talking turkey.....ahem.....i mean chicken

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

i love that chicken chart

also
here are a few other good links
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/
http://www.feathersite.com/
http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/index.html

chickens are great
i love mine
i have buff orpingtons
the reason i haven't talked about them too much lately is cause raising baby anythings take up a LOT of time if you do it right
and i been raising duckies

right now i got 7 new chooks in the brooder downstairs
i know at least 3 are for certain boys
i am iffy on the 4th one
i think i got 3 hens out of this batch of chickies

and this spring they all go out
into outside poultry housing
plus i want three speckled sussex just to see how they are

for pure all around everything.......me i love my buff orpingtons
but it's only fair to see if there really are any other breeds that may be comparable

ok now as to raising them
i do start the chicks on starter and i do use the medicated starter
so far ***knock on wood*** i haven't lost a chick yet
so i think that's good

when they are bigger i will switch them over to maintaince or layer depending on how old we run out of the chick food

i also give them scrambled eggies...... and tell them

'don't worry chickies......that's aunt martha, we don't LIKE aunt martha.......'



i feed the adult birds either layer or maintaince depending on if they are laying or not
and give them oyster shell, granite coarse sand,
table scraps
and i will flip them a burger during molt as extra protein


i hang cabbage leaves for them to play and peck at too
they like tomatoes....... raisins
popcorn
all special treats for good chickens
they adore bugs and wormies and grubbs

and will eat mice if they can get them

their manure adds to the compost in the garden as does the ducks....( ducks are for slug control)

and of course we eat the eggs
my orps lay brown eggs
i love that

chickens need a draft free, dry, and secure coop
and a secure run
they also need a break from laying occationally

i recommend them to folks
as they really are wonderful pets
they know their names
they come running when i call them
some like to sit in my lap
some are a bit more standoffish

but all are just amazing to be around

they all have their little personalities.......each one different


i have had chickens for about 3 or 4 years now ( i had them as a kid too)

and now i hear........chickens are the new knitting!
hahahaha
well i have often sat and knitted while watching my chickens
and my ducks

i am thinking.....................
next it just has to be a few turkey.........

no?

and so it starts

maybe i should start a 'buy vi a farm fund'