OH MAN. OH MAN.

[Mrs.Rad888]

Feb 28, 2014 20:59:28 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

Also, be on the watch for a cock that they threw in there. You will want to kill it immediately. They get mean very quickly.

Truth. We got stuck with a rooster that we thought was just a runt. Turns out it was a totally different breed of chicken altogether. He was a dick, and I was all for getting rid of him by whatever means necessary, but DH couldn't stand the thought of actually killing him. His breed didn't really have enough meat for eating, so that wasn't even an option for us. When we gave the chickens a new home, the new owners were talking about eating the rooster, and DH didn't even want to hear it. What a baby.

[flex]

CHICKENS!!! Bucka bucka buck!!

[jane6672]

Feb 28, 2014 21:19:13 GMT -5 chickadee77 said:

My brother and his family have poultry. The kids are only allowed to name them things like Soup and Pot Pie.

My grandpa used to name his cows things like "bullseye" ...

[jane6672]

Feb 28, 2014 21:23:19 GMT -5 flex said:

CHICKENS!!! Bucka bucka buck!!

[glitzyglow]

Aw! At my last job we raised chickens and I loved when the little roosters started learning how to crow.

[daisyheadmaizie]

Aw! So cute!

[jane6672]

Feb 28, 2014 21:28:34 GMT -5 kevin arnold said:

Those aren't men. Your thread title is misleading.

[zzuvet]

Feb 28, 2014 21:20:13 GMT -5 Mrs.Rad888 said:

Feb 28, 2014 20:59:28 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

Also, be on the watch for a cock that they threw in there. You will want to kill it immediately. They get mean very quickly.

Truth. We got stuck with a rooster that we thought was just a runt. Turns out it was a totally different breed of chicken altogether. He was a dick, and I was all for getting rid of him by whatever means necessary, but DH couldn't stand the thought of actually killing him. His breed didn't really have enough meat for eating, so that wasn't even an option for us. When we gave the chickens a new home, the new owners were talking about eating the rooster, and DH didn't even want to hear it. What a baby.

Just remember if one turns out to be a rooster you need to butcher it before it crows. Once they start to crow the testosterone changes the taste of the meat. I don't know what breed you ended up going with, but, it is typically around 16 weeks.

My chicks are being hatched April 2nd! We ordered a surprise pack from the hatchery. We are looking at about 40 chicks and hopefully a few turkeys

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Feb 28, 2014 21:44:08 GMT -5 zzuvet said:

Feb 28, 2014 21:20:13 GMT -5 Mrs.Rad888 said:

Truth. We got stuck with a rooster that we thought was just a runt. Turns out it was a totally different breed of chicken altogether. He was a dick, and I was all for getting rid of him by whatever means necessary, but DH couldn't stand the thought of actually killing him. His breed didn't really have enough meat for eating, so that wasn't even an option for us. When we gave the chickens a new home, the new owners were talking about eating the rooster, and DH didn't even want to hear it. What a baby.

Just remember if one turns out to be a rooster you need to butcher it before it crows. Once they start to crow the testosterone changes the taste of the meat. I don't know what breed you ended up going with, but, it is typically around 16 weeks.

My chicks are being hatched April 2nd! We ordered a surprise pack from the hatchery. We are looking at about 40 chicks and hopefully a few turkeys

Be prepared. Turkeys are super difficult to raise. It is almost like they have no will to live.

[Mrs.Rad888]

Feb 28, 2014 21:44:08 GMT -5 zzuvet said:

Feb 28, 2014 21:20:13 GMT -5 Mrs.Rad888 said:

Truth. We got stuck with a rooster that we thought was just a runt. Turns out it was a totally different breed of chicken altogether. He was a dick, and I was all for getting rid of him by whatever means necessary, but DH couldn't stand the thought of actually killing him. His breed didn't really have enough meat for eating, so that wasn't even an option for us. When we gave the chickens a new home, the new owners were talking about eating the rooster, and DH didn't even want to hear it. What a baby.

Just remember if one turns out to be a rooster you need to butcher it before it crows. Once they start to crow the testosterone changes the taste of the meat. I don't know what breed you ended up going with, but, it is typically around 16 weeks.

My chicks are being hatched April 2nd! We ordered a surprise pack from the hatchery. We are looking at about 40 chicks and hopefully a few turkeys

They were already 2+ years old we they were rehomed, so well after crowing. I don't know what the new owners did with the rooster, we didn't really keep in touch. It was a Silkie, which doesn't really have much meat.

