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[PamsPride]

I stopped by a farm today and asked about a Jersey milker. The Farmer suggested The Farm & Dairy (DUH!) for a milker. I checked it out online and a classmate has 2 year old Jersey milkers for sale AND his step-dad is my mom's cousin!! They live a few miles from my mom's house. I am hoping they can hook me up with milk until I can get a cow. DH originally said it was ok to get a cow and now he is saying no....because we are broke!! So as soon as we get caught up we will be putting in a fence and I will be bringing home a cow! So I am thinking we should be able to get one after our income tax return because that should get us caught up....hopefully. So he is not saying I can't get a cow he just said we need to get the credit card paid off basically....which is mostly medical bills that we had to put on it.

When I looked up the Farm & Dairy info for the cow I saw that they have a local beekeepers meeting around here and the November meeting was TODAY! They are having a party for the Dec meeting so I am going to try and go to the January meeting. John (that built the quilting frame thing) said he would charge me $80 to build a topbar hive but I am trying to talk my DH into building me one. He is not crazy about me getting bees because he does not like getting stung. I told him to just stay away from them! DUH! I am definetly getting bees!

 

[PamsPride]

We called last night and made an appointment for the BJG's to see a camp counselor on Thursday. So, they will be heading off to freezer camp Thursday afternoon! I counted around 22 BJG's while they were running around in the pen the other day and I am still only getting one egg a day...on a good day!
I still have 30 mutt egg laying chickens in my other coop...so I will be down to those 30, 2 turkeys, and one duck after Thursday.
The BJG's are beautiful birds but I am sick of feeding them and not getting any eggs in return!

 

[lorihadams]

I don't blame you for butchering them. If they aren't producing then why not? I hope you have lots of freezer space, though! Those are some mighty BIG chickens

 

[Dace]

Camp counselor....

So do you crate them up and let someone else to all the dirty work? That is where I struggle. I think I would have no problem cleaning a dead bird, it is the killing part that I am too weak for....at least at this point.

 

[PamsPride]

It is $2.25 per bird for a counseling session! LOL!!
I just put them in dog cages...one is ours and my mom let's us use hers. I put a tarp down on the floor and load them up into the van. I can fit about 10 birds comfortably per cage.
I think I should make it a SS goal for next year to do our own birds....but the place is only 45 minutes away and I think the price is reasonable. I figure we are going to spend that much money if we feed them for another month!

 

[TanksHill]

Is it the breed of bird are they just not good layers??? I wish I had someone around here to butcher my hens. I would raise some broilers in a flash. So how big do you thing those birds will be after processing???

gina

 

[PamsPride]

BJG's are the largest chicken breed that are meant to be a dual purpose bird....meat and layer. They are slow growing and are supposed to compare to a turkey. I just find them to be slow growing and monster eaters! They are very calm and pleasant birds as well as beautiful!

 

[PamsPride]

I updated my blog with pictures of the kids out in the chicken pen if you want to check them out!
http://pamspride.blogspot.com/2009/11/playing-in-chicken-pen.html

 

[TanksHill]

Baby girl sure is getting big!! those are great looking coops, birds and kiddo's you have. thanks for sharing.

gina

 

[pioneergirl]

Beautiful kids! Looks like they are having a great time...and what a sweet baby!