You know that YouTube video that came out in 2013 about chickens being the gateway livestock? Well, about that. Our adventure into raising a few suburban hens did take us down an unexpected path. We have since moved from our home in Utah and purchased 20 acres of land where we can have hens, goats, sheep, and dogs -- as well as plenty of room for a garden. In moving, we found a loving family who adopted our hens. But, we learned a few things about raising hens that we wish we knew before we started.
Loss
When I was starting to raise a few little chicks, I tried to research the lifespan of my hens. I found minimal information. I learned that for the typical farmer, once a hen stopped laying eggs, she became soup. So there wasn't a lot of research on how long one breed lives compared to another. However, there was a lot of information on how fast one breed matures enough to butcher.
Well, my hens were pets. They were named and loved and I wanted them to live to the ripe old age of ... hmmm. I really didn't know. Year one, I lost Daisy. My sweet egg song singing white heritage hen. We aren't quite sure what happened. My children went to check for eggs, and there she was. I spoke to "real" farmers in the area. We had some guesses. I lacked experience to know what happened. Although I read blogs and books, I missed something. This is when reality set in. My naivete could result in the loss of a life of a little hen. I was determined to do better.
Nonetheless, loss is inevitable when raising animals. It is something I need to become more comfortable with.
Pecking Order
When Mary then became blind in one eye, I provided her with the best medical care I could. I took her to not only our local farm vet, but to the only avian vet in our area. She lived indoors with us while her injury healed. However, I underestimated the brutality she would experience as she returned to the pecking order. We tried several methods. Nonetheless, she started to separate herself from the brood. She quit eating. We would check in with her several times a day. Every night, my husband and I would hold her, and feed her by hand, and then lift her onto the roosting bars. We took her to the vet who could not find anything beyond a little bit of arthritis in one leg. What we did not see was that the top hen was being violent. Ultimately, Mary died from an injury from Jessie, the top hen.
In building our chicken area for the new property, we will have a chicken "hospital" area built. This will be an area where we can separate sick hens from the brood, but keep them visible to the other chickens. We are hopeful that if the hen stays within the sight of her group, that reintegration will be easier. Fingers crossed.
Vacations
The more animals one has, the more difficult it is to go on vacation. A network needs to be developed. I don't yet have a network in Arizona to tend my animals. Having someone watch a dog or a cat while on vacation is one thing -- someone to milk a goat or tend to a chicken with a messy bottom is something altogether different.
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There is a sense of responsibility that comes with raising animals. The entire quality of their lives depends on me. Unlike my children, when the animals I raise reach adulthood, they do not get to explore the world on their own. I need to plan for a place for my hens to run, areas for dirt baths, grass to scratch up, and shade from trees and bushes. In Arizona, it also means constructing structures that will keep them safe from snakes, coyotes, and predator birds.
I'll keep you up to date on the adventure. From the suburbs to rural America -- wish me luck.
