#The problem with their size difference is that it's hard to make The Hen POP

[therantingsage]

Thoughts? I'm pretty sold on the character designs but atp I'm not sure about how I'm gonna go about the execution of. everything else

[kedreeva]

why are there no breeds of peafowl, only morphs? other fowl like chicken and pigeons have hundreds of breeds, and other domestic animals like sheep or dogs have hundreds too, but how has not a single breed ever arisen in peafowl? don't breeds just happen by propaganting chance mutations? has nobody ever found an unusually sized, shaped or feathered peafowl AND decided to propagate it?

Birds like chickens and pigeons have been extensively bred by the millions, which allows for a lot of different mutation chances, and there's a vested interest in propagating breeds for purposes. The same with cows and sheep and cats and dogs- they've all had selection pressure from humans toward different purposes. Animals that can survive better in heat, animals that can survive better in cold. Animals that produce more milk or more meat, animals that can herd better or guard better, animals that have different personalities for companionship, or even just that look cool for showing them in competition.

Peafowl don't have that selection pressure, and don't need it. They aren't bred for production, they're not able to be shown, they can't do any jobs, they aren't good companions (hand raising them like I did Bug can actually result in massive behavioral problems). I don't know that there's never ever even once been any mutation outside of color and pattern ever in all of history, but I do know that there aren't any currently, and that is unlikely that breeds will be developed for a lot of reasons.

And a lot of game birds are like that. They take space to raise even a few of them, they're finicky about breeding unless you meet their conditions, they have a specialized diet (even though it can be "commercialized" they do better with finer tailoring of their nutrition).

Propagating a new mutation of any kind generally takes space enough for several enclosures (500sq/ft minimum per pea enclosure), and creating a new BREED means having space, money, and time, as well as the ability to handle what's likely to be a couple hundred animals in order to make a BUNCH of individuals with the trait and then cull the ones that don't meet the standard, and you do that over 10+ generations. 10+ generations in peafowl would take 30 years and that's IF you get exactly what you want every first breeding year of every generation, when hens only produce around 30 eggs Max and typically 6-8, with an average of 4-6 babies. And people really really really do NOT like culling peafowl, and it's hard enough to find homes for the normal ones, much less any project mutations that haven't been proven out healthy. The last type mutation was a gene that caused the train feathers to be floppy and let me tell you, everyone hated that and I'm pretty sure the guy that had it pop up at his place decided not to try to make more after people expressed vehement disgust.

So, honestly there just hasn't been a need to develop any breeds, and it takes a really long time to do and there's just no one who wants to dedicate their entire life to making a peafowl breed when the wild species is just fine for every purpose people own peafowl for.

What we DO have is subspecies/localities. Pavo muticus has three well known ones (imperator, muticus, and spicifer), but cristatus also has a few, like singhalensis, the Sri Lankan subspecies. These are localities that have slightly different colorations/patterns, and some may have slightly different type. The average person would probably not be able to tell the difference (and honestly even a knowledgeable person may not know they exist much less how to tell the difference), because it's generally not a huge difference, but they're still genetically distinct enough to be a subspecies.

I think at the end of the day it's all of that stuff I just talked about

But it's also that people breeding peafowl just. believe they are perfect already. Because they are. They don't need to be anything other than what they are.

[n3kk1tty]

Beasts of Santa Carla

This story includes a lot of original characters. Photos of characters and favorite scenes will be drawn. You can find their photos on the masters list along with the prologue and past chapters.

Original characters in chapter: Lamia, Veve, Volk

( Masterslist ) <---- Find them here

(Beasts of Santa Carla is a AU of the Lost Boys. It involves adult themes, poly relationships, and is definitely not made for the underaged. If you don't like poly content, queer representation, shipping of the boys together or heavy sexual themes and violence. This story is not meant for you and that's okay. This story is made solely for my own enjoyment and anyone else who's along for the ride. )

(Y/n) - Your name

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 2

Originally the boys were excited that Laddie had finally become a full vampire. Even Max had popped into visit and celebrate Laddie's new status. Though as the week went on they all started to notice how different he was from the others. To start Laddies sleep schedule was completely sparatic at this point. There was an attempt to change it by Star and Dwayne after day two but the tantrums that followed after that were legendary to say the least. Which shocked everyone worse as Laddie never had such outbursts before.

