Chicks have arrived.

Ottoshot

Ottoshot

Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
479
32 day olds arrived at my farm today. Im starting them in my cellar, away from the predators and the cold. Its only reaching a few degrees above zero here at night, and these things need 30+ degrees 24 hrs a day to survive.

DayOldsApr08012.jpg


Its hard to tell from the pics but there are a mixture of 5 different breeds in there. Most are hybrids of Rhode Island Reds, Barred Plymouth Rock, Shaver Red, Harco Black and White Rock Cornish X.

Im keeping them in a old packing crate line with cardboard, wood shavings and newspaper for now.

DayOldsApr08001.jpg

DayOldsApr08028.jpg


DayOldsApr08014.jpg

DayOldsApr08013.jpg

DayOldsApr08011.jpg

DayOldsApr08010.jpg

DayOldsApr08019.jpg


It feels great to be raising your own meat and eggs. On top of that, these birds are lucky and get to live better than 99% of most factory farmed birds. The theory is that the less you stress the animal, the more room you give it to breathe, the better the final product. Even though I will eventually kill these animals and eat them, I take pride in the fact that they lived the best life a chicken could live.

They wont even see it coming anyway.

The garden is up next. Should be able to manage the odd frost by the begining of may. Ive started some plants a few weeks ago.

18 tomato plants, 7 or 8 different varieties, I cant remember exactly.
DayOldsApr08027.jpg


And Chili peppers. I love heat. 4 different varieties, Lemon Drop, Tabasco, Cayenne and Jimmy Nardello. These are really suceptable to frost, so I have to be careful when I put them out. There is some Basil in that tray too.

DayOldsApr08022.jpg


Thats it for now. Sorry, I should have included a knife in one of these pictures. My number 10 opinel is my yard and garden knife.
 
I grew up with chicks in the kitchen, in the basement, making noises and having to keep the cats away from them. Then we'd let them sort of free range around outside. Chickens in the lower branches of Fir trees roosting would always surprise me.
 
I'm jealous, eventually I want to have a few chickens, a garden and maybe a goat or 2.

It's kinda barbaric but this is a knife forum. Have you picked out the blade for doing the chickens in?
 
orrey45 said:
I'm jealous, eventually I want to have a few chickens, a garden and maybe a goat or 2.

It's kinda barbaric but this is a knife forum. Have you picked out the blade for doing the chickens in?
Click to expand...

lol :D

No, I havent planned quite that far ahead yet. Biggest concern right now is how to get them outside without loosing them all to Racoons, Cats and Weasels.

By the way, I welcome anyones input and advice. Im not exactly a master at this, but I think I know what im doing.
 
denverco said:
Ive wanted to raise chickens or quail for a long time. Is it difficult.
Click to expand...

As long as you have got the space, you can do it. you will need a 250 watt heat lamp, small crate or kiddy swimming pool, water drinker, chopped straw or wood shavings and some chick starter.
 
Most hatcheries will supply you with a free how-to guide for raising chicks. If you have a State agricultural extension service they have free books and sometimes even a county agent to give you free advice. Or you can pick up a good book on raising poultry at the library or bookstore.

Chickens can be, with a bit of work on your part, a "perpetual meat-n-egg producing machine". I've kept a flock of fifty or more for many years now and enjoy both meat and eggs, and a yard free of ticks. I let them free range. I keep a few ducks too and they act as sentries since they don't sleep all night like chickens do. Guineas make good sentries too, but I can't stand the constant noise they make, and they don't tend to stick with the chicken flock the way the ducks do. Also, my dogs are accustomed to the flock and think of them as their property and guard them.

Codger
 
Ottoshot said:
As long as you have got the space, you can do it. you will need a 250 watt heat lamp, small crate or kiddy swimming pool, water drinker, chopped straw or wood shavings and some chick starter.
Click to expand...

I use a standard 100 watt bulb in a reflector lamp with clamp from Wal-Mart and built a wooden box to use as a brooder.. It is about two feet wide, four feet long by two feet tall and sits on an old table as a base so I don't have to bend over to tend them. The box lifts off the table so I can do the cleaning chores. It has a slanted wood-framed lid with plexi for viewing, a hardware cloth mesh vent on the upper rear so they get fresh air. I only use it when I buy day-olds from the hatchery. My broodie hens love to take care of the hatching chores for me when I let them keep the eggs, so I get three to six hatches a year without my having to do anything for them other than make feed and water available. I do this in the brooder room of my shed with a welded wire cage that chicks can come and go from between the wires, but hens can't.

Codger
 
When they start getting a bit big for the box but still too small to freerange effectively, construct a small cage without a base. You can then place them in different spots so they wont kill all the plants where theyre parked. This also teaches them to look for food in the lawn and so on and also gets them used to the environment where they will be when grown.
When doing the chopping DO NOT turn your head away from the action. I know a guy who was busy chopping the head off a chicken and when he had the animal in place and the axe ready he pulled back the axe and turned his head away from the "target". Slammed down the axe and chopped off his thumb while the chicken got away :D
O and by the way good on you for becoming self proficient, its something Im working toward also. Theres just such reward in profiding for yourself and family in such a "old style" way...:thumbup:
 
That looks fantastic. I wish I was farther out in the country and could raise some goats and chickens.
 
I saw "The Nuge" on tv kill one by whacking its head against a log. He then proceded to pluck in immediately. There was no headless body flapping around.
 
Here's a tip. Once you get them off the light, put them where they need to go.

I had a bunch I raised in a cage by the house and they want to hang out on my porch and shit everywhere!

farm1.jpg


My favorites are the red and black stars, the barred rocks, and aracuanas.

I'd like some marans and wellsummers.

Guineas are cool too. I've got about 30.:o
 
My playmate wants chickens when I move back to the other nest. I'm gonna be cuttin' my own throat showin' her these pics. Good stuff.
 
Looks like you are off to a great start! All you need now is a good goat for milking, maybe a few rabbits for (more) meat and you're set.

My aunt had quite a few chickens and I always loved collecting the eggs. I can remember watching my her cull a hen from the flock, walk it down then wring it's neck. She plucked and cleaned them too. Seems like she kept a cauldron or some such full of hot water to help with the job but I may be confusing her chicken plucking with her lye soap making. :) Kinda freaked me out when I was a little boy but the plus side was I knew we were going to have some of her fine fried chicken for dinner. Keep us posted on the progress.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top