A new journey into homesteading "pic heavy"

[sumi]

I luckily had a customer that wanted the small eggs for pickling. She had a restaurant and used the pickled eggs for salads, so she took all the small ones. I sold those a bit cheaper than the regular sized and big eggs.

 

[Chic Rustler]

State of the homestead address

 

[Chic Rustler]

Chickens are ramped up. 2 dozen a day! I think im going to try freezing some beaten eggs in bags this year for winter.

Rabbits are doing terrible. One buck is useless. They wont lift for him. One doe hasnt successfully raised a litter yet, i just keep her because she has good genetics. I have one doe thats a good mother but her bunnies are small and dont grow fast. The one buck i have that can get his job done is on the smaller side and so are his bunnies.

Im going to try and get some new blood in the herd soon. Maybe a good califorian buck or texas a&m buck. Maybe another doe as well. I have all summer to think on it.

Garden is doing ok. Corn is finally up. Potatoes are doing well and have flowers coming on. Dont know what thats about.


We just moved 50ish chicks out of the brooder and into the grow out pen. And 14 bantams hatched and made their way into the brooder. Im tempted to throw another 80 eggs in the bator and see what happens. Ive heard if you just keep hatching birds they will nest in the trees and you dont even need to build more coops.

 

[sumi]

Wow on those eggs! Have you an outlet to sell any of them?

Sorry to hear about the rabbits. It does sound like it's time for some good, new blood in there.

That's funny! From personal experience having chickens roost in trees is not a good idea if you have predators around and most places do. Rather build more coops and find an outlet for chicks, or those lovely eggs People love fresh "farm" eggs.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

With my predator load, a bird wouldn't last 3 days roosting in the trees. Do you have a LGD? Aren't you in a warmer climate than me? If you do, and if you are, you could easily put up a lean-to shelter.

 

[sumi]

@Lazy Gardener thanks for reminding me! I saw this wonderful set-up and was thinking if you can control predator access to the pasture, this would be amazing for keeping free range chickens:

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Sumi, I like the idea, and the design is intriguing. But, I see one major flaw: looks like the upstairs birds would be crapping on the down stairs birds. When I first glanced at this pic, I thought it was a building that suffered snow overload collapse!!!

 

[sumi]

Sumi, I like the idea, and the design is intriguing. But, I see one major flaw: looks like the upstairs birds would be crapping on the down stairs birds. When I first glanced at this pic, I thought it was a building that suffered snow overload collapse!!!

Gosh, I see what you mean with the roosts LOL You'd have to put something under the top roosts to protect the lower rung birds. But apart from that it's pretty neat. I don't know how it'd fair with not-hardy birds in extreme weather, but for mild climates and little predators..

 

[wyoDreamer]

There was a farm in Colorado that raised free-range chickens for eggs. They used an old school bus for a mobile coop. They tore out the seats and put in nest boxes and roosts. Easy to shut the door at night and lock the birds safely in the coop to keep them safe from predators. Once a week they would move the bus to a new location on the "range".

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Predators are a definite concern in an open roosting situation like the one Sumi posted. Owls would move in at night, and hawks would have easy pickins during the day. Land preds could be managed with LGD, and/or electric. Though, weasels and their kin, and rats would be problematic unless LGD did his job very well.