More Chickens!

Although we've moved farms, caring for chickens remains one of our daily responsibilities. The new farm has, however, broadened our understanding of what chickens are like and what is an appropriate (i.e. sustainable and humane) method of tending them.

There were about 25-30 chickens on our first farm, all layers, all the same breed (Rhode Island Reds, we think). While we liked working with those birds, we find the new setup more interesting, simply because it's more varied.

We are now working with over 50 chickens of several breeds. There are meat chickens (that still produce edible eggs!) ranging freely in, or nearby, a very large pen. These birds will be harvested right here on the farm when their time comes. Six different varieties of laying hens (plus respective roosters) range freely in tractors. We're not exactly sure what each breed is, but we know we have the Rhode Island Reds, Polish Top Hats (they have silver feet!), and Barred Rocks. We also have some kind of golden-feathered chickens that lay a blue egg and some beautiful, productive, shiny jet-black layers, Jersey Giants, with a nasty rooster we like to call Boss Hogg.

The tractors here are more simply built than the ones on our previous farm. They weigh less despite being larger, but not are as easy to move since they lack wheels. There's 3-5 hens plus a rooster in each. They seem happier than the girls on the previous farm, which may be due to breed temperament or the lower population density. Or perhaps it's the presence of cock keeping order.

The assumption is that the eggs we collect are fertilized. Some people may find that gross, others find it desirable enough to constitute a marketing niche. S&K, the farmers, also keep the roosters because it allows them to breed their own stock. To do so, they simply (but strategically) let hens incubate a certain number of eggs. Because we collect eggs every day, and eat them shortly thereafter, we assume that we've eaten fertilized eggs, but we honestly can't tell the difference.

All the chickens, both layers and meat hens, are given feed and corn scratch twice a day. The meat hens also get our green kitchen scraps. We've saved our choice scraps – mango and banana peels – for the layers, but none of them seem too interested. They haven't been trained, like the chickens at our last farm, to expect these delicious handouts. They don't seem all that interested in slugs, either. To provide extra calcium to ensure strong eggs, we spike all the waters with whey leftover from the cheese making, as opposed to mixing oyster shells in with the feed as is commonly done. Whey also contains protein which will help the meat chicks grow larger faster. This type of waste recycling is an example of the permaculture “closed loop” philosophy that is practiced on this farm.

Since the meat hens are not allowed to breed with roosters they are not a self-renewing resource. As such, we are also caring for about 30 chicks right now. As mentioned in a previous post, these are not cute like Easter. They were, however, when they first arrived in the mail. They are several weeks old now – which in chicken time is the middle of awkward adolescence. Too old to be babies and too young to be on their own, some live in a chicken tractor and some in rabbit pens. All chicks get water and a special feed twice a day. When they are older (i.e., larger enough not to slip through the fence), we'll move them to the ranging pens.

Working with several different types and breeds of chickens and caring for them in different ways, we've learned that chickens are really stupid and rather messy. They're super easy to care for, so the mess isn't a big deal if you stay on it, but it's clear that a poorly cared-for chicken has got to be one of the most disgusting and depressing creatures in domestication. The absolutely squalid and horrid conditions of commercial chicken production is one of the things that made us interested in this type of farming in the first place.

And you know what? Contrary to myth, hens are not loud at all. The roosters are, sure, but citing noise as an argument to against keeping urban chickens demonstrates ignorance and inexperience. Tending chickens is a easy and rewarding. Way more so than pitbulls.