Just placed the rest of my 2013 chick orders!

[April Manier]

I too am curious how there is ANYTHING alive in your pen!

My chickens have that pen down to nothing!

 

[ducks4you]

The magic of digital photography!! That picture is from last summer--ha, ha.
I wanted a shot of his "turkey house."

 

[HotPepperQueen]

My hens have their run down to nothing as well. My run is sectioned off into three pieces so I rotate them throughout spring and summer. I plant grass in one section and don't let them back in until it is lush and green and then repeat with a new section. They still get their fill of grass and bugs when they free range though. Spoiled birds

I found a home for 30 of the free packing peanuts. I sold them for 65cents a piece and they are getting picked up on Sunday. Another snow storm today, below freezing temps tomorrow, but the weather should be a little more favorable on Sunday so they should be good to go. I wish I had the room for all these freebies but unless I expand my meat bird coop I really can't keep up with the cleaning fast enough. I would also have to divide butchering into two days because we wouldn't be able to get them all done in 1 day ourselves.

 

[HotPepperQueen]

I lost 1 meat chick last night. He was totally trampled. So down to 102. These guys have eaten 40lbs of feed in 5 days....and they only weigh a matter of ounces. They go through 3 gallons of water a day. I have been desperately trying to find someone to take 20 or so but my brother called last night and said he was reserving 30 butchered birds for people at work. Looks like I'll be expanding the coop instead. I can't really complain though, he sold them for $10 whole and $11 halved.....and 25 of these "reserved birds" are supposed to be halved. Since I got 43 birds free, I might end up making a pretty good profit, even though I don't pocket any of the money. I save it to make my meat bird projects self sustaining.

 

[canesisters]

I really admire folks who can do that - raise animals for food.
I felt completely overwhelmed raising a few chickens for eggs. I can't imagine what it would be like with that many super-fast growing little buggers to keep track of, keep healthy, clean up after...
KUDOS to you!

 

[Jared77]

I save it to make my meat bird projects self sustaining.

That's great! Couldn't ask for a better way to deal with that. What gets me is that they could include that many packing peanuts. Little insight on what their costs are.

 

[HotPepperQueen]

They were the cheapest hatchery for the birds and shipping combined that I could find anywhere. They are nice people and are a family run business- I like that a lot. Hopefully I can keep up with all of these little buggers. Josh is working 12 hour nights six days in a row now on top of school so I am home alone most of the time to take care of everything around here.

 

[897tgigvib]

Hot Pepper, there was someone in another topic who was looking for a baby rooster. Can't remember who though...

 

[peteyfoozer]

Marshallsmyth, like you we have LOTS of predators. Cougars, coyotes, hawks, owls, coons, bobcats, cowdogs...but I free range our chickens because we have these guys!

They babysit my chickens, lambs, goats, visiting grandbabies and calves as well as act as my bodyguards. Haven't lost a single animal since they got here!

 

[897tgigvib]

Those are wonderful dogs!!!