If Laddie didn't get to sleep between the times of 1am to 7am he would become like Satan's spon reincarnated. It would start with whining before spiraling into throwing objects twice his size and weight, jumping at high speeds off the cave walls, and Lord forbid you tried to pin him down. Marko learned that hard truth when Laddie almost bit straight through his arm. Laddie's bite force had become so strong he was teething on bones and rocks and this point. It scared the life outta Star when she caught Laddie with a rotting human carcass from the graveyard chewing on bones like they were cheese puffs.

Dwayne had somehow managed to pry open Laddie's mouth only to reveal not just fangs but all his back molars were replaced with these big bulky teeth that resembled that of a hyenas. Dwayne was panicking like a mother hen at this point. His little buddy had now become an unmanageable beast who at this point he was sure was sneaking off in the day with how many times he managed to somehow find and dig up human carcasses. I mean that alone was an issue that they had to stop as the waking up to the smell of fermented dead guy was not pleasant and the amount of laundry having to be done just to get rid of the smell was driving the pack mad.

David thought taking Laddie to hunt with them so he could have all the fresh bones would be enough. It did fix the corpse napping problem to say the least and the drying left over bones for Laddie so he could eat during the day was kinda a cool look. But as one problem was managed more appeared to arise every time. Laddie was still running off into the sunlight during the day and no one could keep him in the cave if they tried. I mean it was like watching the messiah of all vampires as David had stayed up late to catch Laddie's tiny ass in the act as he didn't believe Star.

There in the sunlight full blast was Laddie caught in the act of running off during the day. David was floored absolutely utterly floored. What the fuck had this kid eaten for his first hunt as a vampire to make him the second coming of Christ. David and Dwayne felt like an old married couple at this point as they were always fighting about what to do with there tiny terror. Laddie would sometimes listen to them he would out right ignore Star and like a thorn in their sides outright try and fight the terror twins and Micheal. It was terrifying the pack and David swore Dwayne was growing grey hairs as Laddie would act up.

Day five of this shit show all came crashing down as Laddie had now become picky about blood. This kid looked Dwayne straight in the eyes after receiving a fresh kill and upturned his nose pushing it away like it was a piece of broccoli. Stating very matter of fact like "I'll eat the bones but the blood isn't as good as big sis." WHO THE FUCK WAS BIG SIS. Dwayne was done, it was like a cord snapped inside this man and the one who had the patience of a saint had to throw his hands in the air and walk away.

"David get your kid. " Dwayne walked back towards his bike David tailing behind him practically shouting. "What do you mean get your kid! Where are you going Dwayne?!" They were both tired at this point exhausted from the five days of hell. Laddie made Marko and Paul look like saints right now and Dwayne just wanted his kid to go back to being at least easier to manage. He didn't want Laddie to get hurt during the day and he wanted answers to why Laddie was like this. Who was he running out in the day to see and why when Laddie was pressed on the matter he just said he was following big sis.

Dwayne wanted answers now. He and David had a working theory that the demon Laddie had first fed off of had to have been visiting him during the day. When Laddie got to play with her during the day by the time everyone would wake up Laddie would be smiling from ear to ear and be back to his usually self until around his bed time. Laddie only ever called her big sis but had accidentally given away details about this mystery broad during off hand conversations with Paul. They kept a scrap of the blanket that had the demon's blood on it in a jar sealed tight as to not lose the scent. Though Dwayne was ashamed to admit it was mostly so Laddie couldn't hog the smell all to himself.

It was intoxicating to all of them, something about the scent felt so comforting and drawing in. Like walking through a memory or into the arms of someone you loved a lot. Marko one night attempted to snag the blanket from Laddie and had received a narly bite to his leg as both got into a fight over it. Trying to confiscate that thing was not going to be easy so the scrap fabric would have to be there only lead to track down this person and get answers. Dwayne pulled the small jar from his pocket tossing it to David.

