Archive for category Pocket Farmer
Chicken Bliss
Posted by Pocket Farmer in Pocket Farmer on September 18, 2011
Eggs! Finally!
A couple months ago, I would not have believed it. Hoped, maybe, but believe? It seemed almost out of our grasp. And yet, it has happened. Knock on wood, we are now experiencing Chicken Bliss.
To illustrate this more exactly:
Two months ago: 15 roosters living in the garage. Feathers, chicken dust, flies, gear, feed and constant ruckus greeted us each time we stepped foot out the door. Oh yeah, don’t even think about being barefoot!
Now: Car in the garage. Roosters outside in their coop.
Two months ago: 6 hens eating their body weight in feed each week, pooping and killing the grass while producing nothing to offset the cost.
Now: Hens producing 4-5 eggs each day and happily scarfing down garden scraps. Filling feeder once a week.
Now: Chickens let out daily to free range.
Now: Happy chickens.
Now: Happy life.
Somehow it all worked out. 
To follow our chicken adventures and more, join me at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer.
The Boys
Posted by Pocket Farmer in Pocket Farmer on August 16, 2011
One of the low tier roosters that had to be rescued.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. It was intense. It felt a little lawless. It made me sad. It was a long hard day.
This weekend we culled and processed 12 roosters from our flock.
If you have the idea that we are used to this sort of thing, you’d be wrong. It was our first time. And we had to steel ourselves to do it. But it had become necessary and in truth, we had planned it from the day we ordered our chicks last winter. Still, it wasn’t easy.
A quick look back at our path to this point: Our Goal. We planned to raise a modest flock of egg laying hens along with a few roosters that would give us the option of raising new chicks. As our hens aged, we would be able to replace them. We also planned to raise and butcher any roosters that we hatched, to supplement our poultry consumption.
It was an adventurous plan, by our standards, as we are both animal lovers torn by the idea of trying to be sustainable at the same time. Outside of my comfort zone, I am nevertheless pushing myself down this road, as it is “logical” when you consider that we are regular consumers of poultry products on the commercial market. We have the space, we have the ability, so Why Not? Right?
Our chick order, in the Spring, came with an additional “bonus” batch of baby roosters. (You can read about that here: http://blog.poultrykeeper.com/pocket-farmer-blog/its-a-girl-2/ ) As this batch of additional males grew and matured, in the coop, it started to resemble a war zone. The boys fought constantly and there were casualties.
First we had lost feathers. Then there was bloodshed. One rooster broke his leg. Another one was pinned and pecked so violently that he sustained a spinal injury. He never walked again and succumbed to his injuries. One rooster had half his comb pulled off. I heard screaming (yes, it does sound like that) from the pens all day. We had to separate and mediate, nurse and fret over what had become of our precious flock.
I am guilty of letting it go on too long. We had an overfull plate of responsibilities that were simultaneously demanding of our time and the rooster situation was an ominous brooding cloud over my head that I wasn’t quite sure what to do with. Pulling the plug on these guys was inevitable, but still I hesitated.
When I finally made the call, I found out something disturbing. None of the meat processors in our area handle poultry. Really? How did this information escape me until now? Who is going to do it then? Uh oh.
You can learn how to do just about anything on You Tube. Luckily, there are some very helpful people that put together videos on this subject. Once we knew the job we were facing, we watched the videos over and over until there was a familiarity with the process. We roughed out a plan. I purchased some basic equipment (large pot, tubs, knives). We bought a freezer. We set a date.
On Saturday, we woke up early, ran a few errands, tended to some basic chores. We spoke very little. I was nervous and anxious. I didn’t want the fact that we were novices to create any disadvantage or suffering on the part of the birds we were culling. I was worried about my ability to follow through with the project. I had a heavy heart and a weak stomach as we set up our little camp. The time had come.
It turns out that our preparation was very effective. We slipped into our roles and became an efficient team of poultry processors. Neither one of us balked. The birds were handled calmly, with respect. We didn’t rush, we worked methodically, it all went pretty smoothly. The preliminary butchering was handled first, outside in our camp. Then the birds were brought inside for final processing. I worked into the evening, until it was finished. Then we cleaned up.
