Fixing Crooked Toes on Poultry

Before I tell you how to fix crooked toes, I have to tell you our egg story.

We have one guinea.  We have had only one guinea for a few years and she is the ugly duckling of the chicken coop, but she is the BEST when it comes to eating bugs and not destroying our garden.

Because of that fact, I decided to get some more guineas.  The first place I looked was on the ever famous Craigslist.  There were several for sale, but too far away to be worth making the drive.  I then began to search for guinea eggs.  We have hatched out many chickens and a few geese, so how hard could it be to hatch out guineas?  My conclusion of this was my first mistake.

Our Chicken Breeds

Pin It

This is Big Nate, he's a Barred Rock rooster and just about my favorite.  I love roosters, they come in so many variaties and they get so big.  Its fun to watch them find something on the ground and hear the funny sounds they make telling their hens to come get it.  We have a few Barred Rock hens too and their temperament is great.  They are my new found favorite breed this year.

Loss on the Homestead

I just took this picture a few days ago of our little flock of white Black Tailed Japanese Bantams.  They are the cutest little things!  Little did I know when I took this picture, that a few days later we would be down to only one little hen.

Todays Homestead.....

Thanksgiving Turkey

 

If you happen to be in our neck of the woods, and stop by for a visit, this fella might be the first one to greet you!  Meet "Supper", our pet turkey, watchdog, king of the hill and comedian.  He is a Blue Slate Turkey and he is a lot of fun......usually.  Last year, when we got a few chickens, I never thought about ever obtaining an actual turkey. 

Homesteading with Chickens

Getting chickens for the homestead last summer was one of the best choices we have ever made.  We began with five full grown chickens, which slowly became more than a dozen (and a guinea) because we had so much fun with them.  Yes, they are messy and can be extra work, but they are very enjoyable and worth their weight in gold.  We have struggled with sickness, cold temps and hawks and we cry when we lose one, however, the good really outweighs the bad.  To say the least, our first winter with chickens was a real learning experience.  When spring came, we felt more confident with what we were