Homegrown Food

[iflylow74]

Just wondering if any of you guys have considered any type of livestock for emergencies. My family and I on a whim bought 6 chickens about 2 years or so ago. Since then, I've been amazed at how much food they produce for so little effort. Im very glad I've gotten into raising poultry because in a SHTF situation, my little flock alone could keep my family of 3 fed for a minimum of 1-2 weeks. Oh and of those 6 original chickens (1 rooster and 5 hens), 2 hens died but the remaining hens have produced about 30+ chickens of which we slaughter 1-2 every few weeks as needed. Thats on top of about 1-2 dozen eggs we get per week. If you have any room at all, I highly recommend getting a few "yard birds". All you need is the most basic of shelters, just something to keep the weather out. As for feed, at the most mine will eat a 50lb back of corn chops a month in the winter (no bugs or grass available) and about half that much in the warmer months. Never hurts to be prepared!!!

[mos19k]

When my wife and I move we're planning on having about 15 Rhode Island Reds, some goats and Angora rabbits. I've raised chickens and rabbits before but don't have any experience with goats. I'd like to plant enough to supplement our groceries as much as possible. The more self reliant one can be the better equipped we are to handle any adversity.

[damage855]

We have a few, we keep the yard bird numbers around 15 or so. and just 2 roosters any more wil drive you nuts one rooster is enough but you never know when he might die. but i agree a good source of protien from meat and the eggs are a whole lot cheaper than the supermarkets.

[ArkansasHunter]

Yall are talking about something I dream of !!! When i was a kid I always had chickens.
My parents lived in the City and the neighbors never complained about them.
The chickens roamed free in the neighborhood too.
They would lay eggs and hatch them and we would find people to take the baby chicks.
iflylow74 We had a farmer that kept our hourse's give me a baby chick that was a game Chicken the kind that fight, though I didn't fight them and when the chick grew up it was the brightest white game hen you ever saw.
So I did some work on the mans farm and my pay was a rooster of my choice so i choose a white bronze back Rooster around the same age of my hen.
Not long after I got the rooster Irv hatched 14 biddies. I didn't know Irv was a hen when I named her.
These 2 game chickens put fear in Cats and Dogs because of the spurs thay had and for several years they lived a life of ease.
I was told one day when they were missing that Irv was on her nest and a pack of Dogs got after her, she was old.
Well the neighbor said the Rooster lit into the dogs to protect her and she got away but the rooster fought and lost.
Irv lived on for 2 more years and we assume she was on an nonfertil nest and something got her.
I found some feathers.
She didn't deserve to die that way because of the joy she brought to all us kids, but in life there's no gaurantees.
It's made me sad typeing this but I have spot in me to raise some chickens some day.
A.H I don't yall laughing at this.

[iflylow74]

Originally Posted by mos19k

When my wife and I move we're planning on having about 15 Rhode Island Reds, some goats and Angora rabbits. I've raised chickens and rabbits before but don't have any experience with goats. I'd like to plant enough to supplement our groceries as much as possible. The more self reliant one can be the better equipped we are to handle any adversity.

We actually have 2 goats now. At one time, we had as many as 8 but it was too many for our fence. Im now in the process of fencing a larger area for more goats. Goats are pretty easy to raise. The only thing I dont like is the need to trim their hooves. The pen where the goats are is pretty soft dirt. I've been told that if the ground is rocky or sandy, that their hooves will wear down naturally. Also, some goats hooves need more trimming than others. We love having our goats, our favorite one is a doe my son named "Gabby" because she likes to yell. She never in 3 years needed her hoove trimmed until she was pregnant. I guess it was the hormones or something. We've had her about 4 years and she probably weighs in around 200lbs. Our goats are a meat variety called Boer. As for the meat, my neighbor slaughtered one and it tastes, and has a texture much like pork. It makes excellent BBQ!

P.S. Theres a book called Raising Meat Goats for Profit. I highly recommend it. It has everything you need to take care of your goats.

