Why Do People Buy Live Chicks From Breeders and Farm Stores‭?

[007Sean]

Prevention keeps my costs down.
I prevent predators and illness.

I spend very little to keep my flock happy, healthy and clean.

My initial cost for enclosures are my biggest expense, next feed. Don't have any expenses tied up in disease treatment due to my biosecurity regime.

 

[Shadrach]

So you get paid to look after someone else's chickens. You are not so much doing it because you want to but because you are paid?


I think most of the posters in this thread do what we do for the love of chickens, our own chickens...and we do it for free.

I came to Catalonia because I have farming skills, like animals and love the mountains and had lost any interest in money.
I fell in love with the chickens. I get paid a pittance. If I didn’t love the chickens I would be back in the UK probably.
After a few years of looking after them I found I had gained considerable knowledge about their behavior and decided that I would write a book about their lives here.

 

[Shadrach]

How many chickens do you look after?

It depends. I keep 4 distinct groups of related chickens. Each group has at least one rooster and 3to5 hens. My aim is to try to reproduce a life similar to what i've read of the jungle fowl.
The poulation changes as various hens sit and hatch. Predation keeps the population from growing and I regulate the amount of eggs ahen can sit on. Now there are 22 chickens in all. I can house and feed 30 if necessary.

 

[Shadrach]

Prevention keeps my costs down.
I prevent predators and illness.

I spend very little to keep my flock happy, healthy and clean.

Do you include your time?

 

[007Sean]

It depends. I keep 4 distinct groups of related chickens. Each group has at least one rooster and 3to5 hens. My aim is to try to reproduce a life similar to what i've read of the jungle fowl.
The poulation changes as various hens sit and hatch. Predation keeps the population from growing and I regulate the amount of eggs ahen can sit on. Now there are 22 chickens in all. I can house and feed 30 if necessary.

In other words, you trying to raise them as if they weren't domesticated fowl, with very little human intervention?

 

[Shadrach]

With all due respect, I have read every post in this thread, and I think it is a successful thread. I, for one, have been very interested in the variety of opinions and methods of acquiring and raising chicks.
I also agree with @Shadrach that in a PERFECT world, breeding chickens more naturally, is better for the chickens. However, obviously, it is not a perfect world, and many of us, myself included, want and need something different from our chickens. In his situation, chickens that brood and raise chicks in a flock, sub flock, tribe, whatever, works in the chicken's favor. For myself, the LAST thing I want is a hen going broody, it would not be a healthy situation for a bird that will never, ever hatch and raise chicks. There is a place for hens that still know how to raise their own, AND a place for hens that wouldn't bother.
You are both entitled to your opinions, and that's all they are, so play nice. please. I for one, don't want this thread to deteriorate into name calling, I'm enjoying it. My guess, based on the number of posts, it that others are too. Ok, done with the lecture.

Thank you. I haven't replied to your posts. There isn't anything objectionable in them

 

[roosterhavoc]

Who is writing a book?

 

[Shadrach]

In other words, you trying to raise them as if they weren't domesticated fowl, with very little human intervention?

I did start of with that intention. I built coops (see my articles) and let them choose where and with who they lived. There are no fences here that don't have pass through points so the chickens can if they wish roam an entire national park.
I made a mistake. One day one of my eldest hens turned up in my house; the door is always open.
A few days later more arrived. I built a nest box in my house for them. I don't encourage them in and I don't throw them out. Now I get one or two groups visit once or twice a week. I'm on the forage and shelter list.
The up side is I got to study nesting behaviour and the roosters escort behaviour in great detail. I keep the injured in the house and there are a lot of injuries so they do have a lot of human contact but mostly with me.

 

[Shadrach]

Who is writing a book?

I am.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I am.

What kind of chickens do you raise? What’s the book going to be about?