unrelenting cold and snow, Northeast

[buckabucka]

That storm is only supposed to drop 2" up here. Maybe a little more Tuesday night, but as long as it stays above zero I will be thrilled.

 

[baymule]

@catjac1975 redstars are good tempered. Grand daughter and her friend chased them all over the yard, lugged them around, put them in a small cage and in a wire compost bin. The hens calmly took it all in stride, laid their eggs in between the human torture and were really tolerant and sweet. Big brown eggs. You can't go wrong with redstars.

 

[bobm]

The longer one keeps the older hens, their eggs become more expensive each time they do lay ( if they lay ) and at the same time one is missing out on some great chicken and dumplings.

 

[catjac1975]

I wish I had the nerve to slaughter my own-I'm too chicken.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Cat I can understand that. You'll get no criticism from me. Taking a life should not be easy.

I grew up doing it, Mom said go get me a chicken and I'd soon give her one plucked and gutted. She did the rest and boy were they good.

 

[thistlebloom]

I've only done it once, to four old girls. I need a person standing there with me to advise me. Youtube and internet directions weren't the best for me.
One things for sure, it has prevented me naming any new layers I get.

 

[ninnymary]

Well, this city girl certainly cannot process a chicken! So you've got company Cat.

Mary

 

[Nyboy]

Cat city boy cannot also do it. I am so glad Ilisten to the farmer selling hens. I wanted cute batams, he asked me what I wanted in a chicken I said friendly first. he told me batams where fisty. The breed he told me to get where golden coments if I wanted friendly. He also would call them red sex link. The hens he sold me where raised in a large flock yet would follow me around like a puppy after a few weeks. Each layed 1 brown egg a day and never stop all wnter with no added light. I sure miss them. Golden coment/ sek link friendly egg machines.

 

[seedcorn]

Not all bantams are feisty. They tame down easily. And eat about 1/4 of the feed. For their size, their eggs are huge. I have partridge Wyandotte bantams.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

with bantams, attitude/feistiness depends on the breed. i have bantam cochins and faverolles in with my LF faverolles and i have a D'uccle. the 'D'uccle had an attitude but for him it has been seasonal, and others i've owned of his breed have been docile and hardly a problem. with my bantam faverolles i've never seen an attitude, the cochins i've occasionally had one with a diva attitude, or in the case of the young cockerel a feisty little brat. those boys don't last long in the flock and the girls usually settle down after some time.

i didn't care for bantam Wyandotte when i had them in my flock. they were mean to my other birds and louder too. but the person i got them from said they were hatchery so i blame the 'tudes on that.