Earlier this month, Dan’s knee damage introduced all of his initiatives to a halt. In fact, that originally led to frustration and ultimately a dialogue. We have periodically taken time to guage our authentic objectives and analyze our progress. From the start, we needed to work towards a simplified upkeep way of life. By that I imply we needed to get our infrastructure constructed earlier than our “retirement” years. We knew that as we bought older, we would not need to be tackling massive constructing initiatives or taking up vitality intensive ventures. So we have labored to get to a cushty established order.
I feel the greenhouse might be the final of these huge issues. Not that we do not have tons of concepts. The concepts by no means cease! However ultimately, we knew we would have to succeed in some extent the place let’s imagine, we could be content material with what we have. Issues like damage or sickness have a approach of actually bringing that time dwelling. As badly as Dan felt that I needed to do all of the chores, it was manageable. I used to be exceedingly glad when he was out and round once more, however all the pieces bought finished and nobody was worse for the wear and tear.
Which brings me to the turkeys. Of themselves, they’re a wonderful addition to the homestead. They’re straightforward to look after and have unbelievable leisure worth. And naturally there are the eggs and meat, of which we do not get so much, nevertheless it’s the explanation we bought them.
Nevertheless. It is unattainable to guage anyone component on the homestead as an entity unto itself. That is a part of the equation, however the truth is, every component suits into the homestead system. So the query is, how does it influence all the pieces else? Within the case of the turkeys, not as we hoped.
A part of the issue is that each species of hen we have introduced right here desires to be within the hen yard and the hen coop. First the Muscovys, then the turkeys, every was given their very personal space and lodging, however all of them managed to ultimately make their approach into the hen yard and invade the coop (a lot to the indignation of the chickens). Now, if all people might simply be one huge glad household, that may be nice! However (for us, a minimum of) it hasn’t labored that approach and now we have fixed squabbling occurring over the coop, over the roosts, over the nest packing containers, over the feeders, over the waterers, and so on., and so on.
The addition of Tom actually modified our poultry dynamic. Poults came along, in fact, but additionally a brand new problem to hen territory. 3 times, Tom has gotten into fights with our two roosters (which luckily Dan was capable of break up). So, Tom isn’t allowed into the hen yard.
Then Jenny B (mom of our two poults) determined to take a stand. She made her approach into the hen yard and coop as soon as her poults had been sufficiently big to fly. Since then, she’s been dominating the chickens and continuously difficult Schooster, the hen yard rooster. She’s taken excessive roosting bar within the coop, in order that not one of the different chickens will use the roost.
Most lately, we discovered our friendliest hen useless. Her head and eyes had been pecked in, so we suspect Tom killed her. The unhappy half is that she lived within the hen tractor with our second rooster as a result of all the opposite hens had been so imply to her. Dan let her out to get pleasure from a bit of freedom that day after which we discover her useless. And with that we needed to ask, are the turkeys price it?
I feel the tendency is to guage that from an financial viewpoint, i.e. evaluating feed prices to egg and meat manufacturing. That is positively a part of it, however there are different concerns as nicely. That may embrace time and upkeep, however particularly, how nicely something suits into our homestead system. Some critters (or different issues) slot in higher than others.
We have not reached a call about all of this but, however I believe that the conclusion we’ll come to is that the turkeys can be higher off some place else.
