annecros

I also do the apron as dishtowel thing. It also makes a handy pot holder on the fly...

Peanut butter can be blended into a drink or soup pretty easily, and soothes my craving when I have a taste for something crunchy. Cashew butter blended in a Chocolate Instant Breakfast shake is pretty darn tasty.

Mayhaw Jelly.

I can see the abundance argument. Yes, we have an abundance of natural resources here in the United States that is the envy of the world. Europe invented the zero lot line. At the same time, people live here with this astounding abundance surrounding them, in poverty. Hungry. We have room and resources. I don't know if it is education or simple ambition. I just don't know. As for me, I always look to the "peasant" food - or the simply good food. If you raise or rear your own, you can and will take the pick. If you have to send the pick up the chain, well then you learn to prepare the culls, in a most tasty way.

Todd is a great guy to have in the trenches next to you! Thanks Todd, and look forward to seeing you around the forums.

My grandmother would say "Give that girl a worm!" to my grandfather when she got a double yolker. Yolkless eggs were referred to as "Cock Eggs" and my grandfather actually convinced a young, impressionable me that the rooster laid it. Dad laughed at me, and gently corrected my knowledge base. H bought Grandaddy a cigar, though, and I think they had a laugh over a glass of Old Grandad. They had an unusual sense of humor. I don't think there is any inducement to encourage the hen to lay double yolks (except perhaps my Grandfather digging up an earthworm for the good girl ) but any young, healthy hen with a preponderance will do so. I think they are more prevalent in the "heavy" hens, but I could be wrong.

Well, after two years, I am much more likely to don an apron. If it is bib style, I half wear it. I prefer the tied at the waste thing, with many, many pockets. It comes in handy when in the yard as well. The bib style seems to be entirely masculine. Curious. Perhaps because the bib style is not so slimming? Don't know. Pockets are hugely important. Not becoming my mother (she never, ever wore one) but starting to be a bit like my grandmother, who would cackle and offer scared little children oatmeal cookies...

Well, since I am in the tropics, some of the other chicken keepers here will have to help you out with wintering. I have seen pictures of them out in the snow, though - and do know that they are commonly kept in your climate. I think the "deep litter" method is especially useful in cold climates, if I recall correctly. Right now my problem is the heat. The rainy season hasn't kicked in yet to cool off the afternoon temps. I am freezing water in soda bottles now for them to sit on in the heat of the day! They are already spoiled.

I would want to have them looked in on every day, twice a day would be better. They are, for want of a better word, kinda stupid about some things. They are a domesticated animal, and very dependent. They are too smart for their own good in other ways. Our smallest one, Maybelline, already aspires to be an escape artist. Have to watch that one. Maxime, have you spoken to the neighbor's about it yet? A couple of hens that are well kept really are no bother to anyone. I think if your neighbors are open to it, and you make clear what your plans are, the animal control people would have much better things to do that hassle you about a couple of chickens. There are some "stealth" chicken keepers out there on the internet, but I'm not sure it is worth that much effort. I highly recommend chicken keeping. I thoroughly enjoy my mornings out there with them. In the evenings, hubby and I take our cocktails out back and watch the antics. Last night was some leftover egg noodles and about an hour's worth of chicken "keep away" games.

Have you checked your local ordinances? My husband did that for me when he and the kids were plotting this adventure. I know they vary widely, and if it is forbidden I would then consider.

They just aren't that hard to keep. We bought a 50lb bag of layer crumbles for about $15 bucks - that should keep the ladies fed for some time. Especially if I can keep them ranging enough. I'm keeping the feed in a metal garbage can to keep from attracting rodents. They are very quiet (I was reminded when I was at the breeders why roosters are undesirable in an urban environment), certainly not as irritating as a barking dog. When you think about people with exotic pets, it doesn't make any sense to prohibit people from keeping a couple of laying hens.

Oh wow, he took some snaps last night! We put the run over an old tomato patch. They appear to be making short work of it. Maybe after photos later. When they first found the feed, I love the powderpuff bottoms: Discovering tomato: I think I'll call her Mona: Chilling out by the home made waterer and coop: There is much that is makeshift (redneck) about the coop and run. The ladies seem fine for now, but we have improvements planned. The goal was to make it safe and comfortable for the chickens, but not break the kids.

The girls are here! Three lovely Buff Orpington pullets. We settled on them because they were incredibly docile - not flighty at all, even after being scooped up in a net and handed off to a stranger. They actually like to be petted. We put them in the coop, before the hour was out they were out in the run and foraging. Went to roost like the good girls they appear to be. Hubby has been assigned picture taking duties this weekend. I'm in love!

