4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[The Dogmother]

I'm taking my mods hat off here for a moment *puts it carefully to one side so as not to crush the flowers* and putting my neck on the line, but I feel that I have to say something on this subject.

 

I am concerned about the amount of hatching/breeding and buying of livestock that is going on without any forethought. Both on this forum and on others.

 

Are we sitting comfortably? This may take a while to explain....

 

Caring for animals is a tremendous responsibility and certainly not to be undertaken lightly. Now, I'm not casting any nasturtiums here, but it leads onto my favourite rant about 'prudence'; no, not a person , but the word. What I'm trying to say here, and not expressing very well is that we live in a 'can do/can have' society now - we have so much within our reach that we have forgotten to think before we buy/do something to decide whether or not it is prudent to do so.

 

For example; I'd love to have another lurcher, and an acquaintance has some gorgeous puppies that need a home. OK, I could get one tomorrow but I'd have to think long and hard because of my circumstances.... you with me on this?

 

So while impulse buys of henorabilia or chickenalia are fine (at least until OH sees them ) please think twice before making an impulse buy of a critter, hatching chickies or breeding bunnies.

 

Just because we can doesn't mean to say that it is prudent to do so.

 

Sorry for the rant chaps *puts mods hat back on at it's usual rakish angle*

Edited June 9, 2008 by Guest

[morris]

totally agree ....well said .....

[lisa33]

[Egluntyne]

Well said Claret.

 

Much as I'd love to, I have never hatched my own chicks, because there are to many difficulties to be taken into account. The main one being the rooster issue.

 

It does worry me when I read the "Help, what do I feed my newly hatched chicken on/ is it ok to put them in with the other chickens/my chickens have hatched, do I need a brooder?" type of thread.

 

All these questions should be thoroughly researched BEFORE embarking on hatching.

 

All too often we read about events overtaking folk and they find themselves literally putting these little lives on the line and getting into a panic.

 

It must be very tempting to get some eggs off ebay and stick them under a broody hen or buy an incubator but please don't do it until all aspects of chick raising have been thoroughly researched.

 

There are many Omleteers who have experience of raising chicks, and who can give good advice, but it is best to do your homework first.

[Geoid]

Well Said! Totally Agree!

[Guest]

I agree, I'd love to have more chickens and could probably easily accomodate another 2 perhaps 3 girls but all our girls get on so well with each other and they have a lovely lot of space to roam around in, that I just couldn't do it to them. After the life they've had, I want them to have room to spare! If there were ex batts girls waiting for homes then we probably would but that's not an issue any more

 

I cringe sometimes when I see comments like "how many more do you think we could squeeze in..." and then other people egging them on! (pardon the pun) etc etc.

Edited June 9, 2008 by Guest

[chelsea]

Well said Claret.

 

Much as I'd love to, I have never hatched my own chicks, because there are to many difficulties to be taken into account. The main one being the rooster issue.

 

 

agree. I have resisted and will resist as I dont know enough and as much as I love fluffy little chicks AND I have a constantly broody hen ( so it could be easily done), I just couldnt bear with the consequences if they turned out to be cockerels.

 

Im sticking with what I've got - they cause me enough mischief!

[Helen&Lee]

Yep, agree with you on this Claret,

 

I've had three broodys since March now and have been asked frequently if I've got eggs under them.

While I have read quite a bit about hatching, I simply do not have the time I would want keeping an eye on the girls while it was all going on and I would want to seperate facilities to keep them in.

 

Its that 'instant' society we live in nowadays

 

That said, my first year is nearly up and I am confident that I can fit another three comfortably in the cube, its been on hold waiting to see how big the Brahmas get.

 

Helen

[The Dogmother]

Thanks Guys. I know that the majority of forum users are friends of Prudence too She might be a tad old fashioned, but her values still stand and are so important in these times of greed and credit crunches.

 

It just takes a moment to stop and think rather than racing headlong into it.

 

Chickies, for instance, are so fluffy and cute, we have thoroughly enjoyed hatching under one of our broodies, but please take time to think...

 

...what would you do with the resulting chicks?

 

Could you cope if one of the chicks was born misformed or disabled and had to be culled?

 

If you're not using a broody hen, do you have all the necessary equipment ready before you start?

 

Do you have separate accommodation for the newbies once they are out of the brooder?

 

What would you do if 60% of them turned out to be boys?

 

Prudence is a good friend and wil see you through hard times - think of her in all situations and ask her what she'd do. you will be surprised at how some of her wisdom will rub off on you.

 

Please do your research, ask on here, or listen to Pru before you embark on any projects.

[BeckyBoo]

I agree, says she with five chicks in a hutch with their broody mother. But only because we've got homes for ALL the boys should there be any.

I also think that, certainly on here, a lot of people are reaching for the "Good Life", and that can only be a good thing surely. If people are taking on chickens so they can provide their family with eggs, maybe demonstrate to their family the chain of events, circle of life that leads to eggs in boxes in supermarkets, show this to their friends and maybe, just maybe gain a few converts along the way then surely, that too can only be a good thing. You might as well say that people shouldn't buy packets of seeds willy nilly in order to grow their own veggies. i appreciate livestock is somewhat different and absolutely people should never take on responsibility for a sentient being without serious thought and consideration for the length of time that responsibilty will continue and ALL that it entails. I * HOPE * no one on here is guilty of irresponsible behaviour as regards keeping / acquiring animals. I would imagine that most people on here are "wannabe" HFW's, I'm one of them, but also for most, that's really only a distant dream. So we do what we can with our backyard and this forum is an IDEAL place to be as enthusiastic as you like, because there are a lot of like minded people on here to smile with you and make you feel "not like a fool".

Chickenalia and Henorabilia I can't speak for, you lot have been entirely responsible for at least two magazine subscriptions where I had none before!

