Getting baby chicks this spring? I have many tips for you

[Poka_Doodle]

Yeah. I'll look it up in a minute. I'm raising meat birds and realizing that I shouldn't eat chicken or pork because of Factory Farming. There are a lot of cows raised out here but they live good lives.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Here it is, it is a little hard to watch https://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=YE9l94b3x9U

 

[ldawntaylor]

Yes, it is hard to watch. And in some ways they are more fortunate than the egg layers in those chicken houses. At least they only endure a few months while the egg layers endure a couple of years.

On to another subject, I was weeding my flower beds today. I took some of the weeds out to the birds and they are going crazy over them. The goats tried to snag some too - until they discovered most of what I had was grass. In a way it is nice to know that although my "garden" isn't producing anything for me to eat right now the weeds in it will keep my chickens content for a while. Three buckets of weeds and I've barely made a dent in the work to be done.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Yeah.
Made chicken nuggets tonight, never felt so bad.

Chickens love that stuff. I'm trying to start giving my young pullets peas, they went that crazy especially compared to the big chickens.

 

[ldawntaylor]

I'm afraid one of my 16 week-old cockerels has discovered the male/female part of life. He's been giving my adult hen fits today.

The size difference makes things a bit comical though. She just plops her tail down and won't give him access. He's too small yet to force the issue.

I guess he's been after her so much that she decided the dog crate the Welsummer chicks have been sleeping in is a good place to be. The Welsummer ones were crowded in around her. But at least the cockerel can't get in.

I wasn't able to get a picture because it was too dark. I just wish I could get my computer and my cell phone to communicate. At the moment my computer is saying there are no new pictures to import although I've taken several.

I'm still waiting on eggs from the two 16 week-olds I believe are pullets....

 

[Bossroo]

Oh that's impressive. Have you seen the video about the truth to those places?

Nothing but fairy tale fiction created by some folks that have an axe to grind . Far from the truth or reality.

 

[ldawntaylor]

The Tyson chicken houses and Tyson production sites are one of the main employers around here. Several of my co-workers have worked at one of the sites and more than one of my friends owns one of those chicken houses.

I can't speak to the hatchery portion of those youtube films. But, even if that is a fairy tale - I don't like the things I've heard about the processing - the youtube film I saw only provided a visual for some things I've been told.

Also, the crowded conditions of the chicken houses, no outside access, those huge fans going to provide ventilation. I have to wonder just how healthy those birds actually are.

I do understand they are just filling a particular need in the way they find most efficient. I also know, if Tyson went out of business this area would have major problems economically. But, I also know I want to find an alternative for myself and my parents.

Besides, anything you find on the internet has to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[Bossroo]

I bet that you should take a bucket of salt when reading the postings of some bleeding hearts. They have no actual knowledge of animal husbandry but play on the heart strings of kind hearted souls , then brain wash them to believe their agenda. Dollars to daughnuts, they will find fault with your husbandry practices too . Quite a few of these animal rights activists say that no one should own any animal.

 

[ldawntaylor]

Dollars to daughnuts, they will find fault with your husbandry practices too . Quite a few of these animal rights activists say that no one should own any animal.

I've certainly heard statements like that during my years on the west coast. Needless to say I seem to have been one of the eccentric ones from their perspective.

On another subject. I've been taking Rusty - on a lead - to investigate the chicken coop. He was curious but when the birds went running he showed no excitement. And did not even try to pull on the lead. Another week or so of regular visits on the perimeter and I will try standing with him with the gate open to see how he reacts with more direct contact.

Here is a picture of one of my bantams.



He's about 17 weeks old now. I've been told he may be a single comb Nankin. All I know for sure is that he is a bantam from Ideal Poultry by way of Atwoods.

It will be interesting to see where this journey leads me.

 

[ldawntaylor]

Here is another of my cockerels. He is one of the ones that was sold as a pullet - vent sexed at the hatchery. Yesterday he pecked my hand - no blood drawn and no bruising. By the time I went inside he was convinced I was boss at least for the day. So far he is doing very well with the pullets and hen. He is a Cherry Egger.

In the background to the left is a Cuckoo Marans cockerel. In the background to the right is the Welsummer cockerel. There are two more birds in that corner but I just can't tell and don't remember which two they are. There are 14 other birds not in the picture.

In some ways I wish I could keep them all. But, I don't have the resources.