"We need answers David. I'm heading to the witch run shops in town. They should have books on vampires and succubus there, we may get some answers about little man and some helpful knowledge about our mystery lady. I'll be back before dawn." Dwayne turned on his bike gearing up to go making sure he had some cash in his pocket. David let out a frustrated huff before lighting a smoke. " I'll have the terror twins come up with enough cash. You know we're either gonna have to bribe or threaten our way into Chateau Vermillion?" Dwayne let out a little chuckle trying to ease his frustrations .

"Yeah, Paul got us banned while back. Lamia will castrate him on site if she even gets a whiff of his scent." The pair shared a laugh before Dwayne pressed a kiss to David's knuckles. "Think you'll survive while I'm gone?" David turned to look at the terror twins currently in a spat with Laddie about being picky. " You'll be lucky if the cave isn't on fire." David's face sank in exhaustion as Dwayne drove off into the night. He was excited for this little hunt when they first found Laddie and the mystery blanket but now he just wanted a night where he wasn't separating the three from a fight. In two days they were gonna barge into Chateau Vermillion whether Lamia liked it or not. David was gonna find this mystery woman whether he had to flip Santa Carla inside out or not. Maybe he should get a little compensation for his troubles. His lips curling into a smirk around his cigarette.

He could practically imagine the taste of the blood belonging to the mystery woman with such an intoxicating scent. Maybe the pack should keep her all to themselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your head throbbed in your skull. Maybe all that drinking yesterday after you got back from spending time with Laddie wasn't a good idea after all. It's been a week now since the incident with Laddie and surprisingly it's been eventful yet peaceful. Your Aunt Lamia wasn't happy you fed a vampire kid with your blood but she understood there wasn't much else you could do. She had dropped the grudge against the matter instead to fuss over you and check your wounds. You didn't understand why she felt the need, your healing factor was great due to your lineage and besides you could probably fill an Olympic size swimming pool with blood before dropping dead. Though you think you'd get hungry before that.

You frowned a bit realizing your cousin Veve wasn't in bed when you woke up. It was hard to sleep when you didn't have the warmth and heart beat of another next to you which meant you usually woke up way too early. You kick the sad deco away that Veve tried to leave with you. Really the pillow with a box inside that makes heart beat noises. Veve should have just got another person to stay in the bed with you while you snoozed then you probably wouldn't have woken up. You couldn't stay mad at her though, you had made her worry about you when you told her you and Laddie had been hanging out with each other when you were on baby sitting duty.

If you knew the pack had a daywalker child running around you would have been more cautious with how close to the cave you were camping out at. The first few days you tried staying away from him but Laddie just thought you were playing tag so he started jumping after you. And my goodness did this kid have a mouth on him. You thought his voice box would burn out with how many Doe eyed questions he kept asking you. Why do you have horns? Why doesn't your tail have spikes? Why do your wings look like moth wings? Are you a moth? Will I get wings? It made your head spin at first and it was kinda annoying to be chased all day by him but you quickly gave into his non stop onslaught of questions.

I mean he really was just a kid. Day walker or not there was no question that Laddie was just a curious kid. Plus if Laddie was just a child you could easily get info outta him whenever you wanted. That's what you told yourself on day three but it became quickly apparent you just had a soft spot for him. He just genuinely wanted to know things and I mean you had to watch after them all day so what was the harm in keeping yourself busy with helping the kid out. You had brought Laddie an umbrella meant for day walkers on day two when you realized he was running around in the sun without pacing himself.

Which quickly led to the poor baby throwing up almost everything in his stomach and getting the sun itches when he was going overboard. You flew down to where Laddie was hunched over in a light pile on the ground. You opened the umbrella for you two patting his face with a wash cloth. You lifted the boy gently cleaning his face from vomit and getting some water down his throat. " Baby fangs you have to pace yourself in the sun. Just because you can't feel yourself burning up doesn't mean you're not wrecking your body Hun. " Laddie looked so frail after his puking stunt and he visible didn't look like he was doing to well.

