Chicks have arrived.

You milk a goat 2 times a day 12 hours apart for around 10 months.

Yeah I got some cheese going now. Depends on the kind of cheese as to whether it's tough or not.
 
We've raised day-old ducks and chickens for the last two years. Mostly from Murray McMurray. Our last batch we took six Welsummer hen chicks from a neighbor's order (from the Privett Hatchery in NM). They're about 4 weeks old now and they're sweet looking birds!!!!! THey stay out in the day (65 deg) but they come in at night (30's tonight).

What's really cool is we have a bantam rooster and 2 bantam hens we picked up last summer. They lay these tiny eggs about the size of a jawbreaker! It takes a few for breakfast - heavy on the bacon!

I'd use a Bark River on the cornish cross-rocks! You'll be eating them by end of May!!! :thumbup:
 
Its kind of freaky how fast the meatbirds (white rock x cornish) are growing compared to the others. I can already tell them apart.
 
Codger_64 said:
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
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YES! chickens are great for keeping grasshopper infestations under control! wheni was a kid we were plagued with grasshoppers one summer, to the point of where the roads got slick to drive on. The chickens in the area were all free run/roaming, and my god all they id was eat eat eat eat eat and eat more grasshoppers!!!!! the chickens were so fat by late fall they had trouble walking. The neighbours (my family was veggietarian) had 3 large sized barn freezers full of chicken come slauther time.
 
nephildevil said:
awww those baby ducks are soo cute :)
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I'll try to snap a picture of my duckings this afternoon if I get home in time. I just bought a few to start this year, two Khaki Campbells and two White Pekings. I'll buy a few more this weekend, perhaps a few chicks too if I can find auracannas (americannas). They have really proven to be my best layers, hardy, good scavengers and have great temperments. Their olive and blue eggs are XX-large. I have an assortment of bantams (mille fleur, Japanese silky, auracanna, Seabrights), a couple of Buff Orpingtons (also dependable layers) and some production reds.
 
Thanks for the pictures and video. You guys are making me homesick. I grew up on a farm with Chickens, Ducks, a Goose, Dogs, cats and Goats. I miss the chickens, Ducks and dogs the most. Our birds were free range also, was cool seeing them sleep in the cedar trees at night durring the spring and summer. The goose ducks and dog kept out all the prediters it was fun watching them chase things around the yard including people. LOL!! Ever seen a Duck or Goose chase cars? I have and I think the goose won a few times too. :eek::D

Heber
 
I have 25 Buff Orpingtons as layers, and they produce enough eggs for us and to give to neighbors. Chicks need heat and NO DRAFTS to make it until they are big enough to be put outside. That doe's quarters are some mighty full ones there HD!
 
I remember having chickens growing up. Some problems we had was roosters of different breeds fighting for dominance and greatly injuring each other. It may or may not happen to you, hopefully not. When ours were growing we'd use sort of a giant doghouse with a temporary fence giving about 10 square feet to walk around in.

When the slaughter came, we'd have boiling water as mentioned earlier to soften the skin and loosen the feathers. Plucking chickens sure wasn't fun... the eating was nice though.
 
Great on ya' mate! They're a ton of fun! We currently have a flock of 35 layers, two "normal" roosters and one polish rooster (the kind with the foofy feather heads!). Two weeks ago we added 50 black sex link pullets to increase the layers, 30 Cornish cross for the freezer and I couldn't resist bringing home some ducklings from the last trip to the feed store!

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White Pekins (the yellow ones) and Mallards (the dark ones)

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The kids have fun with them, but I knew I'm raising them right when my 5-year old asked me if they taste good!

And a sheepsfoot blade on an Old Timer is the best for dispatching and eviscerating!

J-
 
eomeo said:
When the slaughter came, we'd have boiling water as mentioned earlier to soften the skin and loosen the feathers. Plucking chickens sure wasn't fun... the eating was nice though.
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My favorite fowl to butcher is turkeys although I don't have any anymore.

Feathers come of super easy.

Muscovy ducks are hardest. We usually just skin them.:thumbup:
 
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