"How are you finding everything?"

Oh man, this homemade coop/chicken tractor thing has turned into a monster project. We've already made mistakes that we will not repeat in the future. I think we will be consuming $50 eggs. Oh well, at least they will be MY eggs! Roofing material? Hubby says shingles, but surely that will be too heavy. We put plywood on there secured with bolts and wing nuts for easy removal, and painted it, but that won't make it through the rainy season. I just wish he had looked at some of the plans out there before he started, but no. $200 later at Home Depot, and we don't even have a chicken in residence yet! Will they be selective about the weeds in the yard? I don't want them sick on me after all this. Oh, and the city says I can have all the ducks I want! I may branch out into other fowl next Spring.

OK, now there is a marital discussion of Banty vs. Standard! I was initially opposed to the idea of Bantam sized birds. I think it is a prejudice from my upbringing. Granddaddy never bothered with Bantams. Daddy always kept a flock, but strictly for entertainment purposes as pets. I have never eaten a Bantam egg, and Dad always said they weren't worth the trouble to gather. Of course, he probably had 30/40 standard layers most of the time. They are incredibly cute - and I could probably get more birds and more variety in a limited space - but wouldn't that take like three or four eggs to make up for one standard egg? I can't imagine deviling the little suckers! It seems like it's defeating the purpose. I guess it feels more "pet" like to me, based upon my upbringing. We have settled the tractor debate. Tractor it is! He using 1by's, and thinks he can make it light enough for us to handle. Considering corrugated greenhouse type roofing material (not sure what you call it) to keep the coop end lighter. I have a tomato bed that is past its prime and needs clearing that I am going to give them the run of as a welcome home location. Beats tearing everything up and just piling it on the compost heap, I think. Plenty of bugs and fruit that would otherwise go to waste. I hope they eat stinkbugs! Stinkbugs are very seasonal down here, and tend to ruin my tomatoes early and late in my growing season. I am also hopeful that they will help with the Palmetto bugs (they are everywhere down here!). I have actually toyed with the idea of raising my own rabbit - but hubby won't have it. In another life, he purchased pet rabbits for my two stepdaughters. Needless to say, they really were too young for the responsibility and he ended up being the rabbit keeper until they died of old age. Did you let them breed freely sparrowgrass? I am thinking that consumption might have a hard time keeping up with production. That, and I would have to harden my heart even further to kill a bunny, I think. They always came home field dressed when I was a kid, and not so cute little bunnylike. Sounds like a great "stealth" meat production arrangement. Thanks everyone for your advice. This is definitely doable.

That's just adorable Barbara! I have some old stencils in the garage leftover from when stenciling a chair rail around every room in the house was in fashion. I think I'll pretty up the coop with them. You, or any other chicken keepers, how much overhead space do they need? Hubby and I were discussing heatedly last evening. We are also discussing the cover or not to cover the top of the run issue. I'm thinking four feet tall for the run, and a cover of additional fencing. He thinks they can do with less overhead space than that, keep flight feathers clipped and the run open on top. I see hawks being a problem. I do think the coop will be on wheels and we are using sort of a chicken tractor arrangement. That way I think I can actually even let them clean out my used up garden spots for me by moving the run to cover the raised beds. Ever the optimist, I saved my first used egg carton yesterday! I know it will be months before I see the first egg, but better early than not. At least another two weeks before I pick up the girls. I'm so excited.

Yeah, we are scratching (hehe) our heads for ideas for a suitable dust bath, hoping to combine it with a grit source? I don't know. Use a large litter box maybe? We are notorious for over thinking things. Before you know it, we'll have a veritable Chicken Disney World!

Watercress is another good one for the veggie folks. Great in combination with cucumber and scallion.

