Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Molpet]

Father and 15 wks son. Unfortunately son is the smallest of the cockerels and keeps trying to roost in the honeysuckle bush. 2 things that puts him on the freezer camp list. Father is one that got away on freezer camp day a few years ago. He's been a good flock master but produces small sons

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

Tea is ready and good.

Temperature is in the 70s sunny.

Have a great day!

 

[BDutch]

Father and 15 wks son. Unfortunately son is the smallest of the cockerels and keeps trying to roost in the honeysuckle bush. 2 things that puts him on the freezer camp list. Father is one that got away on freezer camp day a few years ago. He's been a good flock master but produces small sons

View attachment 3978724

What’s wrong with small sons? Aren’t they a blessing for your hens.

I have a heavyweight bantam and I don’t want him to mate with my small Dutch bantams. So far so good , but if I see him mating with any of the small hens, I think I have to put him in prison or apart with the 3 bigger bantams.

Random photo with 7 flock members.

 

[no fly zone]

What’s wrong with small sons? Aren’t they a blessing for your hens.

I have a heavyweight bantam and I don’t want him to mate with my small Dutch bantams. So far so good , but if I see him mating with any of the small hens, I think I have to put him in prison or apart with the 3 bigger bantams.

Random photo with 7 flock members.
View attachment 3978805

That barred rock looks really nice.

 

[Molpet]

What’s wrong with small sons? Aren’t they a blessing for your hens.

I have a heavyweight bantam and I don’t want him to mate with my small Dutch bantams. So far so good , but if I see him mating with any of the small hens, I think I have to put him in prison or apart with the 3 bigger bantams.

Random photo with 7 flock members.
View attachment 3978805

I let them hatch so I can fill the freezer with the cockerels. I prefer the bigger birds, around 5 lbs dressed, so I don't have to take so many lives. I use a couple chickens and half a jake a month. They have a better life than the store chickens. Which I rarely have to buy.

If I was just getting eggs the smaller ones would be good.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I let them hatch so I can fill the freezer with the cockerels. I prefer the bigger birds, around 5 lbs dressed, so I don't have to take so many lives. I use a couple chickens and half a jake a month. They have a better life than the store chickens. Which I rarely have to buy.

If I was just getting eggs the smaller ones would be good.

Understandable. That's where the debate is at my house, we have two gorgeous Polish roos but they will absolutely throw small sons. Do we keep a cochinXamericana for bigger sons?
I think we'll see what size chicks these polish boys throw first.

 

[BDutch]

I let them hatch so I can fill the freezer with the cockerels. I prefer the bigger birds, around 5 lbs dressed, so I don't have to take so many lives. I use a couple chickens and half a jake a month. They have a better life than the store chickens. Which I rarely have to buy.

If I was just getting eggs the smaller ones would be good.

I agree the meat you grow yourself is better than the meat from meat birds in factory farming. But if you eat way less meat you don’t have to kill that many.

 

[Molpet]

I agree the meat you grow yourself is better than the meat from meat birds in factory farming. But if you eat way less meat you don’t have to kill that many.

Raising my own has cut down on how much meat I eat. Too much work and emotions involved. I used to eat a chicken and a few lbs of beef and pork every week.

I cut way back on the beef and pork. A lb a month of one or the other instead of poultry.I do trade turkeys and their eggs for those.
A tall can of salmon or can line caught tuna every week. Every couple of months a lb of venison instead of the beef or pork.
I can't eat wheat or cows milk products so lots of oatmeal, vegetables and olive oil. Some goat milk products if I find them. And of course eggs

 

[Shadrach]

Two hours today. 12C, light wind and grey skies.

 

[BDutch]

I used to eat a chicken and a few lbs of beef and pork every week.

Glad you eat less meat now. Bc this is unnecessary kill and it’s very unhealthy to eat so much meat.