Growing your own food...

supertracylynn
supertracylynn Posts: 1,338 Member
in Chit-Chat
Posted this on my facebook this morning, and yes, it actually happened. (copied and pasted, I typed it on my phone, so please ignore the typos and such)

"I was woken up around midnight by the sound of wood being moved around, flapping wings, and the cries of a chicken.
I asked, "is that our chickens?!?" as I rushed down the stairs and out the back door, images of a cat getting in my coop and trying to eat them flashing through my mind.
Sure enough, something had spooked one of my hens and she quickly calmed down as I calmly told her she was alright.
Then my Darling came with a flashlight... and we counted only 5 chickies. we had 6 yesterday. Were those horrid images correct?
I started looking around for a trail of feathers and *gasp* blood, but could see nothing.

after checking the rest of the backyard, we found the 6th chicken hanging out by the fruit trees. Apparently he didn't remember the way out of the fenced area (that has an opening) or follow the other chickies in to the coop.
Restoring the last of our chickies, with kind and soothing words, we closed the coop back up, having seen they were all calm and fluffed for sleep, we went back to our own bed.

Ah. the adventures of raising chickies!"

Replies

  • paulylovesme
    paulylovesme Posts: 170
    LOL Wow my hubby wants chickens but I prefer the dead ones:) Best of luck in your adventures :)
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
    fun story! I used to want chickens but my friend is constantly scratched up so now I just get the eggs from friends who have chickens.
  • supertracylynn
    supertracylynn Posts: 1,338 Member
    fun story! I used to want chickens but my friend is constantly scratched up so now I just get the eggs from friends who have chickens.

    Or chickens are really friendly, we bought them when they were super tiny, maybe 2 wks old.
    My kids love to carry them around and cuddle them, and the chickens thinks this is completely normal and try to come in to the house all the time lol!
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Have you found any efficient and clean ways to pluck them? I'm having a bear of a time with ducks.
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
    anybody who raises chickens understands how badly they deserve to be killed...
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    How do I grow chickens?! Plant the eggs?
  • supertracylynn
    supertracylynn Posts: 1,338 Member
    Have you found any efficient and clean ways to pluck them? I'm having a bear of a time with ducks.

    Get a really large pot (really really large pot...) big enough to easily dunk your dead bird.
    Fill with water (allowing room to dunk, redunk, and "swish" your bird).
    Heat to boiling, between 140-150*.
    Dunk your chicken a couple times, kinda jiggling it so the water gets around the follicles.
    Test pull a large feather.
    When it comes out easily, you've sufficiently dunked your dead bird enough times to have a MUCH easier time plucking it.

    Warning: it will smell pretty bad, you are scalding the skin and feathers.
  • supertracylynn
    supertracylynn Posts: 1,338 Member
    How do I grow chickens?! Plant the eggs?

    Step 1: wait until a female chicken is ovulating...
  • paulylovesme
    paulylovesme Posts: 170
    How do I grow chickens?! Plant the eggs?


    LOL Thanks for the midday laugh!!!!

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