One moment he was up and about like a ball of energy next he was hunched over in whatever shade he could find vomiting up anything that was in his stomach plus he was getting sunburned from being directly in it. "It hurts. My stomach hurts sis" you could feel your heart clench in your chest. Like he was just reaching in tugging at your heart strings. You refused to let the boy know your name so the rest could never find out but that doesn't mean you couldn't help him out. You let out a pool of your blood quickly forming it into a bunch of butterflies. These would have to be your eyes until you two could get back. At least if while you were gone you could still do your job and watch over the sight.

You flew Laddie over to the Santa Carla cemetery. As a succubus you were required to have basic knowledge on all potential clients you may run into while feeding so you knew Day walkers needed to eat more to be in the sun. While they were vampires who could be in the sun they had to consume higher calorie dense foods and meals more frequently as their bodies were burning more repairing their skin and body in the sun. You had no choice, you needed to get this boy washed up and some human bones in his stomach along with probably demonic blood and regular human food.

A true nutritional meal includes fruits after all. So for a few days you and Laddie would go to the cemetery bribing the ghouls of the place to Let you get Laddie washed up in their facilities after he spent time helping them dig a corpse up he wanted to drag off. You weren't particularly fond of having to drag a corpse with you through high altitudes along with an overly excited child on your back but it was kinda fun. You two spent the days in the sun by the ocean either eating, playing in the water, or teaching Laddie things. You weren't going to admit it but you were somewhat helping train Laddie up so maybe he could someday also participate in fight club.

He seemed to enjoy play fighting as much as you did and the quickest way to get used to one's powers is by practicing using them. I mean that's how you used your skill to get better at fighting rather than healing or seducing opponents. You also made sure that if Laddie was ever discovered by another Vampire who had knowledge of the vampiric high council Laddie would be able to get away with being a child day walker. Child vampires were taboo but day walker child vampires were extra banned as they were more prone to madness. Plus from your quizzing Laddie he had about zero knowledge on vampiric rules, history, or governmental system.

Meaning Laddie truly was a feral. All three of these could spell death for him if he was discovered. You knew from a repeat customer that if Vampiric council members found ferals they deemed too much of a risk they would be terminated quickly. You couldn't stand the thought of Laddie being executed in the public bathing of holy water. So you took it upon yourself to teach this boy how to fight and about everything he needed to know about his own people so if he was found before you could get him aged up with medicine then he would stand a chance of not being killed.

You quickly dogged Laddies lunging for you. "Who do all vampires stem from." Laddie caught his breathe before turning around preparing to lunge again. "Dracula Tepes!" Laddie shouts. You two had been working on training him while he fought as he got too bored when you just tried reading to him. "Good, Keep it up Laddie you can do it! All you need to do is tag me on one of my vital spots." You side stepped the kid again. You knew his height and speed could make him a formidable foe if only he could get his reaction time up. "Next question. What is the vampiric society known for?"

Laddie hesitated this question he has also gotten wrong it was hard to remember and he was getting tired. " Robots?" You swept Laddies feet out from under him catching his little body by his shirt. His face inches from the ground. You let out a playful laugh. "I mean you're not wrong in a sense kiddo but the answer is scientific and robotic advancements." You lifted Laddie up letting him get back on his feet handing him a water as he pouted obviously frustrated he couldn't get the answer right. You ruffled his hair playfully. " I know it's a hard one to remember. Just remember that they live a long time and spend a lot of time playing with robots and science equipment like a mad scientist from a movie."

"Big sister do they really do that." Laddie asked looking at the sun low in the sky. He knew you'd be leaving right after this but he really didn't want you to. "Yes honey they do. Maybe someday me and you can go see the city of vampires and you can see all the cool stuff they have made. Some vampires spend all their time on earth researching and learning about specific things. Now I gotta go okay I'll see you tomorrow, I'll make sure to bring oxtail for breakfast. " Laddie pouted huffing in frustration.

" Why do you always have to leave before sunset. It's not fair!" Laddie was getting frustrated. He loved spending all day with you but he hated when you left. You shot a look at Laddie for the tone in his voice giving him the ol mom look at him. The boy instantly quieting his tone. "I miss you when you leave. " The little boy rubbed his arm. You wanted to scold him for his manners but your heart hurt at how tiny and pitiful he looked with his cheeks puffed out and bottom lip poking out. Instead you decided to pat the young boys head. "Now when did you go stealing my heart hmmm." You softly smiled making eye contact with the boy so he knew you were serious affectionately putting your foreheads together, a traditional succubus sign of familiar affection.