There are a lot of people in the world with disposable incomes, there are charities they could benefit, children they could sponsor in developing countries, animal welfare groups as well we know, but if they choose to spend their money raising livestock then all I will say is that, at least if they're posting on here, they are getting good advice, problems are often spotted and pointed out.

I see what you're saying, I know I'm definitely guilty, but hey, I don't think I'm irresponsible and I think my children are having as close to the childhood that I would like, growing up with animals.

 

Mrs B

[The Dogmother]

I certainly don't think that you're irresponsible Mrs B. I can see that you've thought through your hatching project very carefully.

 

I like your paragraph about disposable incomes - I had a similar discussion with some friends on Friday night - I plucked out my favourite one about professional footballers.. why on earth do they get paid so much - do they save lives? I would be far more impressed if they coudl show a good example to our children and give to charities.

[Mutrix Farmers]

Well put Claret. I believe moderation in all things. It's too easy to get carried away because "I can" but as you say that doesn't make it prudent.

[Shirl]

Well said.

 

I am guilty of thinking "I have a broody so may as well" but so far I have resisted. I've got somewhere to keep them seperate and where I would get the eggs from would take any boys back (and they wouldn't be culled) but I just think at this point in time I'm just too busy. For now it's just a dream but will hopefully in the next few years become a reality.

[The Dogmother]

Shirl, thank your lucky stars tht you don't have my girls then - one of them is always broody

[Katie]

Well done for bringing this up, Claret

[Phosphorus]

I agree with your comments too Clare. I am sorely tempted to get some young chicks - not the hatching eggs mind yet. However did sort out how I would do the separate housing etc, what would happen to the cockerels if any. Came to the conclusion that I should step back a bit and be sensible and not spread myself too thinly- I have only had my existing girls 6 weeks now as it is It is so easy to get carried away (even when you have researched and thought it all through )

 

Now I might rethink again in a month

[Lesley]

....but at least you will have done your research Andrea

 

I think one of the problems (apart from me posting photos of chicks ) is that we have had a large influx of new members and the forum has shifted slightly from being one of Egluowners with a couple of backyard chickens to one with a more eclectic mix.

 

From the vast range of subjects now covered on this forum it obviously feels like a safe place to ask questions - which it is - but it isn't in the same league as other poultry forums for some information.

 

We are fortunate enough to live on a smallholding and have no near neighbours. We do hatch and we do keep cockerels but I still use, and recommend, the Practical Poultry and River Cottage forums for research purposes. There is an absolute wealth of information on many sites and it is well worth taking a few hours over a few days to read all you can.

 

.....this, from the person driven from her bed by 12 crowing cockerels

[moochoo]

Well said! At last common sense, it's not as common as it's name suggests. Thank you Claret for raising a delicate subject

[Cinnamon]

Thanks for that Claret, it seems like you have spoken for many of us on here

[Shirl]

Shirl, thank your lucky stars tht you don't have my girls then - one of them is always broody

I have one not dissimilar. She last went broody mid-march, was broody for over a month before I intervened and still hasn't started laying again. What a freeloader I should be getting loads of eggs from her at this time of year.

[Ziggy]

You put all that so beautifully and carefully Claret... it scares me too sometimes when I read what some people, not necessarily just on here, but many other places, ask about animals, chicks or others...

It's everywhere and it is maddening... the latest one that drove me insane is the one I saw on a dog forum (we are planning to get a dog, and the research is taking me over two years of reading, talking, planning the time, already planning future holidays in this country with the dog for at least the first year, looking for other holiday solutions, researching, now about to 'borrow' my friend's dog for walks in the park and so on, and this is still a year before the earliest we'd get the pup) : on that forum a lad posted a picture saying 'my girlfriend saw this picture and she really, really wants a pup like this, so I want to get her one but does anyone have any idea what breed it is cause we don't have a clue'...... No explanation needed as to why that really got on my nerves... one pup (very hard breed to look after too) that would be given up on or neglected in no time.... not even a 'where can we learn about this?', or any question... just a 'what is it, so I can get one'...

Having a year ago, again after much planning, thinking, dividing the house and so on, acquired 3 kittens on top of our two cats, I saw a great deal many 'my cat just had kittens, all looking for a good home in 8 weeks time'... and the amount of irresponsible breeding out there is upsetting... I am thinking of starting a petition or something asking to make the sale of animals by non registered breeder much more strickly regulated, as there is both irresponsible ownership (unspayed/unneutered animals) out there, and people breeding cats in their backyards to sell a kitten for £180 pounds... with a few litters a year, that brings a nice little income...

 

Anyway, that's all a bit different from what you said, sorry for joining the rant and sidetracking a bit, but you have all my support here, and Prudence has all my respect...

Both financial and practical preparation should be undertaken and fully sorted well before any living being is brought home...

[chocchick]

I agree.

It takes a lot of self control to avoid getting more chickens/hatching chicks as they are so adorable. OH has to go sometimes

We're sticking with 3 unless we get a bigger garden. I read somewhere that basically the less you have the better you can care for each chicken.

[Lesley]

That's very true ChocChick

 

We enjoyed looking after AMO's hens recently as they are used to being hand fed - we're past that stage in numbers now and it's not the same.

[Laura & CTB]

Nice post Clare

 

It's all so easy to get carried away without thinking things through properly. When I first got my chooks I desperately wanted more but prudence said to wait until I'd got some experience under my belt.

 

I have the room for six chooks but prudence also reminded me that six chooks running round my small garden might be a bit overwhelming!

 

And one of my dreams (only a tiny one) is to hold a new born chickie but prudence says that is only going to happen if I get invited round someone's elses house who has them!

 

By the way. your mod's hat sounds lovely Clare

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Well said Claret. Totally agree .