[mym1a]

have thought about it quite often and continue to grow a garden. don't have a whole lot of space but I could raise some rabbits

[mos19k]

Originally Posted by iflylow74

Our goats are a meat variety called Boer. As for the meat, my neighbor slaughtered one and it tastes, and has a texture much like pork. It makes excellent BBQ!

I'm looking into the American Cashmere, I like animals that can provide multiple resources. With the Cashmere, I get milk, meat and an excellent source of clothing material. This is the same reason I prefer the Angora Rabbit, good hair fiber and meat source. For chickens I've always liked the Rhode Island Red. When I lived on the farm my dad raised game cocks, mostly for resale in Puerto Rico, hard to believe he got $150 per rooster. We had Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks that were excellent egg layers. Another bird I really miss having around are Guinea Hens, taste better than chicken and are great has alarm birds.

You mentioned bbqing goat, man does that bring back memories. I'm Cuban, every December 24th we celebrate "Noche Buena", the Good Night. Normally we would roast a few pigs but every now and then we'd get a goat also. I prefer it to pork, I think it's a taste somewhere between lamb and pork. Thanks for bringing that memory back, now I'm hungry!

[mym1a]

if i had the room I would probably get a goat or 2 rabbits and chickens maybe one calf.

[iflylow74]

Originally Posted by mos19k

...
You mentioned bbqing goat, man does that bring back memories. I'm Cuban, every December 24th we celebrate "Noche Buena", the Good Night. Normally we would roast a few pigs but every now and then we'd get a goat also. I prefer it to pork, I think it's a taste somewhere between lamb and pork. Thanks for bringing that memory back, now I'm hungry!

Ive only had BBQ goat once and my neighbor smoked it. I remember it being very good!! Most goat ranchers I have spoken with say that their biggest customers are hispanics that live in the area.

Speaking of Rhode Island Reds, I plan on ordering some from McMurray Hatchery this spring. They sound like they make great dual purpose chickens. I may also get some Buff Orpingtons, and maybe some Cornish X Rocks for meat.

[mos19k]

Originally Posted by iflylow74

Ive only had BBQ goat once and my neighbor smoked it. I remember it being very good!! Most goat ranchers I have spoken with say that their biggest customers are hispanics that live in the area.

Speaking of Rhode Island Reds, I plan on ordering some from McMurray Hatchery this spring. They sound like they make great dual purpose chickens. I may also get some Buff Orpingtons, and maybe some Cornish X Rocks for meat.

I've never had the Buff Orpingtons but everything I've heard about them makes them seem like a great breed. They are good egg layers, make good roasters and are very hardy. If you get a chance to try some Guinea Hen you'll love it, especially in a fricassee.

Here's a site that folks on the other forum I go to say is very good for buying birds. It looks very good. Be advised the site has sound.

Chicken Hatchery Poultry Hatchery Cackle Hatchery Chick Hatchery Egg Hatchery

[Idaho Dave]

almost all of our food is home grown, harvested from the wild or traded for right now anyway. we dont have to do it just like living like this. we have chickens for eggs, beef cows, 4 apple trees, two cherry trees and about a 1 acre garden every year. trade half a cow every fall for a pig with the neighbors. We didnt buy any meat this winter at all having killed 2 deer and an elk this fall and having our half a cow and pig. not too worried about food as the majority of occupants in our county are beef cows anyway (with only about 2000 people) and we have open range. if I were in real trouble i could always go rustling, or just hunting. but i doubt i'll ever be hungry enough to eat a goat or sheep for that matter.

[iflylow74]

Originally Posted by Idaho Dave

almost all of our food is home grown, harvested from the wild or traded for right now anyway. we dont have to do it just like living like this. we have chickens for eggs, beef cows, 4 apple trees, two cherry trees and about a 1 acre garden every year. trade half a cow every fall for a pig with the neighbors. We didnt buy any meat this winter at all having killed 2 deer and an elk this fall and having our half a cow and pig. not too worried about food as the majority of occupants in our county are beef cows anyway (with only about 2000 people) and we have open range. if I were in real trouble i could always go rustling, or just hunting. but i doubt i'll ever be hungry enough to eat a goat or sheep for that matter.

