tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961777094841799518.post122553409101203394..comments2023-03-19T09:34:40.112-04:00Comments on Whirling Leaves: exhaustioncinnamon gurlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05363288586285868779noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961777094841799518.post-76917566756108366722013-10-19T08:03:49.880-04:002013-10-19T08:03:49.880-04:00We got 9 chickens. We eat about 3 doz. eggs a week...We got 9 chickens. We eat about 3 doz. eggs a week and at their peak they'll each lay about 4-5 eggs per week. So that will give us our 3 doz plus maybe a dozen extra here and there to give away or make some special eggy thing. <br /><br />Our coop and run are pretty much at capacity with 9, I think, so we're going to have to add some younger birds in over the years. A book called City Chicks, which seems a pretty advanced chicken keeping book, pointed out a number of benefits of keeping older hens around. So I think I'd like to eventually have a mix of ages. But some will need to go to the soup pot to make room for younger birds. We are doing this for the eggs, so it doesn't make sense for us to keep feeding them without getting any eggs.<br /><br />I saw a ridiculous kijiji ad a couple weeks ago: giving away 4 laying hens, presumably well past their prime, NOT FOR FOOD. To my mind, that's just passing the buck. I want to be a responsible chicken keeper and face reality.<br /><br />A local farmer is culling some of her older birds and offered stewing hens, so I've ordered a few so I can at least be comfortable with how to cook them.cinnamon gurlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05363288586285868779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961777094841799518.post-88464806539386774562013-10-19T03:20:53.226-04:002013-10-19T03:20:53.226-04:00How many chickens are you getting? Our neighbours ...How many chickens are you getting? Our neighbours have 5 hens in a space about a quarter of the size of your coop. And all they have for a run is re-purposed dog run from Costco. THEY ARE SLACKERS! <br /><br />But it looks good. <br /><br />Now for a personal question: after the hens laying days are over, what are you going to do w/ them? Wrath Of Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12493475195269575941noreply@blogger.com