Dominique needs to depart. 1) She is alone, and that makes me sad. 2) However, she is a very poor layer, taking off half the year for herself. For those two reasons, I cannot pass her off as a layer. Oh, 3) she has a very disconcerting habit of crowing.
She did not crow until I got rid of the rooster that I paid too much for. He crowed very loudly, enough to disturb neighbors. Dominique still struggles, sounding like she has a sore throat.
She can never free-range because of the fear of something eating her. So, it is a pretty restrictive life, not something I like to see since she has no company!
I will not give her away without seeing her right up until the moment she is harvested for food. I am afraid someone will mistreat her. I am not attached to her, but do not want her mistreated at all. I am okay with her dying to feed someone.
There is nothing on the radar, yet it is raining! It is not more than a drizzle. It is entirely unexpected. It is a gloomy fall day, not something I even like in season, much less now at the end of summer, a day that should be hot at least.
I hope Fall is not here I need more summer.
Your turn
So, what would you do with a hen that does not lay much, crows, and is lonely. I want more chicks, but not this chicken. Have you ever sent a hen or more to freezer camp?
I would keep her, and probably get a companion. I don't get rid of animals I have taken in, unless it was specifically to raised for slaughter. (Which I will never do again.) I don't allow my kids to get rid of animals because the animals have become inconvenient, either. We have a situation here where sometimes DD doesn't like cleaning her Guinea pigs' cage as often as she should, hence, her room, and the whole upstairs will start to smell barn like. I never threatened to get rid of the pigs. Instead, I pay a younger DS to help me, and make DD reimburse me. (And she hates us being in her room, but too bad.) I am also not above saying things to a kid like, "Well, you didn't feel like walking the dog, so you didn't, even though he loves walks. Now, I don't feel like playing cards with you, so I won't."
ReplyDeleteI really whole-heartedly agree with everything you wrote. Yes, I would say that to my kid, too. But, I might put it up front--maybe I won't feel like playing cards when you want to play cards.
ReplyDeleteI really cannot afford another hen. I gave away four hens long ago, but no one gives one to me! so, I would have to pay for a hen. I don't want to get rid of her.
Thanks for the input.
I have never had chickens so I can't weigh into the discussion about the ethics of keeping a chick you obviously bought for laying purposes who doesn't. So no judgements here. Everyone has different circumstances.
ReplyDeleteAnne,
ReplyDeleteI bought two hens, but one was not a hen and crowed. I had to get rid of it because of the crowing. A nice man with chickens took it. I cannot care for Dominique as I want to and she is not having a good quality of life. I will get more chicks! Plus, I have no qualms about eating any of the chickens I get for eggs and to be a pet. Thanks.