FEBRUARY-2010 FLORIDA GREENHORN UPDATE
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www.faithccarr.comWE HAVE A FARM NAME!
This last summer season we lost 7 out of 12 laying hens. I now know a great deal about chicken predators. The run fence is higher, jingle bells are strung across the top. There is a lockable door on the coop.
I trapped 4 raccoons, 2 opossums, and a feral cat. You and I will not speak of their disposal.
Having to wait until now was painful. Three stupid non-egg laying chickens left. I was so angry at the loss. I hadn't been that angry since this whole "farm" thing started. Took me three days to work it though. But here I am.
Then, to add to my anguish, MyMike had to BUY eggs. BUY THEM! Oh, hung my head low and in shame that day, I tell ya"
And here's what I decided to do about it.
I'm increasing my flock to 20 in the next weeks. I'm going to feature medium to small eggs for sale. There is no way to reasonably compete with all the folks selling large & jumbo. "
""And now for something completely different""
Wouldn't you just love to open a carton of eggs and see medium to small - pink, blue, brown, green, and white eggs? Spring every day, with the darkest of pert, deep orange yolks? The firmest of whites. And just the right size for an Egg Bisket. Just think! You can have 3 eggs for breakfast instead of 1 JUMBO!
Hence, the new flock will be dominated by the smaller breeds of chickens. Bantams are excellent layers, come in a colorful and pleasing variety, and I can have more hens per square foot. Not much for the stew pot but come the "crash" size really won't matter.
Heck, there might even be a market for "Chicken For Two" sized meat birds. I know MyMike and I cannot finish a standard roaster in one meal...
I'm also adding a variety of standard breed dual purpose baby chicks that are going to be "hand" raised. I learned a lot last year by raising only one chick (bad idea). By it's feathering there was a lot of happiness to be had with a chicken adoring me.
That Black Australorps would follow me around the gardens while I dug in the row. Sometimes "Beep" would leap onto my hat, flapping, then sitting down. Amazing! Had to put an end to that when she reached 10 pounds.
A raccoon ripped her to shreds and her carcass was dismembered and dragged and scattered for over 200 feet of my neighbors property. A very hard lesson was learned that day.
But what really did it was the crows. Those big, black, and shiny crows. There they were, avidly pecking, shredding and squabbling over the fresh meat of my ONE pet chicken. I wanted to shoot them all (I"ve got a .410 shotgun you know). Cooler heads prevailed.
Since the whole point of this farming thing is food security and sustainability, it was time to think about letting my girls have some lovin' -- let them go broody and hatch a clutch or two.
So now I have a Bantam Americauna Rooster! THAT breed should make for some chicken "mutts" who lay multicolored eggs. But that is entirely up to my dear friend, Mother Nature. She generally knows what she's doing with the livestock thing.
We just purchased a 10x8 metal shed to have as a permanent chicken house. We are installing commercial grade laying nests, with plenty of space for each lady. There will be ample roost poles for the entire flock. I will be able to safely store my "chicken stuff".
The existing hand painted coop will be thoroughly cleaned and set up in the "shade area" as a brooder home. Thank you MyMike.
And for those of you who know me best"
That damn thing is so ugly, ugh UGH ugly, you KNOW there is going to be some painting going on!
I am soliciting suggestions for a really stunning image to paint on the chicken house. So send me a few cool ideas. Some kind of farm scene featuring chickens. Right now I'm thinking just paint my new logo on it.
Anyway, it will be a satisfying project to work on When the seeds are in, the planting is done and the waiting starts before the true work begins.
Faith Carr
MF Farmette
Gainesville Fl
