Sufficient Self members with Poultry!

[FarmerJamie]

mama hen and babies were integrated completely with the rest of the hens yesterday-minus the aggressive one. Aggressive one is now in enclosure where hen and chicks were and will be put in the coop enclosure tonight-until 1. she can get her act together (unlikely) 2. chicks are older and can manage her or 3. we rehome or butcher her.

BUT back to the chicks. They spent 4 hours, in 2 hour increments, with the older hens all last week. Yesterday, I just let them go with mama. They did great. They were eating and drinking with the older hens, running around far away from mama but listening to all her calls. No one pecked at them or pushed them out of the way for anything. Mama got a couple on their head/legs and there was one that is asserting dominance (occasional head peck) over mama but leaving chicks alone. I was so happy. Then she got them all snuggled in last night in the coop, well before everyone else, and then they were the first ones out the coop this morning-everyone else waited.

Thanks for listening to me while on this new type of journey-I definitely would have this mama hatch chicks again, though DH might have another opinion, lol

Peep adventures. Love it. Pix?

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Peep adventures. Love it. Pix?

Of course!

 

[MeanCheek]

I didn't get that white Trumpeter pigeon- I got three others! If one turns out to be a hen, though, she will go to a friend.
I also may have gotten a Cornish roo. I kind of regret it, but he's so cute!

 

[MeanCheek]

And now I'm finally done with that horrible fair!

 

[Finnie]

And now I'm finally done with that horrible fair!

Sounds like it was an awesome fair!

 

[livinglandnz]

This has probably been answered somewhere, but what breed are people using for meat/egg birds, I only like old breed heritage birds. I will be setting up my coop during the Summer, big enough for 15 birds.

 

[Hinotori]

I don't raise birds for food, it's just cockerels we mostly eat. The ameraucana I used to raise were decent for frying or baking.

Mostly I only raise silkies now and the black meat is off putting for many people. It tastes the same as the ameraucana. Silkies are small birds with adult roosters just over 2 pounds (about 1kg). So only usually get used for soup or dumplings. They are plenty big enough for the two of us.

I recommend pretty much anything other than silkies, or polish, for homestead type raising. They can't see predators very well at all.

 

[MeanCheek]

This has probably been answered somewhere, but what breed are people using for meat/egg birds, I only like old breed heritage birds. I will be setting up my coop during the Summer, big enough for 15 birds.

These days, hybrids and crosses are where most eggs and meat come from.
I also only like pure bred birds.
I don't know how heritage is defined in New Zealand (That's where you said you were right?), but here it is birds, who, with their last several generations of ancestors, are recognized by the APAs SOP.
I think this is unfair because, when a practical, old, pure breed comes here from wherever, it's not "heritage".
But if you want help choosing a breed...
What's your temperature like?
What kind of predators do you have?
Free rage?
What is your land like?
Mostly eggs or mostly meat?

 

[tortoise]

This has probably been answered somewhere, but what breed are people using for meat/egg birds, I only like old breed heritage birds. I will be setting up my coop during the Summer, big enough for 15 birds.

I like Plymouth Rock for dual purpose. They were developed in the early 1800s.

 

[livinglandnz]

Yeah NZ, I know a few people that have Wyandotte which seem a fairly easy bird to breed. I would have to keep in a coop as we have trouble with Hawks here killing chickens, they will kill large birds easily. Feral cats, and stoats which I already shoot/trap. I will be raising chickens for eggs mostly. Hot dry Summers, long wet winters. We had Hyline when I was a kid which are great layers, I just like the older breed birds.

I do like the Plymouth Rock.