Selling My Chickens
Recently, we had a boy contact me (through his mother) asking if we had any chickens to sell.
As it happens, I wanted to sell my black Australorps. I invited them over and showed them the birds. A mutual friend had encouraged him to contact me, but I didn't want him to feel obligated to buy my birds.
It turns out he's in 4-H. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it's a youth organization that strives to teach kids through doing. It's most commonly practiced in rural areas.
Had 4-H been offered in the inner city of Chicago back when I was a kid, I would've been all over it in a heartbeat. Alas, I too learned by doing, but for the most part it was trial and error. A lot of error. LOL.
We were glad to help this kid anyway we could because we appreciate children wanting to get hands-on experience in something other than texting and Instagram. His mother insisted that he also buy our 'chicken tractor', a movable pen so chickens can pasture in safety.
Greg built ours.
We don't use it anymore because frankly, we're too lazy to move it around the pasture. When the garden is through for the year, we usually let the chickens roam free. They're good about returning home every night. In five years, we've only lost two birds. One to a coyote and another to a car.
I was surprised they wanted the chicken tractor since he's already building a coop, but they have the acreage for a movable pen so it'll work well for them. Besides, he's young and won't grouse about hauling it around the way we do. Ha!
We've got a few eggs from the Australorps in the incubator. I shouldn't have done it, but darn it, I like those birds. They're so well behaved compared to the Marans.
I'm still on the fence whether to continue with the Australorps or the Marans.
I'll know by Wednesday if any of the eggs hatched. Wish me luck.
Have you ever been in 4-H or known someone who has? How was it? I'm envious of anyone who grew up on a farm. How much further ahead I would've been if I had had a mentor.
Have you ever mentored someone in anything? What was it?
As it happens, I wanted to sell my black Australorps. I invited them over and showed them the birds. A mutual friend had encouraged him to contact me, but I didn't want him to feel obligated to buy my birds.
It turns out he's in 4-H. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it's a youth organization that strives to teach kids through doing. It's most commonly practiced in rural areas.
Had 4-H been offered in the inner city of Chicago back when I was a kid, I would've been all over it in a heartbeat. Alas, I too learned by doing, but for the most part it was trial and error. A lot of error. LOL.
We were glad to help this kid anyway we could because we appreciate children wanting to get hands-on experience in something other than texting and Instagram. His mother insisted that he also buy our 'chicken tractor', a movable pen so chickens can pasture in safety.
Greg built ours.
We don't use it anymore because frankly, we're too lazy to move it around the pasture. When the garden is through for the year, we usually let the chickens roam free. They're good about returning home every night. In five years, we've only lost two birds. One to a coyote and another to a car.
I was surprised they wanted the chicken tractor since he's already building a coop, but they have the acreage for a movable pen so it'll work well for them. Besides, he's young and won't grouse about hauling it around the way we do. Ha!
We've got a few eggs from the Australorps in the incubator. I shouldn't have done it, but darn it, I like those birds. They're so well behaved compared to the Marans.
I'm still on the fence whether to continue with the Australorps or the Marans.
I'll know by Wednesday if any of the eggs hatched. Wish me luck.
Have you ever been in 4-H or known someone who has? How was it? I'm envious of anyone who grew up on a farm. How much further ahead I would've been if I had had a mentor.
Have you ever mentored someone in anything? What was it?
Comments
How's your hand?
I'd probably be too much of a chicken to raise big animals like that. The largest animal I ever raised was a hog.
Right now I am nursing two spider bites, five ant bites, numerous mosquito bites and one weed that implanted me with tiny irritating hairs that feel like daggers. Ah, the good life. LOL!
Susan Says
As a matter of fact, I was in 4-H. From the time I was 13 - the summer after high school.
The club I was in was very fortunate - it was founded by a gentleman and his wife who owned 80 acres in the smack-dab middle of town (probably from before it was the middle of town), and so the club had access to property that most people just didn't. It meant that a lot of people who otherwise would not have been able to experience gardening and raising animals were able to.
We were also one of the few clubs in the area that had our own clubhouse, but as such that meant we also had monthly dues to cover the upkeep of said clubhouse. Members were able to rent pens/barn stalls for minimal fees, too, for their livestock projects.
As the technology age advanced, they were also able to rent some of that acreage out for a cell tower, and as far as I know it's still there today earning them passive income. (And the club was able to start offering scholarships for regional and national 4-H events that local members qualified for, but couldn't afford.)
I was never able to do any livestock projects, personally. My family's funds were too tight for that. But I was able to learn a lot from friends in the club who had livestock, and it was definitely my first exposure to chickens. And goats.
Mainly, I did sewing as my project(s). I frequently took first place/reserve champion/grand champion ribbons home from county-wide events. I served as a club officer for three years, as well. And many friends from 4-H years are still some of the best friends I have today.
Now getting an onion to bulb to a big sweet globe, THAT is a feat. And it's practical.
Knowing how to farm and raise animals means I can feed my family. What can be more useful than that?
You were very lucky.
I don't do any formal mentoring but I do give writing workshops at public schools, and try to help when someone contacts me for private advice on career or creative problems. I think we all should lend a hand and pass along what we know to the next generations.
I did mentor a young lady back when we lived in Montana. It was mainly faith based but also helped her with other things she was going through. Thoroughly enjoyed it; I should think about mentoring again.
betty
re: hives
Ugh. Awful. I hope it doesn't last long. If not, there's always Benadryl.
Great tip though about using tape for hairy weed prickles! I wish I had thought of it! I used mineral oil to loosen them out. Fortunately, they weren't in too deep.
re: mentoring
We all need a little mentoring once in a while.
Love it!
One day he started attacking. I'd say that was the end for him, but that's the start of another story. :)
I love your thoughts on 4-H, farming, and raising chickens. Plus, that's an awesome chicken tractor! :)
The biggest animal I ever raised was a hog. The meanest was a male goat. After he gored me, he was renamed BBQ. Soon after, he ended up in the freezer.
I'd like some ducks, but Greg said no. He doesn't want to build them a pond. :(
Actually, I think it was more about cage free chickens having some flavor, like I remember a chicken was supposed to taste.
Unfortunately, to have cheap food, corporations have to cut corners by force feeding animals with corn and antibiotics. Raise them fast and send them out for processing.