More layers. Isa Browns. The layers from last Spring are starting to drop off in egg production. (molting and age) They will likely be replaced when the new girls start laying. In the Spring I'll get another 75 layers. Even when I was getting 70+ eggs a day, I couldn't keep up with demand. If I'm getting 140 eggs a day... I might actually have some extras. (and I'll need a another egg cooler) A few days ago an owl killed off my old barred rock (Roz), she was 7 or 8 years old. That damned owl has now killed most of my older birds. It is a determined and sneaky bastard and has almost no fear of Kendall or I.
Owls do have enemies, some times they even kill them selves, that is a shame and I know of people that feel bad when one of them does kills them selves, I'm just not one of those people. And if as I suspect its a great horned owl thats the culprit, they are very territorial which in turn makes them very susceptible to a call. Just saying.
So far.... feed them to predators. I was thinking of butchering them out. They're actually fairly meaty and would be good canning chickens. Then again, I'm much more of a softy than I thought as I never did butcher out the first batch of layers. (The old birds free-range full time and since I don't have to buy feed for them I don't mind if I don't get many eggs from them.) I might sell them. Then again, I don't want people coming here to buy chickens and I probably won't get anything for them if I haul them off to the auction. ('specially with feed prices skyrocketing) I have around 70 of the year and a half old layers... too many to just put out to pasture. :/ So... that was a really long way of saying... "I'm not sure." :D
Galt, Yep, great horned owl. Very aggresive. Kendall saw the owl pacing back and forth on the ground trying to find a way through the chainlink to get to the chickens. He fired a shot off to try and scare the owl but it just flew up onto the edge of the fence. Kendall then whacked it with the gun barrel (not hard) to try and get it to leave but the owl flew down to the ground and then flew back up right at Kendall. The fence panel was between the owl and Kendall so the owl's talons grabbed the chainlink in front of K's face... instead of his face. Kendall jabbed the owl with the gun barrel and the owl flew off. If the owl only came around at night, it wouldn't be such a big problem as only the dumb chickens don't go into the coop and get locked up until morning. However, this owl comes around whenever it wants. After it killed Roz... it's chances of committing suicide have certainly increased.
A pane of glass can be very effective when properly placed, if you don't mind owls committing owlocide. But 17 RFM makes a great personal protection weapon in areas where concealed carry is not legal, a person can't be to safe from attack in this day and age!
That sucks, Christine ... I love owls, but if I had one like you have hanging around .... my feelings would change.... Re: Feed prices ... my 100 pound bag of food went from $20 to $25 ...... that sucks! The good thing is I am selling the egs and they are more than paying for their feed ....
I too love owls, if properly prepared and seasoned with a touch of "Franks Red Hot" they taste just like chicken.
There are a lot of dog owners that feed "raw" nowadays and if you were to butcher them you may be able to sell a few that way. We don't have nearly as many as you but we cook them for the broth and can the broth. The old chickens make the best broth. Then my wife puts as many as will fit in the 40 qt pressure canner and cooks them at 15lbs for a couple hours. At that point the bones are soft and she runs the whole batch through the food processor and they become cat food or dog bicuits. I think If I had 70, though, I would look around for some fdog owners that feed raw. The ones I know are always scouring about for a deal on raw chicken. You could always meet them somewhere. You, a softy? Next thing you know you'll be buying a prius hunting vehicle .
and dry flies man!!! I am seeing those pretty hackles on those roosters and just seeing about 1000 "irresistible's" and mayflies lol
Some pictures for Tony LOL. They are the Narragansett Turkeys (older and younger), Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys (large ones) Rhode Island Red hens, New Hampshire Red cockerels, one cat (Lily), one daughter (Carolyn), one of Carolyn's sunflowers. I think that's it. The BBB turkeys are actually younger than the bigger Narragansett turkeys. They grow fast.
Something killed one of the little Narragansett turks. Ripped open the hardware cloth on the bottom of the turk pen and pulled it out. I have my ground blind out there and have been trying to get it but I am not sure it even has come back yet. I suspect raccoon but could be fox too. Those turks are our foundation turks and hopefully, with them, we can keep the flock going and get meat birds every year. Same with the goats and chickens. We have 4 roosters marked out of that bunch and we will keep at least two. Most likely Pancho and Lefty.
