We are on our second bag of layer mash also. Some of the gals are having a molt so not only are they unproductive... but they are very very ugly. Poor old gals.
So, shouldn't we just cull the older ones? Yeah. But I love my old biddies. And that's "biddies" and not our Bitty.
I just love my older hens and the way we see it they aren't much trouble at all. Except for the recent layer mash purchases mostly the gals free range anyway - so there is very little expense. Many of our gals have put in their time, laid a lot of eggs, raised a clutch of chicks, or are just so darn cute.
Hands down, the chickens are the best thing about my farming day. I wouldn't miss the goats at all but I would be very lonely without my flock following me around all day, clucking and scolding, and wondering what I was doing.
Is this efficient? Nope. Effective? Nope. But part of this life is really enjoying it. So we do and our older hennies can stay. Next spring we'll bring in some new gals but for now we will just be glad for our old biddies. And hope they start laying again.
Happy Tuesday everyone! Do you have a light on in the hen house?
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Hello there OFG, it's been awhile! So.......I've been goat-less and let me tell you, I missed them to shreds, but I totally "get" the chicken thang. I had a pet hen named Burnadette that lived to be almost 16! She used to follow me everywhere I went! Chickens are a must have. There is nothing so cute and funny as when we go out the door and call CHICK, CHICK, CHICK, CHICK and they all stick their necks out and run for all they are worth to us! Have a good day and I hope the Grumps have left the building.....
Just put mine in - 20 hens and 0 eggs. I've got some old biddies, too, but they are part of the fabric of the place and so they stay. But those youngsters...
I just set mine up this morning. 20 hens and 0 eggs. I can excuse the old girls, but not the new ones!
No light for us as our days don't get quite as short (down to about 10 hrs sunlight I think) and we just keep hatching and culling so our girls don't get to more than about 3 years old. Worst thing is when you butcher an old hen and she has an egg in her and you realise she was still laying....
We'll be turning ours on soon as ours are just starting to lay! We keep our old hens too, since they laid great eggs, tilled the soil and ate the bad bugs. We let our stay til they pass of natural causes :)
I love our hens as well, old or young, and love the way they follow me as well. Agree about the goats. Lester has had enough of them, and since we now have a milking cow he has decided to put the last remaining four goats into the freezer soon.
Our hens are sleeping with the geese now!
Setting ours up this next week....
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