Hi there. (SunnyD has a farm thread)

[SunnyD]

Need to add a couple roosters in the chicken coop to add a bit of excitement in there.

We had roosters when we first started. Broke my heart too. This is Pidge as a juvenile. He was by far one of the most beautiful birds in our flock. Unfortunately he and the two silkies we had were all roos, and the injuries to the girls started happening. More than that, once he started going after my wife and kids he had to find a new home. Mind you I don't take much shit, and he and I had an understanding until one day that he decided to break it. He ended up finding a new home.

Definitely the way to go. Hens are nice to have around but roosters are just a pain in the ass.

Apparently not all roos are bad. And to be fair, they're just doing their jobs. But seriously - don't attack the hands that feed you. Boys are dumb.

 

[bbhaag]

We had roosters when we first started. Broke my heart too. This is Pidge as a juvenile. He was by far one of the most beautiful birds in our flock. Unfortunately he and the two silkies we had were all roos, and the injuries to the girls started happening. More than that, once he started going after my wife and kids he had to find a new home. Mind you I don't take much shit, and he and I had an understanding until one day that he decided to break it. He ended up finding a new home.

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Apparently not all roos are bad. And to be fair, they're just doing their jobs. But seriously - don't attack the hands that feed you. Boys are dumb.

Oh yeah I totally understand. I'm sure he went to a nice farm were he had lots of room to run and play and just be himself....wink wink

 

[DAPUNISHER]

This is my favorite thread on ATOT. I needed the smiles, so thanks.

 

[Leymenaide]

Pre-Covid, they were usually a 6 month lead time, but now its over a year to get a slot. Some of the processors are booked over 2 years out though. I'm stuck feeding 2 steers right now that I had hoped to have in the freezer already, but with the pandemic everyone is hitting the small processors.

I really hate being so old school and I have always hated paying people to cut my steak. If you have a tractor with a bucket that can lift it up you can skin and saws-all pretty fast. I have a local hunting club with a nice band saw to cut steaks.
I never really understood rich people. Always found it hard to talk to somebody that has not milked cows for that matter.

 

[Leymenaide]

Need to add a couple roosters in the chicken coop to add a bit of excitement in there.

Around here the local chicken club has monthly meeting and somebody always has a rooster to give to a good home. They get people in trouble. My 12 quart stock pot is always grateful.

 

[SunnyD]

Oh yeah I totally understand. I'm sure he went to a nice farm were he had lots of room to run and play and just be himself....wink wink

Actually he did go to a farm with a smaller flock where he was the only roo. We didn't want to take drastic action with him because he really did have a sweet demeanor. He was just doing his job. Can't fault him for that. He just needed to be in a better situation.

This is my favorite thread on ATOT. I needed the smiles, so thanks.

Yup. There's more to it than just the daily grind. 20 years of software development and nothing "real" to show for it. It's a horrible retirement plan, but at least at the end of the day I see where my effort goes.

I really hate being so old school and I have always hated paying people to cut my steak. If you have a tractor with a bucket that can lift it up you can skin and saws-all pretty fast. I have a local hunting club with a nice band saw to cut steaks.
I never really understood rich people. Always found it hard to talk to somebody that has not milked cows for that matter.

With the pigs we'll have more to process than we can handle ourselves. That and my wife wants no part of processing animals, even when we get to doing meatbirds. But with the bigger animals it's not something I'm confident with in my skills, and having a certified processor makes it way easier to sell off goods too.

Around here the local chicken club has monthly meeting and somebody always has a rooster to give to a good home. They get people in trouble. My 12 quart stock pot is always grateful.

I'm in a few local facebook groups. 90% of the chickens available are roos for obvious reasons.

 

[Fritzo]

Not a callout thread... since @DrPizza isn't around anymore, I figured I'd take up the mantle of goat keeper.

Say hi to Wilbur.
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Not baaaaaaaaaa-d.

