Another what is it thread

[John K Jordan]

That's awesome John. Most kids never see any of this these days.

Also, the local county ag people sponsor a farm day every year. They bring all the 3rd graders in the county to the county fair grounds then have a short hay ride to the pavilions. Local farmers set up displays, bring animals - I usually take a couple of alpacas and llamas and maybe a mini donkey. A ferrier trims and shoes horses, someone brings a demonstration bee hive, game wardens teach about wild animals, soil and water conservation people are there. People bring chickens, rabbits, goats, pigs, someone brings sheep to shear, usually some milking, wool spinning, etc.

The kids are always excited. Some seem surprised that llamas don’t eat pizza, hamburgers, and ice cream. (but love poison ivy!)

I wonder if they do this sort of thing all over the country. Seems it would be difficult to pull off in a large metro area like Atlanta or NYC.

[Alan Rutherford]

The good news for the male chicks, if there is any good news in this thead, is that the sex only matters if you want eggs. Meat chickens are not sexed because they are slaughtered long before puberty and the boys and girls are treated all the same.

It"s awesome how fast today's meat chickens put on weight. All they do is eat, drink, poop and get fat. "Free range" means nothing because they won't walk any farther than from the feed to the water.

[Mike Henderson]

The good news for the male chicks, if there is any good news in this thead, is that the sex only matters if you want eggs. Meat chickens are not sexed because they are slaughtered long before puberty and the boys and girls are treated all the same.

It"s awesome how fast today's meat chickens put on weight. All they do is eat, drink, poop and get fat. "Free range" means nothing because they won't walk any farther than from the feed to the water.

There are different breeds for laying and for fryers. The male chicks of the laying breed don't have a good future.

Mike

[Rich Engelhardt]

[This is assuming you do the caponizing yourself. If you have a vet do it, you won't lose as many (maybe none) but then you'll have some very expensive capons]

I thought it was all done via chemical castration these days - just to increase the survival rate.
(I just read up on it and yes/no - it seems it's a divisive issue).

Poor birds....