Good morning!!!!

[PJSprog]

The wifey has talked about getting chickens for a couple of years now. We probably won't until at least next year, but I'm curious about a few things. How long do the chicks have to be inside or in a 'tub'? How old do they need to be when they start laying? Do you actually need a rooster in order for them to lay? Is free range better than just being in the coup?

I've cared for dogs, cat, horses, many small mammals and reptiles, exotic birds, and fish, but never chickens. Will it be a lot of work or just the 'normal routine' that goes w/ caring for any animal?

Our main (hers really) reason for getting chickens is for eggs.. I know fresh are much better, but is getting fresh eggs worth the time and effort?

This is my first time having chickens, but she had them when she was growing up. However, here's what I've learned so far. The chicks need to stay inside until they have feathers, or basically about four-ish weeks. We'll probably keep them in until any threats of freezing nights have passed. Most breeds are a little different, but basically anywhere from four to six months before they start laying eggs. With ours, we're looking at about 18 weeks. You do not need a rooster for them to lay eggs. You only need a rooster if you want fertilized eggs to hatch more chicks. I've read where some people think eggs from "free range" chickens somehow taste better, and others who say they can't tell any difference. I'm sure the chickens probably prefer to have some space to move around once in awhile. Caring for them seems pretty straight forward, food and fresh water and regularly cleaning out the poo.

As for the "worth" of it, I suppose that's an individual assessment. There is the self-sufficient aspect that you could never buy in a store. Besides the eggs, there is always more meat available with the hens, should that be necessary. If you've raised other animals, chickens won't be a problem for you. They don't seem to require a whole lot of attention.

 

[PJSprog]

Maybe a two wheel dolly / hand truck for her end?

View attachment 542703

:laughing::laughing::laughing: You know, I used a two-wheel dolly to move the giant box of parts out of the barn. It was sitting about 10 yards away the whole time, and I never even thought about using it.

 

[Eric Salop]

Ohhh! Thanks, I'll look in the store for some. I did find them on Amazon if I can't find them locally.

Don, if you've not had them before, I've got to tell you a little more about mushy peas. I love them. I wouldn't have fish and chips without them and they are often served up in the north of this country with savoury pies. As LFN says, if you buy them dry they need soaking for about 12 hours and used to come with a small tablet of bicarbonate of soda to assist in the softening process, however that is said to remove some of the vitamins. After soaking I imagine they would do well in your instant pot.

Best to not fast boil, only simmer. They all need to go soft, however boiled too hard and too long and they end up more like a puree. Don't let them go more sloppy than those in this pic.



Neither should they be too dry - to me those in this next pic could do with a little more water.



I reckon the very best flavoured and possibly most nutritious mushy peas are cooked and canned by Batchelors (LFN, your DIL may know Batchelors as they were once based in Sheffield). After a bit of digging on their history I found the company once had the mother of all instant pots, a cooker 40' high and weighing 35 tons. In the year that I was born (1955) it was cooking 124 million peas a day at a rate of 200 cans every minute.


A dash of vinegar is good and my favourite with fish.
Also try mint sauce on top. :licking:

 

[sodamo]

"..... I'm really working on losing that last 20 pounds. That in itself should help a variety of things, particularly being pear shaped."- Daugen

I resemble that remark.

It's not easy.

Make that 3 of us.

 

[LouNY]

This is my first time having chickens, but she had them when she was growing up. However, here's what I've learned so far. The chicks need to stay inside until they have feathers, or basically about two-ish weeks. We'll probably keep them in until any threats of freezing nights have passed. Most breeds are a little different, but basically anywhere from four to six months before they start laying eggs. With ours, we're looking at about 18 weeks. You do not need a rooster for them to lay eggs. You only need a rooster if you want fertilized eggs to hatch more chicks. I've read where some people think eggs from "free range" chickens somehow taste better, and others who say they can't tell any difference. I'm sure the chickens probably prefer to have some space to move around once in awhile. Caring for them seems pretty straight forward, food and fresh water and regularly cleaning out the poo.

As for the "worth" of it, I suppose that's an individual assessment. There is the self-sufficient aspect that you could never buy in a store. Besides the eggs, there is always more meat available with the hens, should that be necessary. If you've raised other animals, chickens won't be a problem for you. They don't seem to require a whole lot of attention.

Chicken itself fried or baked tastes better if it gets some exercise, if you free range laying hens you will learn two things quickly there is a reason they are called fowl (foul), chicken sh_t every where's and the wonderful stench of rotten eggs when you miss a few that the hens hid good.

 

[jerrybob]

37 right now........grey skies.....will see some rain later today and temps in the 40's. Logging truck dumped a load about 1/2 mile up the road.....not sure what happened yet.......they're bringing in a self loader to clean up mess.......will take awhile.

 

[lostcreekranch]

:laughing::laughing::laughing: You know, I used a two-wheel dolly to move the giant box of parts out of the barn. It was sitting about 10 yards away the whole time, and I never even thought about using it.

So ..... palm print on forehead?

I was talking to one of my brothers, up in the Midwest, this a.m. and chickens came up. He built a pretty big moveable coop, with raisable wheels, and moves it every 2-3 weeks. He says grass Is lots greener where the coop has been. They don’t free range because of coyotes in area.

 

[toppop52]

Around here mobile chicken coops are called chicken tractors.

 

[txdon]

Don, if you've not had them before, I've got to tell you a little more about mushy peas. I love them. I wouldn't have fish and chips without them and they are often served up in the north of this country with savoury pies. As LFN says, if you buy them dry they need soaking for about 12 hours and used to come with a small tablet of bicarbonate of soda to assist in the softening process, however that is said to remove some of the vitamins. After soaking I imagine they would do well in your instant pot.

Best to not fast boil, only simmer. They all need to go soft, however boiled too hard and too long and they end up more like a puree. Don't let them go more sloppy than those in this pic.

View attachment 542710

Neither should they be too dry - to me those in this next pic could do with a little more water.
View attachment 542711


I reckon the very best flavoured and possibly most nutritious mushy peas are cooked and canned by Batchelors (LFN, your DIL may know Batchelors as they were once based in Sheffield). After a bit of digging on their history I found the company once had the mother of all instant pots, a cooker 40' high and weighing 35 tons. In the year that I was born (1955) it was cooking 124 million peas a day at a rate of 200 cans every minute.


A dash of vinegar is good and my favourite with fish.
Also try mint sauce on top. :licking:

How is it different from split pea soup?

Hmm, Marrowfat Peas on Belgian Endive sounds good. Never though I'd be saying that. I'll have to get a pic of that.

 

[Bird]

I've read where some people think eggs from "free range" chickens somehow taste better, and others who say they can't tell any difference.

It just depends on what they're eating. I've eaten eggs from "free range" chickens that tasted just like store bought eggs. On the other hand, my parents used to have eggs with yolks that were a much darker orange than any you've ever seen in a store bought egg. And those eggs had a much, much stronger flavor. The trouble is that I don't now just what he was feeding them. But they were free range chickens and there was ALWAYS a rooster in any flock that my Dad had.