 

[waffleironhead]

Yowza! I didn't know they were hitting 2 years now. I heard 1 year plus. Thankfully I don't have to worry about it right yet. What type of cattle are you raising?

Yeah, it was a surprise for me too.
I have a local organic dairy that raises Fleckvieh cattle, a good dual purpose breed. I get Bull calves and bottle feed them to weaning, then grass feed them to butcher weight. They get do get a calf starter grain during weaning, and then maybe a 1lb a day to get them to come up to the gate for a life check.

 

[Leymenaide]

Actually he did go to a farm with a smaller flock where he was the only roo. We didn't want to take drastic action with him because he really did have a sweet demeanor. He was just doing his job. Can't fault him for that. He just needed to be in a better situation.



Yup. There's more to it than just the daily grind. 20 years of software development and nothing "real" to show for it. It's a horrible retirement plan, but at least at the end of the day I see where my effort goes.



With the pigs we'll have more to process than we can handle ourselves. That and my wife wants no part of processing animals, even when we get to doing meatbirds. But with the bigger animals it's not something I'm confident with in my skills, and having a certified processor makes it way easier to sell off goods too.



I'm in a few local facebook groups. 90% of the chickens available are roos for obvious reasons.

Did not realize you were selling commercially. You need someone certified. I have friends that have to send their beef from Central Mass. to Maine for processing.

My local pork processor does a couple hundred deer at 125.00 a pop. I could never let somebody else cut up my deer.

I used to sell produce to my village grocery store. They had great produce and cut steaks for local restaurants. I asked advice once as to the best way to handle deer. He showed me a boning knife and said I have been looking at the rest all my life at the store. He ordered me a knife from is supplier and I still love and use it. $8.00

I sold him baby spinach harvested with a scythe and brussels sprouts on the hoof. They were big items for me.

 

[SunnyD]

Time for some breakfast.

 

[brianmanahan]

Time for some breakfast.

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eggs served with eggs, and a side of eggs

 

[sdifox]

Time for some breakfast.

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Is that raw pork?

 

[ponyo]

Time for some breakfast.

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That's good looking firm yolk. Something most cheap supermarket eggs lack. I buy Trader Joe's pasture raised eggs. $4 for dozen everyday. That's the best egg deal I've found for quality eggs.

 

[SunnyD]

Is that raw pork?

It was, then I cooked it. You know when you've played too much Stardew Valley and refer to this as "Complete Breakfast":

That's good looking firm yolk. Something most cheap supermarket eggs lack. I buy Trader Joe's pasture raised eggs. $4 for dozen everyday. That's the best egg deal I've found for quality eggs.

Aye. Something people don't realize until they have real farm raised eggs for the first time.

This last year we charged $4.50/dozen. And we delivered. This year the price is going up.

 

[ponyo]

It was, then I cooked it. You know when you've played too much Stardew Valley and refer to this as "Complete Breakfast":

View attachment 38180



Aye. Something people don't realize until they have real farm raised eggs for the first time.

This last year we charged $4.50/dozen. And we delivered. This year the price is going up.

Yes, that's why I'm big fan of traveling. I still remember the wonderful breakfast fried eggs I had in Budapest, Hungary, and Cartagena and Bogota, Colombia. Other places had great eggs too but the eggs I had in Hungary and Colombia really stand out in my mind.

 

[SunnyD]

Ow man am I sore today. Spent most of the day prepping holes for fence posts to split the pasture for Elvis and digging holes to get my grape and kiwi vines in the ground. Ironically, after only a week Belle decided she was in the mood, so she gets to spend the month in the "passion pen" with Elvis, who was extremely happy to have a fuck buddy.

Then I ran out of daylight. Oh well. Break out the portable work light and keep on digging. Muscat grapes and Issai Hardy Kiwis finally made it in the ground.

 

[zinfamous]

Just picked this guy up today. His sole purpose in life is to get it on. He goes by the name Elvis.