She should be able to keep two hens in something as small as a larger dog house or rabbit hutch, shouldn't she? I am seriously considering going down to 3 hens rather than 4 (maybe even just two) because I want to keep it manageable and to ensure success. No fair reading about others success and not reporting your own! Sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this - what made you decide to go with the "Chicken Tractor" thingy? I like the idea because I can move it around and hopefully keep the lawn a little more uniformly "worked" and give the ladies the advantage of new pasture regularly. I would think a stationary coop and run would get pretty boring very quickly. Listen to me - worried about bored chickens! Granddaddy Moore would snort. On the meat issue, I can't think of a way it would work out on a small scale practically. Once upon a time, though, Dad would get 25 free chicks from the feed store per purchase of a 50lb bag of feed. He'd bring in two or three waves of chicks like this over a period of time. A couple of months later, he would cull out all the roosters and any hens that were less than desirable (and many were) and these ended up in Mom's freezer. When it was down to just a few of us kids at home, it was pretty much chicken for the household. I could put down a severely injured chicken. Hubby will have to handle the actual execution and butchering should the need arise, but I don't mind acting as his lovely assistant in the process. They really do blur the line between pets and livestock, don't they? I have had a little communication with the guy that has my pullets (he has an impressive number of birds right now, and coming in over the next few months) and I think I am going to stick with the Americauna's. He has lots of unusual birds (Sultans and Polish Hooded) but I am particularly interested in eggs rather than lawn ornaments. They are beautiful, though. He does have some Buff Orpingtons, so that may be an exception. He also says that he is hopeful that he will have some White Faced Spanish. Now, if I wanted a rooster, that would probably be it - but I don't. Super nice guy, can't wait to drive up there and check out his operation. In fact, all the chicken people I run across are super nice and helpful.

Yeah, they've got me into something alright! Do you just keep layers, or do you do meat chickens as well? How do you find the Americauna's as layers? Temperament? I'm looking forward to them coming home. We just have to figure out how to keep them safe and secure first. We have our first Grandchild on the way, so it should be fun in a few years. Granny is so magical, her chickens lay Easter Eggs. Heh, a lawn chair and a glass of wine would do me just fine! Nobody here but me and the chickens. 2 or 3 eggs a day would be plenty. There is just myself and my husband most of the time, and there is an older couple next door that would appreciate the eggs if we have overruns. The big thing right now is suitable housing. I do garden (looking forward to the fertilizer), and the dog really doesn't play very well with others, so they will have to be cooped and penned the vast majority of the time. Hubby wants to do a permanent structure, but I am thinking about a homemade "Chicken Tractor" sort of thing. Have any of you guys seen them, or had any experience with them? I worry that we can't keep the contraption light enough to be portable, and still big enough for the hens. The kids are providing the materials, and hubby the labor. We want to keep it reasonable as all the kids are young adults just finishing school so we want to keep things as cheap as possible. No raccoons have been sighted lately, but I have seen a possum or two. I'm guessing those guys would go after the eggs? Fortunately, the dog hates those. What breeds do you have, and what are the best layers? The guy we are getting these from is a friend of a friend of my son's, and he has quite a variety coming through his place over the next few weeks. I may consider mixing and matching. It has been quite some time since I have eaten a fresh, fried egg right out of the nest box! I am looking forward to it - a lot. Oh, and then a yellow cake with fudge icing, and then, and then.... Thanks guys! There will be questions, both here and in PM.

Butch suggests Mead. Save you a buck or two on your booze bill!

My wonderful family decided, because I am prone to wax nostalgic about my parent's and grandparent's fowl, that the bestest birthday present they could surprise me with are four young pullets (Americauna's or Easter Eggers) so that I might relive my youth. Ack! Hubby had the good sense to look up our local ordinance, and we can keep up to 10 chickens as pets as long as they are penned and do not breed. Fine with me. I don't have much use for roosters. They don't lay eggs. They will be ready for pickup sometime in April as I do not want to go through the brooder thing. They are sexed, but I know that isn't 100%, so there might be a fryer in there somewhere. Hubby is trying to figure out what sort of coop and run to build. We have a dog, I know for a fact there are garden snakes around, and several feral cats. Is anyone out there doing this? How's it working for you? What sort of structure are you using? What about feed? I must admit - I'm really excited and surprised. It has been a long time since I was around chickens though, and my memories are foggy. In fact, I have probably forgotten more than I would care to admit.

I think blackberries only need slightly acid soils. Blueberries (grow naturally in the woods) want it very acid. Peat moss or oak leaves will acidify soil pretty easily. I have to amend with large amounts of peat moss because my soil is very sandy and basic for almost everything. Isn't soil testing great? It helps a lot to know exactly what is needed. Oh, there is also elemental sulfur. Probably quicker acting, but dramatic.

I'd love to know how she got the egg off the spoon. Isn't it ironic that growing one's own food has an "elitist" connotation to it? Not very long ago, only poor white trash grew their own food. I think it would be fair to characterize Waters as a "purist" - rather than elitist.