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I have five chickens; I'm very happy with them. My four hens laid four eggs in the last twenty-four hours. They'll do just as well, I hope, for the next four or five months. They eat vegetarian feed augmented by insects and similar creatures. The eggs are delicious. I know how to preserve eggs without refrigeration. Last winter I didn't have one spoiled egg. Eggs are a near perfect food. Chickens make very pleasant companions. I've taken care of fencing to the point that I have never lost a chicken or any other pet to a predator. I grow tomatoes and herbs year around and have done so for years. The eggs and the vegetables certainly contribute to a pleasant diet. However, I would never feel safe with just these even with the addition of fresh fish.
Survival foods must offer long term storage options. This requires large monocrop farms for wheat and other grains along with vegetables that have been professionally dehydrated or freeze-dried. I have a good supply of these foods, enough to last out any conceivable problem disrupting the agricultural supply. The high latitude plains form the graineries of the world. The summers are short, but the days are very long. The soil is rich. I can grow hay in Wyoming, but wheat would be a poor candidate.
My chickens, my herbs, and my tomatoes contribute to the good life, but they could never support a household. I'll leave the grain expertise to Monsanto and professional growers.
"Backyard Chickens" is one of the new rages sweeping the country, and it would be even bigger if people knew how easy the birds are to keep and how good the eggs taste.
They take up little room, can be fed for "chickenfeed," let themselves back in their coop at nite and will consistently give you 2 great eggs every 3-4 days each. People here in the BigCity pay me $4/dz (and would pay more if I were greedy). Until you've eaten a free-range egg, you don't know how an egg is supposed to taste.
I've had a flock as large as 20 (buff Orfs, Plymouth Rock, my favorite Ameraucana, etc) They free range, being self confined to my fenced back yard --100' x 140', half of which is bare-ground horse paddock. The barn cats and Australian shepherds ignore them. While we have plenty of hawks patrolling overhead, the hens are pretty smart and stay under bushes and out of clear lawn and I've only lost a couple in seven yrs to hawks. Raccoons, however, are another story: never forget to lock the coop at nite unless you need feathers for a new pillow.
I feed a couple fist fulls of oats and oil seeds each day, occasionally stale bread and never buy "layer feed." They forage for bugs, worms and have even seen them kill a garter snake. They take care of themselves.
We have 30 now. Plymouth Rocks, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, and game hens for broodies. We lost 2 of the large fowl recently, to old age I guess. Well, the roo was just over 3 yrs, and the hen, was just over 2.
I have at this point, 3 roosters. 3 teens. The teens might have to be invited to supper.
We eat chicken eggs, and a few duck eggs, but by and large, our turkey, goose and duck eggs are sold to Asian markets, where they find ready buyers. We don't always have a full dozen, and they take whatever we have - 5, 11, whatever - and crate them up with other growers' eggs. The Asians like them as fresh as possible, rather than by the dozen. So we often sell by the egg!
We eat chicken eggs, and a few duck eggs, but by and large, our turkey, goose and duck eggs are sold to Asian markets, where they find ready buyers. We don't always have a full dozen, and they take whatever we have - 5, 11, whatever - and crate them up with other growers' eggs. The Asians like them as fresh as possible, rather than by the dozen. So we often sell by the egg!
What do you mean by "Asian market?"-- neighbors? Chinese restaurants (who, BTW, have given new meaning to the term "wok the dog." )? Or are you putting them in containers and shipping them to China?
What do you mean by "Asian market?"-- neighbors? Chinese restaurants (who, BTW, have given new meaning to the term "wok the dog." )? Or are you putting them in containers and shipping them to China?
None of the above.
There are small markets, usually in metro areas with an Asian population, that cater to these people. They sell foods not found in supermarkets, and other items used for cooking, for instance. I have found the least expensive place to purchase single-burner butane stoves (which can be used safely indoors), is these markets. The Asians use those butane stoves frequently, esp under woks.
We were introduced to the Asian markets after selling chickens to a chain of Asian restaurants. My son-in-law is a restaurant salesman, and was asked if he could get them the larger eggs. Once our birds began laying, we provided the eggs to the markets, which have a hard time getting such large eggs.
One reason we are trying to raise pork this year is to price out the feeding and processing costs, to see if it will be a profitable venture. The Asian markets have been asking my SIL if he can provide them with pork. We will raise too few pigs this year (only 4) to sell, but that will be enough to tell me what I need to know.
Wekk, it's another springtime, and John Suscovich of Farm Marketing Solutions is showing us how he sets up his brooders for this year's batch of broilers! Interesting stuff!
There are small markets, usually in metro areas with an Asian population, that cater to these people.
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Sorry for the late response-- I lost sight of this thread.
That brings up a more general problem for those who eschew urban living for a more rural, self-sufficient, "homesteading" lifestyle, thinking they can do small scale farming for some income: they need access to markets which may not be conveniently located for them. Their new neighbors, after all, are probably growing their own too and it's a long drive onto town.
That brings up a more general problem for those who eschew urban living for a more rural, self-sufficient, "homesteading" lifestyle, thinking they can do small scale farming for some income: they need access to markets which may not be conveniently located for them. Their new neighbors, after all, are probably growing their own too and it's a long drive onto town.
Agreed.
In our case, I was amazed at how many rural folks do not garden, or even keep an egg hen! They don't even shop at farmers' markets! They are totally dependent upon the local grocery chains...and often work there for income (low). Many are not well-educated, and live in near-poverty.
I don't depend on my rudimentary farming activities for income. It barely pays its way. I have independent retirement income that is over and beyond my simple needs. But I do like to provide my own food, and some for my family. Whatever income the excess brings in, just offsets our livestock costs.
Plus, it gives me something to do, as I am a very active person and don't like to sit around!
But I do like to provide my own food, and some for my family. Whatever income the excess brings in, just offsets our livestock costs.
Plus, it gives me something to do, as I am a very active person and don't like to sit around!
Great minds think alike. That's exactly my attitude also.
Organic food isn't really any better than store-bought food. Growing your own doesn't help your physical health any (except for the exercise), but doing so iimproves your mental health.
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)? Or are you putting them in containers and shipping them to China?
They are totally dependent upon the local grocery chains...and often work there for income (low). Many are not well-educated, and live in near-poverty.
