Homestead mailing list

[Lisa Perry <lkvp AT floydva.net>]

Gene GeRue wrote:

> There is no reason I know to learn the science. If you buy from a 
> hatchery, they have done the job and you can buy sexed or straight 
> run. If you let a broody hen raise your own, my preference, you simply 
> eat the ones you don't want to keep when they reach an appropriate size.
We bought from Murray McMurray last summer and ordered 25 hens in a 
straight run order.  Because I told the woman placing the order that we 
were splitting the order with a friend, they included not one, but two 
free 'exotic chicks' in the order.  My boys took care of the chickens 
and we gave our friend her share when they were 3 months old, we kept 
the two exotics as 'payment'.  The joke was on us, the exotic chicks 
have turned into nice looking roosters.  The only problem is we didn't 
need roosters.  Last year we had three and after several months managed 
to give away two to end up with one for our small flock of 15+/- hens.  
Fast forward one year and we find ourselves in the same boat all over 
again.  Guess we need to become real homesteaders and start putting them 
in a pot.

Lisa