[Varisha]

Chickens (I did not want to highjac anouther thread)

So here is a picture of my favorite roo (Big Red) and one of the barn kitties (X)

(click to enlarge)

I got chickens for the first time this last spring to raise as free range for eggs and possibly meat.

What I have discovered freash eggs are the best , I need to find a place to butcher them because I just don't have the guts. Chickens have fun personalities The first time they discover you feed your horses yummy grain they dive in scaring your horses to the other end of the pasture. Later the horses just keep eating and use thier big heads to push the pushy chickens back

[Top Dun]

My chickens are sort of self sustaining at the moment, I have several hens who nest every year and produce new chicks. I have a rule, Extra roosters are dinner. I keep about three roosters for about 30 hens and any more are dinner. I generally don't eat the hens though. I also raise up turkeys regularly and eat both turkey eggs and meat. T-day this year will be a home grown turkey. I've got ducks and geese that I'm trying to get started in raising for meat, but they haven't been able to maintain a sustainable reproducing population yet.

[4horsem0m]

We love our chickens here too! We've got two beautiful Americana Roosters, 4 Rhode Island red hens, Mille Fleur bantam hens, Black tailed Japanese in white and Buff, some silver Sebrights, some Quail Antwerp Belgians or (D'Anvers), Phoenix in Gold and Silver, and too many crosses of the above to mention. Darn sneaky roosters and hens that go hide and come out weeks later with 13 chicks!! Collecting free range eggs is like an Easter egg hunt everyday!

When my horse was stalled, it was common for the chickens in the rafters to fly down and sit on his rump, talk about desensitizing! They also gather around the horses at feeding time and get the left overs.

We found that we didn't like eating the Rhode Islands or any other chicken for that matter, except for the Cornish Cross. Keep your chickens for eggs and entertainment, get some cornish to raise for meat, in 8 weeks they are ready to butcher and weigh in at about 7 pounds. Knowing that they are going to be food in such a short amount of time makes it much easier when it comes time to butcher. We raised and butchered about 75 Cornish cross chickens last year. Fresh eggs are wonderful, homegrown chicken is too!

[Varisha]

Here is a quote from TopDun on an automatic chicken plucker.

Originally Posted by TopDun

It's a drum rotateing thing with rubber fingers on it. Looks kind of like this.
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/...icken-plucker/
http://www.schweisswelding.com/secti...n_pluckers.php

I got one really cheap off of E-bay but you can also build your own if you are handy at that.

http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues...Kreuziger.html

You do have to have your water at the right temperqture though before starting. I even bought a special water vat to maintain the temp of the water. it makes it so much easier to get the feathers off.

a good website to reference
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...ms/DI0701.html

so far I've processed about a dozen or so chickens and a turkey with this thing. Next I'm up for trying duck and goose.

[Varisha]

I hope mine will become self sustaining but I will bring in fresh blood from time to time

I got Road Island Reds, sexlinked reds (muts), Easter Eggers (muts that can lay blue, green, light brown eggs and other colors), Buff Orpingtons, Silver laced Wy.... (can't remember the rest of the name ), and one or two other breeds I can't think of right now.

[Varisha]

I figure I will get cornish crosses only if I'm 100% sure I will have a way to butcher them. Because they do not do well after a certian age.

[Lexy]

We have a very special breed of chickens. They are herd chickens. Every evening when we go to the barn, they meet us half way between here and there, wait for us to cross in front and then follow us to the barn.

Guess ya have to see it..... 30 chickens following behind a person in herd fashion. LOL

[Varisha]

Mine do the same when they see me walking outside. They come running (a funny site alone) then when I keep walking they fall in behind me. I feel like the pied pipper

[Arabians4ME]

Oh dear. Chickens! I have lots of them!!!! I sell Organic Eggs and am getting to the point I am going to start selling oriental breed pairs.

I have Cuckoo Silkies, Black Silkies, Frizzles, various colors of cochins, Delawares, Buff Orpingtons, Buff Japanese, Easter Eggers, Polish, Plain Cuckoos, Rhode Island Reds, Red Laced Blue Wyandottes, White Wyandottes, Gold LacedWyandottes, Cream Laced Wyandottes, Dominiques and my list goes on and on.

I don't have the heart to slaughter them however I wouldn't care to send a few roos there!

Check out my Gallery to see pics of them.

[Varisha]

I love this picture of you buff roos

http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com...o-g118863.html