What do you do with ALL THESE CHICKS?!!

[WallyG74]

I also brought my 2 children up hunting. They really don’t want to go anymore so I don’t force it. One is 18 and the other almost 16 so dear ole dad is doing it on his own again. We garden too. I’m trying my best to pass on to them what my parents thought to be very important skills. Never depend on the grocery store. It might run out of food one day. We got a sample of that when no one could find toilet paper last year, among other things. Whitetails replace cows around 6 months out of the year. I’m hoping the chicken experiment catches on. I may have to do all the processing myself but it will be worth it.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Processing is currently the future for most the cockerels in this batch

 

[Chookwagn]

I have just stopped hatching for the first time in 18 months........... yes 18 months..... lol

I hatched a few batches of chicks for myself and I sold as many chicks as I could as day olds and even in winter here I could sell chicks to people who had persistent broodies which seemed quite common.

I now have 5 incubators with different capacities which is quite a handy thing when setting different batches and different breeds. I will probably sell at least 1 incubator when spring hits (on this side) and the demand for incubators increases.

At the moment I cant get hold of any eggs to hatch and my flock is either moulting and not laying or just starting to lay.

 

[Joyfillednomads]

I also brought my 2 children up hunting. They really don’t want to go anymore so I don’t force it. One is 18 and the other almost 16 so dear ole dad is doing it on his own again. We garden too. I’m trying my best to pass on to them what my parents thought to be very important skills. Never depend on the grocery store. It might run out of food one day. We got a sample of that when no one could find toilet paper last year, among other things. Whitetails replace cows around 6 months out of the year. I’m hoping the chicken experiment catches on. I may have to do all the processing myself but it will be worth it.

This last year has certainly proved that true!! And even if they aren't using their skills, they got them. The difference between feeling like a caged animal afraid for your life and that you might starve vs being skilled and empowered to go get your dinner even if you gotta learn to crush acorns to make flat bread as a side to accompany your dandelion salad and main meats.
The main part of getting chickens was to teach the kids this secondary skills just incase hunting on non-private lands got shutdown or fishing areas were closed.
Gotta be able to grow it if ya need to eat. We were launched into chickens prior to our typical planning and preparation.
And seeing some friends kids not weather this past year we'll, chickens were certainly cheaper than therapy and better than medicine.
I LOVE having chickens. I wish I could have a little chick carrier like Paris Hilton has her tiny dog purse carrier thingy.
I feel that if every kid had to raise some animal during covid as a school project even if they were virtual, they'd be a heck of a lot better off focusing on caring for something else than the video games, media, news and social media.

 

[Joyfillednomads]

Processing is currently the future for most the cockerels in this batchView attachment 2674665View attachment 2674667View attachment 2674668

Love the plastic bin --> easy clean!

 

[Joyfillednomads]

Due to the corona crisis we are still in lockdown and we don't know when we will be able to get out of it and can buy new chickens. So we ar trying to breed them. I know serveral people who also thought this would be the best solution.

Sorry that is awful. Hope your lockdowns end very soon

 

[Joyfillednomads]

I have just stopped hatching for the first time in 18 months........... yes 18 months..... lol

I hatched a few batches of chicks for myself and I sold as many chicks as I could as day olds and even in winter here I could sell chicks to people who had persistent broodies which seemed quite common.

I now have 5 incubators with different capacities which is quite a handy thing when setting different batches and different breeds. I will probably sell at least 1 incubator when spring hits (on this side) and the demand for incubators increases.

At the moment I cant get hold of any eggs to hatch and my flock is either moulting and not laying or just starting to lay.

Exactly. One big incubator sounds great till you got different breeds and different types of fowl. So great!!
I believe that it's small farms and people doing this labor of love keeping things going. Neighbors helping neighbors.

 

[Chookwagn]

Exactly. One big incubator sounds great till you got different breeds and different types of fowl. So great!!
I believe that it's small farms and people doing this labor of love keeping things going. Neighbors helping neighbors.

Plus if you have more than 1 incubator you can do staggered hatches and use a incubator as a hatcher..... this also works great

 

[Joyfillednomads]

Plus if you have more than 1 incubator you can do staggered hatches and use a incubator as a hatcher..... this also works great

Omg!!!!

 

[WallyG74]

This last year has certainly proved that true!! And even if they aren't using their skills, they got them. The difference between feeling like a caged animal afraid for your life and that you might starve vs being skilled and empowered to go get your dinner even if you gotta learn to crush acorns to make flat bread as a side to accompany your dandelion salad and main meats.
The main part of getting chickens was to teach the kids this secondary skills just incase hunting on non-private lands got shutdown or fishing areas were closed.
Gotta be able to grow it if ya need to eat. We were launched into chickens prior to our typical planning and preparation.
And seeing some friends kids not weather this past year we'll, chickens were certainly cheaper than therapy and better than medicine.
I LOVE having chickens. I wish I could have a little chick carrier like Paris Hilton has her tiny dog purse carrier thingy.
I feel that if every kid had to raise some animal during covid as a school project even if they were virtual, they'd be a heck of a lot better off focusing on caring for something else than the video games, media, news and social media.

I love how you worked Paris Hilton in there! Totally unexpected!!!