At the weekend we dispatched the Blackrock, one of our original four and part of the geriatric gang.
We have decided all four will be replaced in the next few weeks with 3 of the Welsummer pullets, who are now 18 weeks old and close to POL. Although in a way it seems disloyal to the gentleman we bought them from, we don't have the room to keep unproductive stock. They laid sporadically this season and have just started to moult and I would be very surprised if they came back into lay again. The decision to cull the Blackrock was made easier by the fact that she was unwell. Since having her she has always had a respiratory problem and the time between bouts was getting less each time and we are heading towards winter. It won't be so 'easy' with the Light Sussex.
Both the Welsummer and Light Sussex cockerels have found their voices and spend the day competing against each other. As neither have quite got the hang of crowing yet, I think, for now, they are more comical than annoying to the neighbours.
We are still unsure if one of the Speckled Sussex is a cockerel, if it is it is not very far advanced. I have a dozen eggs for a tray bake riding on the fact that it is a cockerel. I have a feeling I may loose this bet!
Yesterday I let the Dorking and her two 5 week old chicks out amongst the other hens. As there are only the two it seemed the easiest option. They have been accepted extremely well, although the mother hen is still very protective and keeps her distance from the rest.
Trying to take any photos has been proving difficult.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
As mentioned in a previous post the turkey poults are now out during the day. It is lovely to see them enjoying their life and their freedom. If you ever get a chance to keep turkeys do, they are the best !!
Finally the geese ...for now peace reigns. Breeding season is over and they are just coming out of moult and looking quite fine. All will change in a couple of months time and the ganders will take on a completely different personality.
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3 comments:
did you prep the bird for the pot, or discard her as she is unwell?
I'm considering necking some of our older and not very productive girls too..
We discarded her as she was unwell. Not sure about the others, to be honest I don't think they will be worth the effort either... 5/6 years old and quite scrawny. Which is why it is making it quite hard justifying culling them. Rearing to eat or culling because they are unwell is one thing just dispatching seems ...I don't know.
yeh i know what you mean.
We'll prolly eat the ones we cull (apart from if they are ill), just to sort of justify it. lot of hassle for not much though.
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