Going through this real foods plan has really bolstered my opinions about the foods we eat. For the past two years I’ve been working toward being less reliant on ready-made foods and eating out of our garden or avoiding plain and simple: junk. Part of my goal towards a more self-sustainable life has been to raise chickens. My first batch of chicks will be arriving in a matter of days. I feel like an expectant mother again with all the preparations: Do I have the right kind of food; can I take good care of them; will they have all their digits; what if they don’t like me; what if I fail at being Mama?
Hubby’s good at reminding me I’ve got nothing to worry about regarding most of those concerns. You see, he used to raise chickens way back when he was a kid. He was a member of the Future Farmers of America and even judged chickens. He had upwards around 50 chickens at one point in time – and he grew some of the feed himself. Quite impressive for a little punk in high school.
So as I worry if two heat lamps will be enough, he rolls his eyes and tells me one will be plenty. As I fret over having the right size of pine litter he tells me we could get some cheaper in the future. As I show off the starter feed, feed trays, and watering dishes, he snickers at me. “Hon, why did you buy two feeders?”
“No, I didn’t. Look here, these two pieces fit together … and … well, they were supposed to. They were next to each other on the shelf,” I proclaim.
“Look here, Jen. You got the base of a feeder and the top of a watering dish.” He puts the two pieces together. “All the water will dump out – and they don’t even screw together and if….”
“Okay, okay. I guess I’ll replace that one.” I feel like a big dork, to borrow one of Kim’s phrases.
“So, what are you going to keep them in?” he asks.
“Well, I thought I’d go try to find one of those plastic swimming pools and,” I start.
“Don’t do that. Just get a storage box to start with. They’ll be okay. They’ll be in the coop before too long.”
I continue to debate whether the box will be large enough for eight birds and question if two boxes of four birds would be better. He assures me they’ll be better as a group because they’ll stay warmer.
Then I figure it out – our coldframe! We found a winner!
dog pen to be reconstructed for chicken coop
There have been several discussions where my research has paid off, however. Back when Hubby raised birds it was commonplace to clip their beaks. I’ve successfully talked him out of that one. He’s changed my mind about the coop several times. I’m determined to build a portable tractor out of scrap material. We’ve met in the middle about 100 percent free-ranging versus bagged feed.
A week! Panic strikes.
Mama again. And this time with Octuplets. Oh my, I’m the Octomom of chickens!
I have to remind myself just why I’m getting birds. Fresh eggs. Manure. Tick control. Yes! Yes! Yes!
Most of my birds are heritage breeds. I felt it was a no-brainer. They’ll be shipped as one day old birds, already sexed and vaccinated. Our daughter is excited about our bundles of cuteness (I am too). She’s even prepared for the off chance that we get a rooster. She has been playing her make-believe games with roosters named “Dinner”, “Lunch”, “Fried”, and “Chicken Fried”. I don’t know at this point if I could do the deed – I apologize to earthworms if I sever them while digging. I about cried when I found our wild honeybee hive was dead.
Perhaps the outcome of my first year with chickens will determine whether we produce chicken as food in the future, instead of just for eggs. The idea of real farm fresh, free-range chicken by true definition excites me. I’d love to have confidence knowing that my food has actually been out in the open air, in the pasture, eating what they’re supposed to. I would never have to doubt the integrity or quality of our chicken dinners. If we decide that’s the route to take then perhaps we’ll keep one rooster around and call him “Papa.”
Do you have any ideas about food that have changed since starting the Real Food Challenge?
I love baby chicks and having our own chickens. We have had them about 16 years and I just love them. Hubby bought my 1st flock just before our daughter was born.
Right now I have 26 chicks in a rubbermaid container with 1 light :0) in our laundry room. I use rubbermaid since it is alot easier to keep clean and doesn’t get soggy when wet. When we are done with it for the season I store all the chick supplies feeders etc in it in the hay loft.
They are cornish roasters meat chickens I have Buff Orpingtons for layers and I sell the extra eggs. I love to watch them forage for food and the rooster is so attentive with them he shows them where the treats are but since they are bigger they ignor him most of the time.
Enjoy your new babies!
Erika
How large do you let your cornish get? I think I’d almost prefer half as small birds rather than all large hens.
Wish we were getting chickens soon. We recently found out the our town does not allow us to have chickens. So unless we move to the country, I will just have to continue buying eggs from a local small farm.
It’s unfortunate that some towns won’t allow even just layers without a rooster. We do live out in the country and can raise chickens only for our own consumption. At least you’re one to support the local farms. That in itself is fabulous!
You are going to be a great chicken momma! It’s evident that you’ve done your research & you are ready.
Getting chicks is a wonderful experience. My daughter was five when we got our first ones. Now my son is almost four, and I feel excited that this will be the first spring with chicks that he will remember. It is a special time, packed with a lot of learning for everyone.
Enjoy!
Thanks, Grace! Our daughter is six and she’s really excited. We’ll definitely be working caretaking into her homeschooling this fall – especially if the girls start laying by then!
Your conversation sound familiar. I’m the one who wants the chicks and finally convinced my wife it would be a good idea.
I read the books and as we get close to the buy date (today hopefully) I try to get things together and my wife tilts her head and looks at me funny. I ask why and she starts talking about how she raised chicks when she was growing up. I then explain that the books said that we need to prepared for … and that I think we should … but she just looks at me and laughs
There is really an upside to experience over reading books but it’s hard to see when you’ve read the books and have no experience LOL. I changed several things because she said we didn’t need to worry about whatever it was and it has made the process easier and less stressful.
