Fresh or frozen broiler chickens. These are pasture-raised Cornish Cross birds. Their diets are supplemented with fermented feeds, organic layer pellets, and calcium. They weigh in after processing at 4.5-6 lbs.
Under 5 lbs $12.00
5lbs and up $15.00
Our next batch of processed birds is available for pick up . Bent Pine Farm Please order ahead. (727) 481-2012
Visit the Whimsical Chicken Poultry & Eggs Emporium @ Bent Pine Farm
Happy Homesteading,
T.
Momma Hen emerged from her carefully constructed nest under the tarps in the pole barn today. She once again brings out into the light a flock of baby chicks. Mostly they are Indian Jungle Fowl like her, but this time there is one Easter Egger. Now how did that baby get mixed in? Well, nevermind. She will love them all just the same. Welcome back, Momma Hen!
Red Indian Jungle Fowl are the original chicken breed, and Momma Hen takes her job of raising chicks very seriously. Just like her human counterpart, she encourages the chicks to venture out away from her, but provides a safe haven when they are frightened and run back to hide under her fluffy skirt.
She takes them a little further away from the nest each day, returning several times to nap as they grow. She shows them how to scratch for bugs and seeds and how to stay camouflaged in the bushes when the geese spot hawks in the air. She keeps them just long enough for them to learn what they need to know, and then sends them off on their own at just the right time. Sound familiar?
We see patterns in nature that mirror our own behaviors in the community. It’s important to recognize those patterns and not let our busy lives disrupt them. We have lost a lot of the ideas that our ancestors used to guide their lives. Our families have been torn apart and we care more about creature comforts than building character in our children. We care more about convenience than helping our children develop the skills they need to thrive.
Let’s stay put on the homestead and build the memories that our kids need to realize what’s important and what needs to be done. Maybe that’s what this pandemic is all about.
Happy Homesteading,
T.
The best way to keep rats away is to not feed them! For most of the livestock, put out just enough fermented grain that they can clean their plates in 10 or 15 minutes. The rest of the day should be free-range pasture and foraging.
Meat birds, on the other hand (we raise Cornish Cross), need to be on continuous feed in order to maximize weight gain in 8 weeks. Still, even though they have the access to high protein feed during the day, when the rats come out, the feeders are empty.
To rid yourself of existing rats try traps, or better yet a “mouser” cat for your barnyard. Our resident nocturnal rodent hunter is “Princess Kitty Brown”. Princess is 16 and all the animals look up to her…well, down actually, since she is very small. She has survived a run-in with a bobcat, right here in the backyard. And while she is fiercely protective of the feed supplies against rats, she is secretly afraid of the chickens!
In summary…keep your grain larder and henyard neat and clean, employ a rodent-hunter, and if all else fails … try the “p” word.
Happy Homesteading,
T.
