tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-469001770987638393.post8747195427936295320..comments2023-03-28T08:36:49.875-07:00Comments on Lisa Viger: Keeping Backyard Chickens ... My ExperienceLisa Vigerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15987636332667307533noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-469001770987638393.post-16965700521640582692012-06-26T17:38:01.932-07:002012-06-26T17:38:01.932-07:00Hi Lisa! I'm here via James McWilliam's bl...Hi Lisa! I'm here via James McWilliam's blog entry and I just wanted to say I don't blame you one bit for making the choice to turn your birds over to someone who can care for them better than you feel you could. Only you know what you're capable and willing to do - Asking anymore would be unreasonable... And in the end it would make for unhappy birds, unhappy neighbors and an unhappy you. Not a good scenario.<br><br>I'm glad your experience has lead you further on the path you've chosen... Maybe in time different circumstances will arise and you will be in a place comfortable to rescue hens... Or rabbits... Or other creatures that these animal-using industries cast aside. <br><br>You'll know when the time is right - If ever. In the meantime I certainly admire you for making these tough but thoughtful decisions. It's obviously done with kindness and consideration for the good for everyone. ;)Bea Elliotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13981537551810309024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-469001770987638393.post-28332841672269698022012-06-25T16:28:07.221-07:002012-06-25T16:28:07.221-07:00Can't help but note that you referenced your c...Can't help but note that you referenced your chickens as "the girls." It's the culling of the roosters that turns my gut on the practice of "raising" chickens.Ryann @ MyWholeDeal.comhttp://www.mywholedeal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-469001770987638393.post-39828479245473307432012-06-21T07:56:11.801-07:002012-06-21T07:56:11.801-07:00Thank you for this. I have a similar viewpoint. Ca...Thank you for this. I have a similar viewpoint. Caring for animals properly is hard work. Those who do it well (even if they are proponents of "humane" meat) should be commended for their effort at caring for the animal during his or her lifetime (although obviously, the killing part is not included in my definition of "proper care"). <br><br>But the simple fact is that the average person is NOT willing or capable of caring for hens properly. They may think they can but soon they're in over their head and they've caused a lot of unnecessary animal suffering in the meantime.Elainehttp://www.vegansoapbox.com/what-if-i-had-my-own-hens-and-ate-her-eggs/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-469001770987638393.post-32574301966718618222012-06-21T00:02:26.548-07:002012-06-21T00:02:26.548-07:00I have a friend that takes in battery chickens fro...I have a friend that takes in battery chickens from egg farms and keeps them until they pass away from a ripe old age. She doesn't seem to have to put out any extra expense for a just a few so think it may have as much to do with small scale vs large scale as well. Also, someone really should have warned you about the roosters. Everyone I knew kept them in a separate pen away from the females, and I think they usually let all but one roam so they wouldn't fight. I can completely understand your desire to no longer deal with the whole mess. I haven't had chickens on my own as an adult and only a brief experience as a child but I may still take on a few if i ever get the chance, but I've learned a lot from your experience that will help me keep from making as many mistakes as I might otherwise. Also I think you are right about your location, living in an area with severe winter weather certainly complicates matters. Thanks for sharing your learning experience with everyone.no name requiredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073450408245096630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-469001770987638393.post-32161839382685799152012-06-20T23:52:08.014-07:002012-06-20T23:52:08.014-07:00Well, it certainly isn't for everyone. And it ...Well, it certainly isn't for everyone. And it takes time, thought, and effort-- which, in economic terms, are real costs, even if there's no monetary cost.<br><br>Animal agriculture, as generally practiced, is certainly a net loss, but it needn't be. Chickens are pretty ideally suited for a diet of worms, weeds, and food waste-- none of which are eaten by humans. And traditionally, that's all chickens were fed.<br><br>As for cold winters, you should check out Vermont Compost Company. Our northern California winters are cold & wet, but they're nothing compared to Vermont. They have more than 1000 birds free-ranging over, contributing to, and being kept warm by their piles of compost. We're doing something similar, but on a smaller-scale in a more forgiving environment, and as a farm rather a compost company.Mountainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10404023169238593019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-469001770987638393.post-34986909901543071582012-06-20T22:40:12.187-07:002012-06-20T22:40:12.187-07:00Yes, we did many things wrong. I was making the po...Yes, we did many things wrong. I was making the point that the people who go into backyard chickens, like us, often have very little understanding of how to care for them or how much work and expense it will be. Reading books on keeping chickens really didn't prepare me for the reality of taking care of them. <br><br>But, I also think the argument can be handily made that animal agriculture still comes out as a net loss no matter how well it's done. If people enjoy chickens as pets, maybe some folks think the cost and effort is worthwhile. But just what you've said in your response here reflects a great deal of work, effort, and thought. Which was also my point. It's a lot of work to keep animals of any kind. Whether one is doing it the right or the wrong way, it requires a lot of work and a lot of effort. And a lot of expense. Animals are expensive. Period. Anyone who has a dog or cat knows that. And there is always a lot of poo to deal with.<br><br>As well, in most states in the US it gets cold in the winter. So, even if chickens were able to forage a good part of the summer, there will be a winter where they have to be fed entirely by chicken feed.Lisa is Raw on $10 a Day (or less!)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15987636332667307533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-469001770987638393.post-50787024140885650352012-06-20T22:14:23.442-07:002012-06-20T22:14:23.442-07:00Though I don't expect you to ever keep chicken...Though I don't expect you to ever keep chickens again, I would like to point out that you were doing it wrong. I have 40 chickens, and they cost far less time & money than what you experienced.<br><br>Let's start with the smell. We don't clean out our brooder until the chickens are old enough to leave it. Instead, we cover anything wet & stinky (nitrogenous) with something dry & absorbent (carbonaceous). The usual combo is chicken poo + sawdust. Instead of escaping into the air, the nitrogen absorbs into the sawdust & forms the beginning of compost. As you no doubt know, compost generates heat. So, as the compost bedding grows, the top layer becomes not only dry & absorbent, but warm as well. This allows us to get them off the heat lamp sooner.<br><br>As for their coop, they should only be in their at night. If the bedding begins to stink, you need more carbon-- sawdust is generally given away free from mills, since it's just waste to them. Fruit trees will give your chickens cover from hawks & other aerial predators. Any fruit you fail to harvest will fall & become free food for the chickens-- also distracting them from the bounty of your garden. The best way to distract them from your garden is to have a large & active compost pile, teeming with worms & bugs. Throw your garden's weeds in there & chickens will go to town on them. For obvious reasons, you want the compost pile (& its chickens) as far from your garden as possible.<br><br>So yeah. Our chickens help make compost, keep down the weeds, fertilize the soil, and clean up after the trees. And we don't pay a dime for chicken feed, since they forage for their own (which is far healthier for them, too). Because of this, the girls contribute to the farm even when their egg production falls off. There is no financial incentive ever to cull them.Mountainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10404023169238593019noreply@blogger.com