How do you take a vacation when you have a flock of chickens? OK, this applies to dogs, cats, horses, and other critters. But the question remains the same....
My flock of seven, six laying hens and the big guy, has been my little friends since I got them in May. In that time, we have learned together about what foods are chickeny-delicious, how to recover from a chickeny virus, how to deal with weak eggshells, proper coop construction, puberty, and choking hazards.
Through all these adventures I have become quite close to my little feathery friends and they have learned to (mostly) tolerate my presence.
But now I need to travel from Texas to the frosty wasteland known as "Up North". I have at least 40 hours of driving ahead of me before I am home again.
I have enlisted my most trusted friend to take care of my fluffy babies. Now I have the delicate task of respectfully communicating every single detail of caring for my cherished cockerel and prized pullets.
While I am away I will worry about the flock. Will there be predator problems as they free range? Will they gain a lot of weight from gourmet cooking?
I don't know what to expect. I am afraid of the unknown. Guess I need some perspective.
Showing posts with label choking chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label choking chicken. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Did it again, Cannibal Chickens
I swore I was not going to feed chicken to my flock until I knew more about chicken first aid. I kept my promise, sort of.
Yesterday we roasted a Butterball turkey. For the first time in my life I ate so much food for Thanksgiving that I could not eat dessert.
We had so much food that we could not store the leftovers. The turkey drippings from the bag became soup stock. We decided to toss the stripped bones rather than render them for more soup.
Frugal fellow that I am, I just had to give some of it to the chickens. This time, I put out the smaller shreds of meat, the unpopular apple slices, organs, neck, thigh bones, and unidentifiable meatlike substances.
I had to drop the bowl over the fence to avoid death by pecking.
This time everything was very small, very soft, or very big. No choking hazards!
Also, I felt a little better that they were eating a turkey instead of a chicken. I wonder, someday when it is time to feed the flock leftovers from one of their own sisters, will I still feel weird about it or will I be all matter-of-fact?
Yesterday we roasted a Butterball turkey. For the first time in my life I ate so much food for Thanksgiving that I could not eat dessert.
We had so much food that we could not store the leftovers. The turkey drippings from the bag became soup stock. We decided to toss the stripped bones rather than render them for more soup.
Frugal fellow that I am, I just had to give some of it to the chickens. This time, I put out the smaller shreds of meat, the unpopular apple slices, organs, neck, thigh bones, and unidentifiable meatlike substances.
I had to drop the bowl over the fence to avoid death by pecking.
This time everything was very small, very soft, or very big. No choking hazards!
Also, I felt a little better that they were eating a turkey instead of a chicken. I wonder, someday when it is time to feed the flock leftovers from one of their own sisters, will I still feel weird about it or will I be all matter-of-fact?
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Feathered Young Cannibals
My birds are less than a year old and have no elder hens to teach them things like table manners or proper decorum. I say hens because, face it, a male would teach them stupid poo tricks.
Due to predator threats I have started tempting my birds into the coop a few minutes before sunset. Usually I use Black Oil Sunflower Seed as the bait while calling "Chick! Chick! Chick!" from inside the coop. I close the people door to avoid being trampled. I throw seeds just inside the pop door so when they race up the chicken ladder they skid to a halt and concentrate on eating.
Today I had to dispose of some leftover home-cooked chicken (from the grocery store). I chopped it up into bite sized chunks and put it on a plate, nuked the plate, let it cool, and headed out with my bounty.
When I went into the coop I put the plate on the floor and started distributing BOSS and calling. They came running and started eating the seed. I made my escape while they were busy and closed the pop door.
From outside I watched them discover and eat the chicken. It was like the scene where Bill Cosby fed his children chocolate cake for breakfast. Such enthusiasm!
Some stole pieces to eat in private (on the floor of the coop). Others ate directly from the serving bowl. The rooster went for the biggest piece and tried to down it in one big gulp. No manners!
The rooster looked pretty worried when the chunk got halfway in and stopped. He managed to drop it, but genius that he is, he immediately tried again to swallow it whole. While I was wondering how to do a chicken Heimlich, he spat it out again and started pecking it apart.
The chicken meat was a big hit. It feels immoral to feed them their own kind, but I am probably going to do it again -- right after I learn how to do a Chicken Heimlich Maneuver.
Due to predator threats I have started tempting my birds into the coop a few minutes before sunset. Usually I use Black Oil Sunflower Seed as the bait while calling "Chick! Chick! Chick!" from inside the coop. I close the people door to avoid being trampled. I throw seeds just inside the pop door so when they race up the chicken ladder they skid to a halt and concentrate on eating.
Today I had to dispose of some leftover home-cooked chicken (from the grocery store). I chopped it up into bite sized chunks and put it on a plate, nuked the plate, let it cool, and headed out with my bounty.
When I went into the coop I put the plate on the floor and started distributing BOSS and calling. They came running and started eating the seed. I made my escape while they were busy and closed the pop door.
From outside I watched them discover and eat the chicken. It was like the scene where Bill Cosby fed his children chocolate cake for breakfast. Such enthusiasm!
Some stole pieces to eat in private (on the floor of the coop). Others ate directly from the serving bowl. The rooster went for the biggest piece and tried to down it in one big gulp. No manners!
The rooster looked pretty worried when the chunk got halfway in and stopped. He managed to drop it, but genius that he is, he immediately tried again to swallow it whole. While I was wondering how to do a chicken Heimlich, he spat it out again and started pecking it apart.
The chicken meat was a big hit. It feels immoral to feed them their own kind, but I am probably going to do it again -- right after I learn how to do a Chicken Heimlich Maneuver.
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