So very true – there is something to be said for experience. I think the hardest part for me is to talk Hubby out of some of the more “old timey” practices (even though we’re not that old!). He was firm on beak trimming until he realized how adamantly I was against it. I’m more apt to give them too much space than to make them get grumpy with each other for being crowded. And I’ll probably spoil them with excellent feed and lots of field time compared to what he’d give them. In fact, I think our other pets will be jealous!
Good luck with your new babies!
I was talking to my parents the other day about my new idea to get meat chickens. My dad wanted to know exactly how did I plan to kill them. I then explained about the cone that you tip them upside down into and cut the neck. He had a big ole laugh at me and he says I won’t be able to do it. I disagree and I am willing and ready to take part in all aspects of raising food for meat. He then told me that 20 years ago I would have never have had that conversation with him. I said “20 years ago I was not the woman that I am now. I’m a completely different person.”
It really is amazing how much you change when you look into your food sources and stuff at the grocery store. I think many people just bop through life, expecting someone else to provide for them and “they wouldn’t sell it if were bad for us” mentality. My transformation began 12 years ago when I got pregnant w/my 1st and I continue to evolve as a person every day. My goal is to become more self-sustaining, relying less and less on stores for my food.
It’s so very surprising how far removed many of us Americans are from the source of our food. The less it resembles an animal, the better we are with it.
Like you, my transformation started after my daughter was born and once she started drinking milk. She suffered from the worst constipation. It was heart wrenching to watch the poor thing suffer like she did. It was at that point that I realized that it’s not the food we’re eating, but what has _made_ the food we’re eating. She’s since recovered but for short episodes when she eats too much junk food.
It will take us a long time to get where I’d like to be, but if we take one step at a time we’ll eventually get there. I do hope you get your birds and can take that big step toward self-sustanance!
You guys may be interested in this little article i wrote for a local sustainability magazine:
http://www.wholekidslifestyle.com/articles/chickens.html
it’s a quick and very basic primer on the first few months with your chicks and the basics you need to keep them healthy.
I love your wyandotte! Our first wyandotte ‘pullet’ turned out to be a roo, but the little gal we got to replace him is our best champ: She’s averaging 6-7 eggs a week!
Have fun!
-Miranda
Thanks, Miranda! Very interesting post!
OOh laced wyandotts are gorgeous birds. I am so excited for you ^_^ Take pics!
I was nervous when I got my first batch too and disaster stuck. I won’t even tell you about it. But I fell in love with keeping chickens and will never go back. I bet you’ll be the same. Soon you’ll realize how independent they are and you wont have to worry at all. Lucky that you’re getting them so young – they’ll be tame to you ^_^
While I try to keep the pessimist deep within me at bay, I have to sometimes struggle to be a realist. I realize the possibilities of some being DOA, and Hubby’s told me some of his horror stories.
(One batch of his chicks were being raised in an old, empty refrigerator which got too hot while he was at school one day.)
Hopefully if we do encounter any deaths, it will be while the Kid is away.
I will definitely take some photos and share.
Many thanks!
You are just too funny…you will do wonderfully! Just remember to keep their little bottoms clean…if they get all pasted up it is not good. Yes just one more thing for you to worry about!
Seriously you’ll be a super chick mama, Kim
Thanks, Kim!
I always wanted to be a super chick!
Mama.
errr.
We have had Silverlace Wy’s for about 5 years. We love the hens. We had one rooster, who got about 3 feet tall (I kid you not…) and terrorised everyone for about a year. We sent him off to fight with the neighbors raccoons. He is still holding his own.
Good luck with your babies. It’s fun!
We raised an orphan coon once when I was younger – they’re tons of fun until they come of age. I can’t imagine “Supper” being able to hold his own against a bull, even at 3 feet!
And you can bet I’ll be using your spreadsheets about feed to take care of my girls!
I’ve recently begun my chicken raising adventure, too! I have eight 2 1/2 weekers and two 1 weekers. We are in the middle of the coop building process. I’ve been blogging the process nightly, if you want to take a peek.
We got our chicks today. I put the story and pictures up on my blog.
http://parsonsfarmstead.com/2010/03/18/my-peeps/
Chickens are an incredible gift to human beings. I’m very passionate about them. They have taught me more about the food chain than anything else. Not only do they produce eggs and meat, but they also show you how flock life *is* the food chain too.
They help each other out when they know each other, but they can be merciless on those who are new, or ill too. Yet you recognise none of it is personal either – it’s all about the food chain. The pecking order defines whether the flock gets to live another season or not.
I’ve eaten excess roosters and those who were too aggressive to keep (aggressive to us) but felt the same overwhelming respect to the food at the table. You become like the flock – helping those you can for the sake of the food chain, and becoming merciless on those who won’t survive or shouldn’t survive.
I must admit, it’s hard taking the first few lives – and I’ve only done away with one rooster and a few chicks that it was kinder to put out of their misery. The more that die however, the kinder it is on you. Because that is the real world of chickens.
They live and they die…the beautiful creatures they are.
I reckon you’re fortunate to be new at this, because the information they have on chicken behaviour, diseases and housing requirements, is much more accurate than what they had even a decade ago.
So don’t feel inferior or dorkish…it’s all a learning process. Especially for the pros who may be fixed in their ways!