[zzuvet]

Feb 28, 2014 21:45:38 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

Feb 28, 2014 21:44:08 GMT -5 zzuvet said:

Just remember if one turns out to be a rooster you need to butcher it before it crows. Once they start to crow the testosterone changes the taste of the meat. I don't know what breed you ended up going with, but, it is typically around 16 weeks.

My chicks are being hatched April 2nd! We ordered a surprise pack from the hatchery. We are looking at about 40 chicks and hopefully a few turkeys

Be prepared. Turkeys are super difficult to raise. It is almost like they have no will to live.

Yes, but I just can't resist them! We always joked in my poultry class that turkeys spend the first six months of their lives looking for ways to die. Since turkeys have a higher protein requirement than chickens I am contemplating raising some ducks with the turkeys and hope that the ducks teach the turkeys how to drink and eat and live long enough to be dinner. My husband needs some convincing but I may have left out that ducks can be included in the "surprise" box when I bought it. That's why they call it a surprise!

[thinkofthesoldiers]

LOL You couldn't pay to me raise ducks or turkeys. I had a friend who got a bunch of turkeys one year in addition to her chicks. I went over there every week for a meeting and each week there was one less turkey. I think she was able to keep one going out of a group of six or seven. I don't know if your plan to have ducks teach turkeys is a good one, but I want to hear how it goes. :-)

[zzuvet]

Feb 28, 2014 21:55:56 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

LOL You couldn't pay to me raise ducks or turkeys. I had a friend who got a bunch of turkeys one year in addition to her chicks. I went over there every week for a meeting and each week there was one less turkey. I think she was able to keep one going out of a group of six or seven. I don't know if your plan to have ducks teach turkeys is a good one, but I want to hear how it goes. :-)

It all sounds great in my head. Of course, that also means I need some what competent ducks too. That might be asking too much. DH swore after the last group of ducks we wouldn't get more, but, who can refuse them if they magically appear in surprise box? It is a good thing this is forever saved on the internets because in about 4 months I will be bitching about all my turkeys dying and you can say I told you so!

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Feb 28, 2014 22:05:10 GMT -5 zzuvet said:

Feb 28, 2014 21:55:56 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

LOL You couldn't pay to me raise ducks or turkeys. I had a friend who got a bunch of turkeys one year in addition to her chicks. I went over there every week for a meeting and each week there was one less turkey. I think she was able to keep one going out of a group of six or seven. I don't know if your plan to have ducks teach turkeys is a good one, but I want to hear how it goes. :-)

It all sounds great in my head. Of course, that also means I need some what competent ducks too. That might be asking too much. DH swore after the last group of ducks we wouldn't get more, but, who can refuse them if they magically appear in surprise box? It is a good thing this is forever saved on the internets because in about 4 months I will be bitching about all my turkeys dying and you can say I told you so!

And no doubt I will! Hahaha

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Feb 28, 2014 22:10:54 GMT -5 kevin arnold said:

YOU'RE a bunch of turkeys.

[flex]

Gobba gobba!!

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Feb 28, 2014 22:33:42 GMT -5 kevin arnold said:

Feb 28, 2014 22:26:28 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

[thinkofthesoldiers]

You caught me. Here's a pic of H and I on the way to our reception.

[zitiqueen]

Feb 28, 2014 21:45:38 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

Feb 28, 2014 21:44:08 GMT -5 zzuvet said:

Just remember if one turns out to be a rooster you need to butcher it before it crows. Once they start to crow the testosterone changes the taste of the meat. I don't know what breed you ended up going with, but, it is typically around 16 weeks.

My chicks are being hatched April 2nd! We ordered a surprise pack from the hatchery. We are looking at about 40 chicks and hopefully a few turkeys

Be prepared. Turkeys are super difficult to raise. It is almost like they have no will to live.

Chickens don't really have much of a survival instinct either. They either do the pufferfish, where they squat down and spread their wings to look bigger and more threatening while they wait for their eventual slaughter, or they run to the nearest corner to await their eventual slaughter. Flying up out of the reach of danger isn't in their playbook at all.

Chickens are so, so stupid.

[Jalapeñomel]

Our neighbors have two chickens. It's very odd considering I live in NYC.

[katb]

We have chickens we share with the neighbors. We get our own in April - as soon as we can build the coop. I am excited to have our own. I like naming them soup, pot pie, tenders, what else? We are getting six, the neighbors have six. So for four families, 12 chickens.

Someone asked about the eggs, they taste the same, if not "fresher". I have noticed that when you use them to bake - it (cake, pancakes, muffins, etc) is richer and fluffier. It may not be scientific and just my skewed perception.