Chickens (the ones you eat.....not for eggs
Type and General Information
As odd as it may sound, we don’t have a clue what type of chickens we have. We just go down the road early on a Saturday morning to our nearest petrol station where a man is normally waiting with a truck brimming with chickens and hens of various sizes, temperament and a somewhat limited sense of humour. We talk about the price, stick them in a box, if you remember to take a box otherwise they are just unceremoniously dumped into the back of our Fiat Panda where they proceed to shit to Olympic standards. We normally get 6 or 7 at around 2kgs in weight and then fatten them up for eating. We then cull 2 at a time to keep the freezer stocked and then go and get some more. Normally just after K has managed to get the Panda smelling nice again. Just be wary that cocks have talons as you can see from the picture of a blubbering Jarvo who was savaged by a cock, pardon the expression.
Housing
We built a concrete block house on a raised concrete slab with room for up to 8 chickens, it measures 2m by 1m internal dimensions and is 1.8m high on the tallest side. Inside there are two perches about 30cms off the ground which they rarely seem to use so the floor is straw covered for warmth and also for ease of cleaning. We positioned the house to be sheltered from the north wind which also means the building does not need a door. The water is inside to prevent it from freezing. The roof is wood panelled and then covered with tin sheets with sufficient overhang to keep the food dry which hangs outside.
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Area
Having learned from the hens we created 2 areas for the chickens. The house and food are in a covered area which is fenced and then chicken wired to protect them from predators and stop birds from getting in and stealing their food. This first outside area is about the same size as the house and is dry. We have a gate access to this area with a top opening to throw scraps inside to get them to bed at night. The chickens access the second area through a flap which we can raise and lower to either get them outside to clean or inside at night. There are chains dangling over the flap when open to keep out birds. Some chickens are fine with the chains and hurl themselves through quite happily, others close their eyes and attempt to get through as though it’s electrified. They are not the brightest bulbs we can tell you. The second area is open and measures 3m by 2m and is surrounded by a fence1.6m tall. We don’t clip our chickens wings so this height of fence is necessary. There is also a gate access to this area just in case it’s required.
Food and Water
We have a normal chicken water feeder which remains under cover and is refreshes every week. Chickens eat a mixture of mixed grain and corn and chicken pellets which is supplemented with any greens, weeds, grass cuttings and fruit we may have around on a seasonal basis.
Care and Maintenance
We check all our animals at least twice a day. Chickens require little maintenance except regular cleaning and fresh food and water.
Problems
The coop may become infested with mites. You will know because the hens will be irritated and will peck themselves and others and you itch like hell after you’ve been inside the coop. They can be easily removed by spraying the inside of the coop with an animal friendly pesticide called nephorin. You can also put a couple of cloves of garlic in their water.
Plucking
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The first step in prepping a chicken for the freezer is to ensure that you have ready a large pot of very hot, not boiling water. Dunk the recently deceased bird into the boiling water for 30 seconds then you are ready to pluck in a flurry of feathers. We don’t cover the killing and gutting, you will have to look elsewhere for that.
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Bonuses
We love roast chicken and chicken liver pate and believe me, chicken tastes so much better when you know you have looked after them yourselves and you know exactly how they were kept and what they ate.