BCChickens1

BCChickens1
Photo credit: Tracy Halladay

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Checkups for your Chickens

I just spent a couple weeks at two different youth camps.  It was a great way to enjoy the summer.  I did miss  my hens though while I was gone.  I got so desperate, I found myself trying to lure seagulls to eat from my hand while at the beach at Bear Lake.  One brave bird would fly by me and I would toss a piece of bread in the air and he would grab it.  That was fun.


I just read a great article with photos titled "9 Point Comb to Toe Checkup and DIY Antiseptic Ointment" on how to monitor the health of your chickens.


The article outlines 9 things to look for when analyzing their health.  You can find it at the following websitehttp://communitychickens.blogspot.com/2012/07/9-point-comb-to-toe-chicken-check-up.html#.UA_-PKOO4_g

It has lots of good information!

Friday, July 6, 2012

National Fried Chicken Day is on Friday, July 6, 2012.

Today is National Fried Chicken Day!

My original intent on raising chickens was to raise them for about a year and slaughter and start over.  I wanted a cycle of eggs and meat and wanted the experience of providing a small portion of my own food from beginning to end (aside from my garden).  Well, needless to say, as soon as my family saw the hens, they became pets and were removed from the menu.  I wasn't too disappointed, I had pet chickens as a kid and found them to be a very rewarding pet. 
Sam, came and took a nap watching me fix a sprinkler.
Wheezy came and sat on my lap while working on sprinklers.
  

Despite my love for chickens and admiration for their beauty, entertainment value and companionship, I have no hesitation in consuming fried chicken.  I've commented to my wife before that if I ever lost self control, I could end up being the guy they found with a KFC bucket in his lap dead from over consumption of fried chicken.  It is not just KFC that would do it.  I enjoy fried chicken from almost any source!

Not my chicken coop, but I have always loved this design!

So, here we are in July, a perfect time to have a plate of the best potato salad ever (my wife's ...just ask anyone who has eaten it!) with some crispy, juicy pieces of fried chicken.  I eat it mine in the back yard to remind my hens who's in charge. :)