We moved our buff Orpingtons and silver Ameraucanas
out to the coop yard, in a large pen
they are quite happy in their new but temporary home :D
had to bring them in for a bit yesterday
when we got a sudden hail storm and I thought it was a bit cold for them…..
Wow did that tick them off lol
We decided it was time to put our Reds and Barred on pullet feed as they are getting to be pretty big now…….
that meant a trip to feed store
We took a look at the chicks while there
a couple of white chickens, egg layers either Leghorns or Rocks are what we had in mind
okay at this point I’ll say I have no clue where else in town to get chicks and was leaning away from mail order…..
We haven't been dealt real straight up at this store, it was clear we were new to this whole chicken thing....
things like not telling us if the Ameraucanas or Orpingtons were bantams or not, after they thought I would rather have full sized birds……
I was going to get them either way
I just wanted to know what we had lol
The guy said to us……I can give you a great deal on the older ones…..
I say we were really looking for younger ones as we want them to be people friendly
at least to us ;)
We know the younger ones stand a better chance...
I say I really wanted Leghorns, not fast growing chicks, as I have heard they have issues with health….
he tells us they are Leghorns just a little bit faster growing not too much though…..
I ask what kind of deal..... I'll give you a dollar off of each, is his reply
I ask why they have broiler in the name…..
didn't sound like an egg layer to me…..
he reassured me they were Leghorns, something like the tag wasn't right…….
okay I’m new to keeping chickens and haven’t read much about raising “meat” chickens…..
we wanted eggs….
a few feathers here and there…..
what Jorden calls shoulder chickens…..
I really didn’t want to read up on meat chickens…..I love a good chicken taco and wanted to keep it that way ;)
I did know they are a hybrid of Cornish and Rocks...poor health, I assumed from poor care..... but not much more than that..
These poor chicks couldn’t even walk across a cardboard box…….
I wasn't sure they would make it home…….
Even though I HATE being "played"
we had to help them
when ringing up our sale I heard him tell the girl that they were indeed fast growing broilers.....
After some reading…..
ugh if they are lucky we might only loose a few before “harvest” time …..
6 to 8 weeks….
after that their fate is not much better…
worn though feet…heart attacks…broken legs
with good care
So what now, we got them knowing full well we had no clue about the breed…..
eat them, nope can’t eat someone I pet
besides we promised……
I’m not against raising chickens to eat …..
I am against raising them poorly
as well as creating hybrids where their health
or lack of health is of no issue…..
I waited until the next day after them coming home with us to attune them to Reiki….
we were doing hands on and distant…..
I wanted them to get used to the feel of the energy…..
it was really cool….
I've done a few attunements by now lol a lot of animals….
but it was like a light went on…..
Almost two full days after bringing them home…
when we go to by them, they let us pet them
they are taking food from our hands……
walking, jumping and even small busts of flying :D
They are getting big fast…..too fast…
However we are going to go with free feeding,
adding a bit of scratch around to get them foraging and moving more....
the fresh lettuce from the garden was a hit
I can't see a chicken being withheld feed....
that's their whole life....eating
or looking for something to eat lol