There is a strange sound outside now, it is the sound of silence. We still have roosters crowing in the morning, but the screams that tormented me are gone. Our remaining roosters are even tempered and docile. There is no more fighting, peace has been restored.
Odd coincidence that the day we took the roosters, is the same day one of our hens offered up our first egg. Today we have a second egg. It seems we have turned the page on our chicken adventure. The babies are all grown up. It is now Phase II.
I won’t ever be able to buy a dozen eggs or a pound of chicken at the supermarket again, without replaying the events of the past 5 months over in my head. It’s been quite a journey. I am deeply moved, humbled and forever changed by this experience. I hope to have better perspective on it someday, but for now I’ll just say this: I am thankful, tired, relieved and still a little shell shocked. I think we did the best we could. If you’d like a better summation, I’m sorry, I don’t have one. Maybe tomorrow.
Check in to see how we are faring with the rest of our flock at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer
Plan D (Formerly known as Plan A)
Posted by Pocket Farmer in Pocket Farmer on June 12, 2011
Chicken Tractor
Ha! Just when you thought we were going to get that coop up and running…
It rained in May. Every weekend. Which makes 147 consecutive weekends that it has rained. Don’t fact check that, but ever since we became Chicken People ( http://blog.poultrykeeper.com/pocket-farmer-blog/chicken-people/ ) and dreamed of having a fantastic coop where our eggs would be born in great luxury, we’ve had this problem with the weather.
The coop did not get finished. We did run out of time. Our chickens had overgrown their “teen” coop and we were extremely frustrated. What to do? Well, if you are me, you sit down and Google “quick coop”. It was there that the seed of an idea came to me, BUILD A CHICKEN TRACTOR.
Now, if you have been following along, you’ll recognize that building a chicken tractor was actually our first housing plan for the chickens. Back in February/March though, the temps were single digits and the tractor idea just seemed COLD! Plus we had planned to build a more elaborate (and heavy) tractor we saw displayed at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show. Now that it’s June, we can once again see the viability of this structure, and the flexibility it offers us and our birds. First, it helps ease the overcrowding situation. Second, it allows the hens to break free of the all boys club where they had been living. Third, I am now able to offer different meal choices to the two groups: hens get layer food, calcium and grit and all the grass and bugs they want; roos get the meatbird recipe and grit. (If you were born a rooster, life is stacked against you.)
This chicken tractor differs from our first plan because of the much simpler design. It’s more compact and light weight. We were able to build it in the garage, out of the weather. We found our inspiration photo and the project just evolved from there. We basically built this one in about 3 days. We still have to add nesting boxes, a sliding roost door and some wheels. For today though, we’re calling it good.
The girls got their first taste of “freedom” in their new digs today. They spent the afternoon sampling our lawn which is a combination of grass and clover and weeds. They took some naps. They walked around. They laid out in the sun. They clucked contentedly. From what I can tell, it was a huge success.
The coop deadline has now been extended to the Fall. Will there be more twists and turns in our path to chicken glory? I’m betting yes. In the meantime, we once again have happy chickens. It’s a win in our book.
For more pictures of the chicken tractor building process, check out www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer . Happy Farming!
Spring?
Posted by Pocket Farmer in Pocket Farmer on May 15, 2011
New garden bed
We are roughly two months into the growing season, according to the calendar.
A quick check of what is growing:
- The chicks! They are getting bigger every day. Healthy and active, we have been very blessed on our maiden voyage into the poultry world.
- Dandelions!
- Nothing else!
What can I say about our weather this year? Cold. Wet. Windy. Repeat.
Except for last week. Out of nowhere, we hit 95 degrees F. Several days of wiltering heat and then…back to cold, wet, windy. High today will be about 47 degrees.
The garden remains unplanted. My seed starts still waiting in their temporary quarters for the conditions to improve. The garden bed is flooded again after getting just dry enough to attempt a final tilling.
Somehow in the gloom of this weather pattern, we achieved perfect and ripe conditions for a bumper dandelion crop! Where the grass used to grow, dandelions as far as the eye can see! So, to keep myself occupied, I whipped up a batch of dandelion jelly. It was wonderful! (To find dandelion recipes, check out our facebook page www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer in the “Notes” section).