"As soon as you go to sleep then wake up you know I'll be right here waiting for you baby bat. Now make sure you're eating all your dinner and brushing your fangs." You start flying back to Chateau Vermilion shouting down to Laddie as the boy starts running back to the cave. "And watch your tone! We use our manners young man!" Laddie smiled a wide fang filled smile back to you cupping his hands together around his mouth to shout back. " Yes Big Sister!!!" You watched the little boy run back practically skipping the whole way.

Now that you were awake from your less than stellar sleep you got prepared to take a shower and head up to the community kitchen. Co-sleeping was usually a fine tendency to have as a succubus but it sucked when you and your bed buddy were on different schedules. It didn't help that Veve didn't like sharing you with others as a bunk buddy since you two have shared a bed together since you were mere younglings freshly kicked from your parents sleeping pile. You and Veve would usually cuddle close to each other before bed talking about your days or any hot gossip you heard of.

You feel a sense of loneliness since you haven't been able to do that since starting this babysitting gig. It was fine though because at least you could still attend the fight club and take on regular customers when you needed to feed. Though right now you were just drinking a pre-saved essence bottle with some coffee and toast before you headed out, trying desperately to ease your hangover. You'd just feed on your lycanthrope friend Volk when you got there since he was a regular customer of yours anyway. Your stomach growled at the thought reminding you, you should probably be hurrying up.

Your cup of coffee was interrupted by Veve storming into the community kitchen. "(Y/n) you have to go!" Veve looked worried quickly handing you an outfit to change into. "Veve! Hold up what's going on? Are these Volks clothes!?" Your confusion was met with Veve grabbing your arm and leading you to the back door where you could already see Volk with your other lycanthrope buddies next to their car. You were shimmying into the baggy clothes but before you could even ask another question again the guys were opening a black sack.

"Your vampires are here looking for you and unless you wanna blow your cover you need to take your tiny ass and bounce girl." The group stared around you your cousin looking frantic. "Fine I'll go in the body bag but just for your information boys my safe word just so happens to be rigatoni!" The werewolves put you in the bag lifting you up and putting you in the car turning on the station they know you like. That was nice you thought as you can't wait to just get to the fight club and finally get some food in your system.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

David and Dwayne had successfully bullied Lamia into letting them into the Chateau Vermillion. They were happy to use the territory rules and disputes in their favor to catch their little succubus without having to use their money. Though they knew finding her would be hard with all these pheromones and drugs in the air. Lamia had set strict regulations for them to be allowed back into the building as well. Though luckily it meant if they could catch her today with their planned pincer attack then they could come back again.

First they had to keep these anti bite masks on which David was happy that it had a way for him to enjoy the luxury cigars they sold at this joint. He did miss frequenting this joint so it was nice to have a card on the table able to bully his way back in. Sadly though he couldn't get Paul or Marko pardoned back in after Paul's attempt to bite a succubi neck last time. Thanks to the book Dwayne got from the witch shop they finally knew why it was such a offense.

David was happy Dwayne bought those books. Not only did they discover what happened to Laddie but now they know how to recreate it with Star and Micheal. Though the most intriguing point of the books was the enslaving of succubi and hybrids. David smirked into his cigar an evil tint behind his eyes. If this little succubus proved to be as intoxicating as her scent proved then he wouldn't mind making her the group's play thing. A succubi mate who feasted off sexual experiences sounded delightful to David. I mean Laddie already loved her so making her his mother would be a easy matter.

Dwayne smelled the air he could faintly smell her but not strong enough to confirm she was in the building. She was here but she's not anymore. If they scared her out the back then Marko and Paul can track her down. Laddie was like a blood hound for her scent so even the smallest amount would be enough for him to follow her. Plus if she tried to alter her gender to male Laddie could still identify her . Dwayne was more focused on trying to find out her name. What was the name of the woman's scent who's been driving him insane and whose blood altered Laddie.

