THE HEN HOUSE!!!!
That's right, you heard me! Our first rooster, aptly named ELVIS by Edd, has come home to roost. He is a beautiful Barred Rock cockerel. Sweet and loving he has won over the ladies already. We also purchased 6 Buff Brahmas (their little tufted feet are so cute!) bringing our total to 26 chickens and 5 ducks. twenty four of which are on the endangered poultry list for heritage(heirloom) poultry. We have placed an order for another 25 chicks, which should be delivered next week. We have decided to concentrate on 10 specific breeds known for producing high quality,flavorful meat and large to extra large eggs in shades from cream to dark chocolate brown. For those of you who do not know it already, brown eggs are higher in nutritional value and contain less of the "bad" fats & cholesterol than white. All of our hens are free ranged in field and fed an organic mash along with yogurts and grains and vegetable treats. No antibiotics or steroids are ever used. This is important for me to point out as several people have inquired about purchasing eggs in the near future and I am afraid that the labels on your egg cartons you've been buying at the store have been more than a little misleading.
The poultry industry defines free-range/cage-free as,"having access to mobility,the ability to move about freely and flap their wings to stretch". The jury is still out on whether or not they need to ever go outdoors or feel grass beneath their feet. The Industry standard is to place free-range/cage-free chickens on concrete flooring inside of a massive warehouse.The act of debeaking(the removal of the top 1/4 of the beak to prevent pecking) however is not against policy, nor is starvation to induce early molting to stimulate egg production. HUMANE huh? Certified Humane labeling implies that the chickens are being cared for in the utmost of consideration ,right? However, though given perches, nest boxes, and dust bathing areas they are not required to be given access to the outdoors and a less severe form of debeaking is still performed. This is known as beak trimming .Certified Organic is another misleading term. Yes, the chickens are hormone and steroid free and they are fed the finest vegetarian mash,however this certification also supports the act of starvation to early molt and debeaking. This & much more can be learned in VOLUME 3: MOTHER EARTH NEWS;Guide to backyard Chickens. It makes you re-think the simplicity of that dozen eggs you grab with out thinking, every time you go shopping. How did that animal suffer so we could bake a cake or a quiche, or make eggnog? Buy Local, Buy from small independent breeders and guarantee that you are not promoting the cruel practices I have written about here that are the NORM not the exception.
Chickens are not the stupid, emotionless creatures often portrayed in cartoons. In contrast they are very family oriented and each has it's own unique personality. Roosters, given the horrible reputation of being bullies and roust-a-bouts in the barnyard are actually fiercely loyal polygamists to their "wives",usually giving them the largest ,fattest worms and seeking out the best nesting areas. Like a good husband they will scream a warning to their mates in the face of danger and stand tall and proud to fight and Die for their protection. You cannot watch a mother settle over her chicks without a smile pulling at the corners of your mouth at the first fuzzy head that pokes from beneath her "skirts".Yes, we will be eating many of the birds we are raising. That is their true purpose, to feed man. However the path from the shell to the plate doesn't have to be a cruel one. I prefer to think that not only will the chicken taste better, but I can eat it a little easier knowing that while it was a living, feeling creature I didn't ignore it's needs over my own. I love my chickens. In the coop, in the yard & on a plate, smothered in fresh rosemary from the garden and lemon wedges-That's why Edd calls me La Loca Gallina-The crazy hen. Keep following me for more news on the flock and updates on the Hen House Edd is designing and building for me. It's coming along so nicely, with downstairs quarters for the ducks and a brooding pen and nesting area all seperated! Pictures as soon as my computer stops hating me. Edd is loving his small engines course (who knew-certainly not me) and the children are flourishing. Not everyday is a walk in the park,but it's still a walk. Enjoy it, even when it rains.no, ESPECIALLY when it rains.
G'night ya'll.
<3
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