The coop is likewise sitting idle. No amount of enthusiasm can rally the troops to get out there and freeze to death trying to rehab a shed for the chicks who seem perfectly content in their “teen” shelter in the warm and dry garage.
Which brings me back to the chicks. They are wonderful! Eight weeks old already! My Barred Holland girls are everything I was hoping they would be. Sweet, calm, curious, a perfect breed for our situation. The BH boys are easy keepers too. The RIR boys are rambunctious and more aggressive, but growing well and staying healthy, which is really their job at this point. Got my first real “crow” this morning, and it made me smile.
Hope everyone is enjoying Spring where ever you may be. Feel free to join us at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer to see all the latest happenings.
Happy Farming!
Coop Dreams
Posted by Pocket Farmer in Pocket Farmer on April 28, 2011
Teen Shelter
As I am big on ideas and short on time, we have found ourselves in a pickle.
We started with the best of intentions. I ordered 12 chicks. I carefully drew up a plan for a very functional, if small, brooder. We had the whole thing built and painted by the time the chicks arrived. I had carefully lined the bottom with a slip proof liner, we had shiny new feeders with a brand new heat lamp calibrated to the correct temperature. Food and chick friendly shavings were conveniently stored nearby. We were ready! It was the perfect homecoming!
Of course, we received two dozen chicks, twice what we were expecting ( http://blog.poultrykeeper.com/pocket-farmer-blog/its-a-girl-2 ), but we are flexible, and just threw the whole menagerie into the brooder and hoped for the best.
In the meantime, we began researching chicken tractors since we loved the idea of being able to move the hens around the yard (while keeping them in a secured environment) and I envisioned myself chatting with them while I tended my garden. At the Chicago Flower Show we fell in love with an adorable portable pen and documented every nook and cranny of the structure with photographs. Since our plan was to build the chicken tractor ourselves, we’d have all those wonderful photos to refer to and would be able to recreate the whole structure with great accuracy. We happily chatted about our new project on the way home, blissfully unaware of the reality check headed our way.
By week 3 we started to realize that while a chicken tractor would be lovely for our 6 hens, there were 18 roosters that would be needing a shelter as well. And soon! Very soon.
A quick scan of our options brought Plan B into focus. We’d rehab an old broke down shed already on our property, a hand me down from the previous owners. It had the right “bones” and was located in an area already secured by new fencing. Just a tweak here and there and we’d have room for 24 birds and more! Excellent!
Another quick sketch or two, a trip to the home center for supplies and a couple of productive days later and we had the very beginnings of a brand new domicile for our chicks. We estimated that in a couple of weekends we’d be ready to let them take day trips to test out their new outdoor enclosure! We could already visualize their happy smiling chick faces once they saw their new playground!
Que the monsoon.
Once Spring officially started, so did the rain. And the cold came back. We even got more snow. Heck, just for fun, we got gale force winds. Just about every weather combination but sunshine. The entirety of April has been overcast and stormy except for about 20 minutes. We made valiant attempts to whip the coop into shape, but found we were no match for Mother Nature. Each day we were delayed, the chicks doubled in size.
By last week we could see that they were tall enough to bump the top of the brooder when they stood up. Each time I opened the top hatch, several chicks would come flying out. We were obviously out of time. Something had to change. Plan C.
Another flurry of activity on Saturday and we achieved a semi-solution. We made a temporary “teen” shelter that would accommodate the whole flock while their permanent shelter is still under construction. At least that is our hope.
We immediately moved the chicks into their brand new “condo” in the garage and got a chance to watch them play and run around. It’s amazing how much they have changed! Their personalities are emerging, the boys are squaring off and trying to establish dominance. They flap and roost and toss shavings everywhere. It’s a wonderful mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. The chicks are thriving again and it’s great to see how far they have come.
This weekend it’s supposed to rain. Again. So for now, we have coop dreams yet to be fulfilled. One day the sun will come back out and we can finish the big coop and maybe even build the chicken tractor. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
If you are on Facebook, stop by to say hello and see what else we are up to. You can find me at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer . Until next time, Happy Farming!
Chicken People
Posted by Pocket Farmer in Pocket Farmer on April 15, 2011
RIR and Barred Holland chicks, 1 month old.