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[SunnyD]

Finally finished fencing in what I call the bull pen. Elvis and the gals have moved in and it's time for some goatse...

...x.

Aiming for some June babby.

 

[sdifox]

Finally finished fencing in what I call the bull pen. Elvis and the gals have moved in and it's time for some goatse...

...x.

Aiming for some June babby.
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A bull would not notice that while walking through it xd

 

[SunnyD]

A bull would not notice that while walking through it xd

This is true. He would notice the hot wire (that we haven't put up yet) though.

 

[bbhaag]

Finally finished fencing in what I call the bull pen. Elvis and the gals have moved in and it's time for some goatse...

...x.

Aiming for some June babby.
View attachment 39120

Looks good man. I'm thinking about doing something similar around a part of our property. Just out of curiosity where did you get the fencing from? I see the red TSC bucket is that where it came from?

 

[sdifox]

Looks good man. I'm thinking about doing something similar around a part of our property. Just out of curiosity where did you get the fencing from? I see the red TSC bucket is that where it came from?

eh? home depot has that. It's like concrete pour flooring grid rebar.

 

[zinfamous]

Finally finished fencing in what I call the bull pen. Elvis and the gals have moved in and it's time for some goatse...

...x.

Aiming for some June babby.
View attachment 39120

are coyotes a problem for goats? you gonna put a Pyrenees out there or something?

 

[SunnyD]

Looks good man. I'm thinking about doing something similar around a part of our property. Just out of curiosity where did you get the fencing from? I see the red TSC bucket is that where it came from?

Redbrand 47" field fence from tractor supply. I went with the 47" stuff over the 39" mostly because goats are escape artists. It's about $160 for a 330' roll here.

Up front I put up sheep fence - which is 48" with 4x4 grid opening. I'd have put this everywhere except it's about $100 more per roll. I've already spent close to $5000 on fencing over the last couple years, and I'm still not done! For the time being it's only up around the orchard to provide some better protection for the birds - and the birds can't get through it like they can the field fence.

are coyotes a problem for goats? you gonna put a Pyrenees out there or something?

We haven't had any problems yet but we do have coyotes around. Not sure if it's just one or two packs, but they're around. Up until recently the goats would get put up in a 6 foot chain link pen at night for their protection. They're all adults now so they're turned out full time.

Eventually we will be getting an LGD once we have time to properly train it. Right now my attention is rehabbing this rescue and getting her through heartworm treatment in one piece.

 

[herm0016]

nice farm. we have 15 chicks coming in about a month as well. our Roo is named Gorden Ramsey and is pretty good but needs more hens to spread the love around. He does like to rush me, but gets booted like a football and settles down. he does protect the flock, we are planning on seeing if we can get one of our girls to raise a few chicks.

you need a compact tractor with a loader. I have a Allis Chalmers 5020 with a loader. its old, but been totally worth the 6500 I gave for it.
we have Henry, an 120 lb Anatolian / pyre mix to protect the flock, mostly from the local hawk and eagle air force. they got one chicken last year, but have been chased off the rest of the time, Henry will run to where they are swooping and try to grab them right out of the air. we also have fox and coyotes.

on fencing, you find the 4 in is fine for chickens? I have been using 2x4 no climb horse fence, the outside of our property is totally enclosed by 5 foot 2x4 woven and 6 in posts every 8 feet. I have welded 2x4 for the garden, chicken run and chicken wire on top of the chicken run, chicken wire on the bottom 2 feet of the tube gates. TSC is a good source, or you may have other local farm supply stores, we have JAX and Murdoch's if TSC does not have something. Depot seems to be carrying more fencing now as well.

chickens get to till and fertilize the whole garden during the winter. meat rabbits incoming this spring as well. something you should look into, very cheap to feed, very sustainable and you can apply the waste directly to the garden or pasture.

the goats look like a lot of fun. are you doing dairy from them? meat?

it would be fun to do some tours in the spring of those of us with some livestock/ gardens. @bbhaag