vfem
Garden Addicted
Today I got lucky going up to the WCA (Wicked Chicken Auction in Clayton, NC). I picked up 8 broiler birds who have to be somewhere between 5-8 weeks old already. 1-2 are easily over 6 lb each already. I paid about $2.25 each. Killer savings!
I'm glad I don't have to raise them inside, or the additional costs of feed for the first weeks. They go STRAIGHT out into the tractor coop.
Now it gets even better!
Many of my rows are covered in weeds, and some icky bugs were starting to do a number on the finished corn and sunflowers and I don't want them moving over to my beans and greens yet! So the chickens are out there for the next couple of weeks fertilizing the area for my winter plantings and being my weed control. They get fresh greens and some happy time in the garden, then I get a great clean garden and good chicken meat. I get the better end of the deal I suppose.
Anyways, I'm going to keep track of how well they do, and if 8 are enough. If this works out well, I'm going to make a spring and fall schedule for keeping meat birds in the garden for the best results for the garden. I'm asking myself questions now like, are 8 enough at a time, how long will it take them to go through all I need to be done? Will I have to send them off to freezer camp before they finish the job? How will this affect their meat. ???? And so on....
I'm glad I don't have to raise them inside, or the additional costs of feed for the first weeks. They go STRAIGHT out into the tractor coop.
Now it gets even better!
Many of my rows are covered in weeds, and some icky bugs were starting to do a number on the finished corn and sunflowers and I don't want them moving over to my beans and greens yet! So the chickens are out there for the next couple of weeks fertilizing the area for my winter plantings and being my weed control. They get fresh greens and some happy time in the garden, then I get a great clean garden and good chicken meat. I get the better end of the deal I suppose.
Anyways, I'm going to keep track of how well they do, and if 8 are enough. If this works out well, I'm going to make a spring and fall schedule for keeping meat birds in the garden for the best results for the garden. I'm asking myself questions now like, are 8 enough at a time, how long will it take them to go through all I need to be done? Will I have to send them off to freezer camp before they finish the job? How will this affect their meat. ???? And so on....
They do look very healthy - let us know how it works out.