Sounds like an awsome life!! I bet its beautifull up there. I felt the same way about goat until I tried it. It really does make excellant BBQ.

[ArkansasHunter]

Iflylow74 I just received a new catolog from McMurry 3 weeks ago and that would be a great place to buy quality chickens There Rhode Island Reds are the best to be found.

Most feed stores sales ducks and chicken and turkeys around here.
A.H

[iflylow74]

Originally Posted by mos19k

I've never had the Buff Orpingtons but everything I've heard about them makes them seem like a great breed. They are good egg layers, make good roasters and are very hardy. If you get a chance to try some Guinea Hen you'll love it, especially in a fricassee.
Here's a site that folks on the other forum I go to say is very good for buying birds. It looks very good. Be advised the site has sound.
Chicken Hatchery Poultry Hatchery Cackle Hatchery Chick Hatchery Egg Hatchery

Thanks for the link. I need to try Guinea sometime. Its better than chicken?

[Big Tool]

Since i was a kid my mom has always had chickens and ducks. We usually got them from the local feed stores, but i have noticed something odd. None of our hens have ever hatched a chicken. I don't know why, but we have had sever batches of chickens from different stock, with different roosters and nothing has ever been hatched. They did lay a ton of eggs. Maybe they were just egg laying hens or something.

We did have a mallard duck that hatched out a bunch of ducklings, and her ducklings were hatching more ducklings in no time. We suddenly went from 4 ducks to 30. Then we went on a trip Mexico and when we came back nearly all had been eaten my a stray dog.

[mym1a]

Originally Posted by iflylow74

Ive only had BBQ goat once and my neighbor smoked it. I remember it being very good!! Most goat ranchers I have spoken with say that their biggest customers are hispanics that live in the area.

Speaking of Rhode Island Reds, I plan on ordering some from McMurray Hatchery this spring. They sound like they make great dual purpose chickens. I may also get some Buff Orpingtons, and maybe some Cornish X Rocks for meat.

goat is big in the italian culture to especialy during easter and christmas

[Palladin8]

My first experience with Goat was while I was in the Army. I was deployed to Bosnia and since there are alot of Muslims there not many pigs could be found. When we would go out on the economy there would always be someone roasting a goat and offering us some. I tried it and was surprised at how good it tasted. Ofcourse I still prefer lamb shank in a nice cabernet sauce though.

Scott

[iflylow74]

Originally Posted by Big Tool

... None of our hens have ever hatched a chicken. I don't know why, but we have had sever batches of chickens from different stock, with different roosters and nothing has ever been hatched. They did lay a ton of eggs. Maybe they were just egg laying hens or something.
......

Yeah I know what you mean. I guess some chickens naturally have better maternal instincts than others. Of all the chickens Iv had over the years (~50), Ive only had 3 or so hens who would actually set and raise a clutch of chicks.

[lukilao]

okay, about being self sufficient, would you suggest, when marshall law is imposed, hooking up with other people that had the same views as you? i wouldn't want it turning into situations where there's always the egotistical leader who feels he can manipulate people and use his muscle to runs things. I think if each family had their own set of food for let's say 3 years and guns, and helped other people out, it would less stressful since we could offer protection for the other families. I hope I make sense.

[iflylow74]

Originally Posted by lukilao

okay, about being self sufficient, would you suggest, when marshall law is imposed, hooking up with other people that had the same views as you? i wouldn't want it turning into situations where there's always the egotistical leader who feels he can manipulate people and use his muscle to runs things. I think if each family had their own set of food for let's say 3 years and guns, and helped other people out, it would less stressful since we could offer protection for the other families. I hope I make sense.

Yeah I think working with other like minded people would be mutually beneficial. For instance, I could trade eggs and chicken with someone who had a lot of garden produce but not much else.