Why was she always hanging around the cave but going so far as to hide her name from Laddie so they wouldn't find her. Dwayne craved answers and was hungry for a drink of her blood. He had to stop Paul multiple times from stealing the glass bottle holding the fabric scrap. Paul wanted to try sucking the dried blood up just to get a small taste. The pair sat in a balcony window seat staring down at the show going on below them. Succubi in all shapes and sizes genders and shades everywhere. Some were on the stage performing some were in audience seats cozing up to guests. None of them smelt as good.

It was like staring at art. They were all beautiful and amazing in their own right but there wasn't that spark or urge the blood had stirred in them. Dwayne and David could probably pay for some services and probably have a good time but they were looking for their mysterious golden girl. From the info they pry from Laddie they were looking for a Succubus with a thorned tail and wings in the shape of a moths. Their little mystery girl was a hybrid.

Dwayne's eyes sharpened as someone walked past smelling strongly of her. It wasn't her but this person must of spent a long time with her as the mystery girls scent was practically imbued underneath the girls own. His scent tracking abilities were the strongest of the pack so he was confident in his decision. Reaching out Dwayne slammed the curtains open and on the other side stood a short chubby succubus. She practically jumped when he opened the curtain as his form leered over hers. David took a puff from his cigar smiling the best he could from behind the mask. "Excuse me miss could you bring us a menu we have a particular girl we'd like to order for the night." Venom lacing his tone.

Veve's eyes dilated for a few seconds before she attempted to compose herself. She knew they would be hunting for (Y/n) scent so she couldn't let her cousins name slip from her mouth. Her mouth pinched into a tight smile as she handed the menu over trying hard not to make contact but making sure to flash the unavailable girls list as well. Luckily the list showed (Y/n) was bought out for the whole week by Volk and his crew. She knew Volk was always down to bail (Y/n) outta customers she didn't like in favor of him receiving more time with her. David smirked pointing confidently right to (Y/n) picture.

"We'd like to reserve this one. When do you think she will be free?" David's voice dripped honey laced with venom as an evil smile grew across his face. You don't have to open your mouth around David or tell them we're you were with Dwayne. One could smell you in a crowd full of mixing scents while the other one could read minds so strongly in a mix of many that this little succubus's thought blocking spell was nothing but childs play for him.

You were simply a rabbit running from a pack of wolves in the moonlight but it was uncertain which wolf would catch you in their jaws first.

( Chapter 3 )

All oc's in the chapter will have character sheets up to help with fanfiction visualization. Favorite scenes from the chapter will have photos included and linked. Make sure to like and comment.

(Photo)

[oh-for-fic-sake]

It’s A Match Chapter One

Masterlist

Disclaimer

Summary: Filming is over and Henry returns home to and empty house. And he doesn't like it, things are getting to him and he doesn't want to be alone anymore. Then his brother suggests online dating, it sounds mad but henry decides to give it a shot. If worst comes to worst he just deletes the profile. He has nothing to loose right?

Warnings: Angst, Swearing, Cheese, Self Indulgent Fic, Rpf, Plus sized reader.

A/N: so I wrote this before the whole 'girlfriend' shock and everything that has followed. I was of two minds whether to ever post it but honestly, this is my blog and I've clearly stated that i am going to continue writing Rpf. I want to do a little ficlet/mini fic and well here we go. It wont be smutty just  somewhat angsty then fluffy. Enjoy~

Taglist: In Reblogs.

Henry slumped back on the seat in his conservatory and sighed, from here he could see his brothers and their wives outside, each snuggled up on the out door wicker sectional he had got to have the family over. It was the first family get together for over a year. He was happy, god it was amazing to see them but... He couldn't help being a tad envious.

They all had a family, wife and kids to go through this shitstorm in. He had no one, well he ha Kal. But that was it he sighed and looked away sipping from his cup slowly takeing a moment for himself. He needed to just chill, but it was getting hard... This year had really knocked him back he was at an all time low he hadn't felt like this for a long time. He knew he was depressed, he felt stupid there was no reason to be but there we go.

