastures, 2.7 of those 7 being used by 4 sheep (I need more sheep, they don't even keep the grass low lol) the center pasture the chickens are housed in, it's 2 acres - we leave the gate open to it all day and access to the other pastures is via this pasture.

We have a third pasture 2.6 acres that is empty with a barn sitting there and I have NO money but I'd like to get a rescue horse on it, I think 1 rescue horse could keep that pasture nibbled down.

I need living lawn mowers.

I have 3 acres of "hay" and I use that term so freakin loosely because I've been moving it from cropland to pasture WITHOUT tilling, without herbicides, without fertilizer. JUST mowing.

It takes a lot longer that way.

My local ag contact told me to just cut and bale it as hay anyway lol but I cannot afford a baler. Farm equipment is TOO EXPENSIVE. Full stop.


I am also... dealing with the issue of friction relating to keeping a rooster pen. I am not sure I want to look out at my beautiful views and see anything other than pastures. So that means tucking it back behind the barn where I cannot see it.

this is an old grab of google map view before I had my fence -- teal line is the fence, black is the gate. light blue is hen house, tan is current run+extension.

To the left of the hen house looking down at this image, I wouldn't mind building out chicken stuff there.

It does go down to the rivulet (and a fence/gate to our third pasture) where we plan to let a hedge naturally grow along the rivulet.

Right now this hen house can house 70 birds for sleeping. So I don't need anything else right now.

But if I want breeding pens or rooster pens, I think behind the hen house is where it's gonna have to be.

 

[thistlewick]

I cannot post in some of the forums some days because my patience with ignorance is thin as hell sometimes.

 

[thistlewick]

The little babies will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and have taken to being out and about in the hen house like pros. Honestly, they are running around like they own the place

lol@ the messy screenshot, took one and the banner was across the top but took the second too soon, and the preview of the first one was there... ah well lol Anyway you can spy them just all over the ground, sitting on the feeder, they are easily able to reach the drinkers -- despite having 2 in their little 'hideaway' spot.... it is MUCH more fun outside of it.

To be honest, if it was less than 11 chicks, they would still be in the uptop brooder. But 11 in there is too many by far, so down they went. It's been a few days and they don't even sleep in the hideaway, they sleep in a puddle on the floor to the left.

In 2 days, it's Tilly's hatch day. June 3rd will be day 21 - I have NO IDEA what to expect. I need to put a food and water down on the ground, which I am not looking forward to, because everyone else will get into it and mess it up. Especially the ducks.

Not really sure where the ideal place is to set the food and water up, was thinking under the top brooder, to the left of the nipple waterers. It will only need to be out for a week - after a week they can use the nipple waterers. Or a puddle. I'm assuming Tilly will take them OUT, which will be *fascinating* to see how they do. If they survive.

There are eight eggs. I will keep ya'll updated.

Ginger is close behind her with her 2 eggs - June 8 if either of them were successful.

And Harriet JUST began setting she's due June 20 - I gave her 3 eggs

Dang it, I just realized Sophia laid in that nest this afternoon and I forgot to get her egg :/

Some of the teenagers sleep here instead of the poop tables. Fine with me, the run is essentially an extension of the coop as it's open 24/7 to the hen house and protected. Some are brave and sleep on the poop tables.

The little Easter Egger crew sleep on the one nest that no one uses as a nest and no one thinks is a nest and clearly, since they ALL 6 of them huddle on it, it isn't a nest lol

Not sure what to do about that, I'm assuming or hoping they move up to the poop tables when they get bigger.

 

[thistlewick]

Well, a day early Tilly's eggs are hatching! 4/8 so far - only one is dry.

https://imgur.com/a/lR65LPa

you can hear the peeps!

I couldn't help but look again before we left (we sat with the 2 week olds for a good 45 minutes out there) and this one just finished hatching;

The 2 week olds are completely integrated, the adults don't even fuss with them, the 7 weeks old want to make friends (and did, while we were there just now, hanging out with us and them) and the teens, well -- they are the peckiest ones - but none of them chase.

Here is to hoping everything goes well with Tilly - she is making the clucky noises, it's the first time I've heard them and I'm pretty sure these are the mama noises - and she's making them to her chicks.

Crossing fingers she has an easy time of it!!

I know that it's chaotic and there are a lot of broody's and a lot of chicks -- but the door is wide open all day and there are acres and acres of space and places to go. Hopefully this means things will work out. Gotta try it so we know!

More updates later today I'm sure.

 

[thistlewick]

I hope these are just her 'guidance' pecks. So far so good, though...

https://imgur.com/a/LiXl0DT

and

https://imgur.com/a/A6xQ6Ou

There is another fluffy splash one under there somewhere as well - pretty sure its 4 so far? I am not really sure, I'm 100% hands off.

 

[WingItRanch]

How exciting!!!

 

[thistlewick]

How exciting!!!

I cannot keep myself from watching via the camera

I'm dying to see what's under there ommmggggg

I will put the food / water out this evening -- I have no single idea when she will get off.

 

[WingItRanch]

I cannot keep myself from watching via the camera

I'm dying to see what's under there ommmggggg

I will put the food / water out this evening -- I have no single idea when she will get off.

I'd be the same way! There's something about watching a hen hatch and raise her own chicks that just makes me so happy.

 

[thistlewick]

So I came back out to check on things and all the babies had fallen out behind the nest

So I scooped them up and put them with her. She didn't peck or peep she just tucked them right back with her.

SEVEN babies hatched. 2 unfertilized eggs, which I chucked. Tilly did magnificent

I tucked a 2x4 back behind the nest to block the fall lolol. They are all just hanging with mom

 

[WingItRanch]

So I came back out to check on things and all the babies had fallen out behind the nest

So I scooped them up and put them with her. She didn't peck or peep she just tucked them right back with her.

SEVEN babies hatched. 2 unfertilized eggs, which I chucked. Tilly did magnificent

View attachment 4139472


I tucked a 2x4 back behind the nest to block the fall lolol. They are all just hanging with mom

Oh my gosh that is ADORABLE! Well done, Tilly!