I heard that term a few days ago on a webpage devoted to poultry fanciers. I have been spending a lot of time reading and researching all aspects of chicken husbandry; from selecting breeds, rearing chicks, feed, care, housing, incubation, and even dispatching. One site I visit often, The Poultry Club on Facebook, has a very active membership consisting of all ages and levels of Poultry lovers. You need only “hang out” for a few minutes to see the love people have for their birds in general and more specifically, chickens.
There is enormous effort expended in the care of their flock. The process of raising poultry teaches many life lessons and through trial and error these people have become very knowledgeable about their craft. The group has formed a tight bond with each other as they share their triumphs (hatching new babies) and heartbreaks (birds lost to predators and illnesses). No one is alone in this group, they support and encourage each other without fail and the end result is bigger than the sum of its parts.
Chicken People.
Don’t be fooled. This isn’t just any group of people. There is real depth and experience in the stories they share. They are strong. They don’t give up. They are resourceful, creative, educated, determined. They rise to the challenge. They laugh and cry and get up the next day to start it all over again.
I’m hooked. I put my toe in this chicken pool about a month ago after we received our shipment of newly hatched chicks. I posted a picture of the babies and stepped back to see what would happen. Even though they must have seen the same thing a thousand times already, they acted like this little raggedy batch of chicks was the cutest things they had ever seen!
I next posted a question about herbal supplements. Boom! A half dozen informed responses within minutes. Another pic, another round of smiles and atta-boys.
Seeing how they interact with me and each other I got the feeling that this was a sort of “family”. They look out for one another and come to this place every day not only to feed a passion that they share in common, but also, because they genuinely enjoy the company of the group. They tackle each new problem together, without competition and with great courtesy, and more times than not, achieve a solution. It’s informal, casual and voluntary, but it works.
As I have gotten more deeply involved in the why and how of my personal chicken journey, I am seeing a passion of my own growing, and find myself reaching for the next level. How far do I want to go? I don’t know the answer to that question. The more I learn, the more I want to explore. It’s fascinating and interesting and I am following their lead.
Our chicks are a month old today! A month ago I would have thought that was the big story. But it’s only part of the picture. While I have been feeding and sheltering them these past 4 weeks, they have been working their magic on me. 24 faces staring at me every morning and evening, completely dependent on what I can provide. It is an awesome responsibility and yet…fun? I look forward to their antics. They are growing like weeds, trying to fly.
Watching them, watching me, I feel myself changed. There was our life before chickens, and now there is this life. This new life brings a change of attitude and new promise. We had made a conscious decision to take this path to become more self-sufficient. Chickens were the first step. Yet even at this early stage, I am richer for having started this process. I have met new friends who have taught me much in a very short time. I am thankful for their generosity. I am learning by their example. I am inspired.
Chicken People. Who knew?
Don’t forget you can catch me here or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer . Happy Farming!
It’s a Girl!
Posted by Pocket Farmer in Pocket Farmer on March 22, 2011
Our Barred Holland babies!
And a boy, and another girl…2 dozen in all. Yes, we are the happy new parents of bouncing baby chicks!
What is a Pocket Farmer?
Posted by Pocket Farmer in Pocket Farmer on March 13, 2010
What is a Pocket Farmer? Chances are, if you are reading this, YOU are a Pocket Farmer.
Congratulations! You have been thinking of ways to reduce your carbon footprint, you’d like to recycle more and waste less, you want to eat better, produce more of your own food, drive less and enjoy life more. Maybe you just bought some CFL bulbs and are starting to think about going solar.
That’s it, you are on your way! You are doing a great job! No stopping you now!
The idea of Pocket Farming came to me when I was thinking about how to describe the smallest possible act of sustainable living. If you don’t have a lot of space, you can still plant your garden in flower pots on the porch. Many towns now allow chickens to be kept in residential areas. Don’t have time to garden? Check out the farmer’s markets in your town and support locally grown food. There are so many ways to be creative in this process, challenge yourself to find new ones.
This blog will describe my adventures in Pocket Farming. I’m still learning, so there is a lot of trial and error ahead of me. I hope you’ll share your adventures as well. If you have a great idea, please share it! You can find me here or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer . I look forward to hearing from you!
Until next time…Happy Farming!
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