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  • From: paxamicus AT earthlink.net
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Chickens
  • Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 08:41:20 -0400


On May 20, 2008, at 8:25 AM, Gene GeRue wrote:




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.



You do not want to be facing down an Anatolian, ever, even if you are a bird. They protect *everything* they think is their's.


The issue is finding the eggs.

I never had much trouble finding the bantie's nests, mostly because I did lock them up at night. They always came back to the barn to sit. They liked the hay loft.




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.

I think everything needs a safe space to be. Chickens included. I'll have a safe haven for them. : )



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.


I've used those "people" gates in fences...you know what I mean, it's too big for a horse to turn around in but a person can just walk through it. They don't work with sheep and dogs, though, so I am going to have to gate where necessary. I can live with that. I guess since I've always had large animals, I LIKE fences. I want the perimeter to be fenced like Fort Knox, but I haven't found a 6' barbed, electrifiable razor wire yet. ; p I think I really need to work on my hermit issue.
























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