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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Chickens
  • Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 07:25:45 -0500


On May 20, 2008, at 7:11 AM, paxamicus AT earthlink.net wrote:

I'm not keen on guineas because of that horrible rusty ratchet noise
they make. And I have no idea if they flock like ducks. I've never
tried. Frankly, if they started making noise all I'd want is for the
dogs to eat them anyway. : )

I relate well to that. I like peace and quiet and guineas like to let the world know when it upsets them.

My plan was to let them run with the sheep free range. I'm hoping an
Anatolian (once properly introduced) would guard them, too. My old one
did the banties on the old farm.

Fascinating. I wouldn't think a dog could protect against hawks and owls.

Both sheep and horses waste grain enough to feed chickens amply if
they are free ranging.

Ideal situation, chickens following grain residue poopers.

I'd supplement if I got no eggs, fragile eggs,
or when there's no forage.

The issue is finding the eggs.

I use eggs a lot as a protein, but I hate the idea of caged anything,
so I always buy the organic cage-free blah blah blah. I KNOW cage-free
isn't really any good, they need to be FREE, but it's the best I can
do at the moment. When you figure bug patrol+eggs I don't have to pay
an oil well for+clear conscience..my eggs might be $13 a dozen but
that's ok with me.

I feel the same. We gotta make a stand, by golly, and that's one of mine!

As for caging, or fencing, think about it. Your horses and sheep are caged, albeit in larger spaces.

One of my things is freedom. I have a real mania for it. One expression is I hate fences. Probably one reason why I do not keep large animals. I hate being stopped by a damn fence that must then be climbed over or a gate found. That was one reason why I invented the chicken moat; I had only to deal with one of the two garden gates and all other space was open and free. One day I may go back to it. My homesteading life is an ongoing experiment.




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