Henry had been getting himself all twisted for a while now, filming the Witcher helped but now that was over and he was home alone. Left with his thoughts in a big empty house.

"Sooo little brother want to tell me what's going on or am I gonna have to get mum in here?" Henry jumped at the voice and spun around to face his brother who was keeping a safe distance at the door. Wiping his hands down clearly just having washed them again.

"I ah its nothing, you know me I'm a worry wart" he said waving off his older brother he didn't want to bring down the mood of the small gathering, it was why he had come in here to take a breather.

"You called us all here for a visit hen, out of the blue when lockdown is still being eased out. Its clear you don't want to be alone, yet your sitting in here alone." His older brother said leaning on the door frame folding his arms trying to figure out what was really going on. He could see his little brother was hurting he wanted to help.

"I've got Kal" Henry said with a chuckle and looked about for the bear only to frown and sigh seeing the room was empty apart fro  him and his brother.

"Kal's outside with the kids hen, what's up? You can tell me you know" henry sided as his sibling  moved sitting in the small seat across from him. He knew that his family would listen but he felt so... spoilt like he was asking too much and was being selfish. It wasn't like him.

He grunted leaning back choosing not to look at his brother instead focusing on the cup in his hand. He spun it slightly then heaved a sigh. He wasn't getting away with not speaking about it, he was going to air out his worries one way or another. With his brother or his mother, and he loved his mother but this was? He wanted to keep this issues close to his chest. So far only Kal knew about his problems.

"I... I've had enough... just had enough of fucking covid and being alone... i felt isolated before all this shit kicked off and now?" He vented releasing all the fears he had. It was tough, he was a family man without his own little family, he hadn't managed to find anyone to share his life with and it got to him. He tried being sincere and polite, he took care of himself and tried staying true to himself but... something was missing it had to be! On paper he was a safe bet a good man! Yet his relationships never worked. There were different opinions or his other half couldn't handle the life style or they tried changing him or they couldn't put up with the way he loved so furiously- so openly wanting to always hold and kiss them. It just never quite worked.

"Its- fuck everything has just caught up with me...worries I've had for a few years now I could ignore them you know? I had other stuff going on, was always out and about meetings and press tours I was busy! But now?" He tried putting his feeling into words but he was conscious, he didn't want to whine or bitch about his life. He loved his work and the life he had made for himself he just? Wanted someone to share it with.

"Now after covid you've got all the time in the world to think?" Henry nodded agreeing with his brother. Covid had made him face these fears head on. He has been alone for the best part of a year with the uncertainty of his work and filming quarantines and isolations.

"Yeah, it hurts I'm... I'm in deep and I? I don't know how I'm getting out of this slump" henry finally said outloud, his brother dipped his head listening to him as he ranted. Started letting out all the frustration and anxiety out but stopped short with another growl closeing his hand around the cup tightly hissing in frustration then looked away.

"And what's caused it? I know you hate being alone but?" Henry sighed shaking his head as his brother tried coaxing more out of him. He drew in a shaky breath wanting to cry, he was just so lost and upset over being upset and alone.

"Two lock downs... Two alone- I? If this carries on for the next few years I don't... I don't want to be alone anymore! I want to settle down, I want an actual personal life! A relationship a family and? How? How am I gonna find all that? They want fame or money or something! Women never seem to want me for me, they say the do then judge me for my hobbies- I'm a geek I like tech and games and fantasy! And women don't like that" he spewed the words like they were venom, half ashamed of being so dramatic but the fear was real. Henry was scared, he wanted love. He wanted a family of his own, and it seemed impossible, now more then ever.

"I want to meet someone who will take me as I am, for me and I just I'm giving up. I'm giving up on it I can feel it, almost forty and look, alone unmarried no kids-I have no one to share my life with, it hurts am I not good enough for that?"  He hung his head as he spoke the final words put loud. He felt so vain and full of himself when he said them out loud, his skin crawled.

But it was how he felt, being the muscular decent looking man he was didn't go with his personality. He was a geek and the woman who were drawn to him didn't want that. And the woman that shared his hobbies normally weren't confident enough to even speak to him. Society's views on acceptable couples had put Henry in no mans land.

"What about online dating?" His brother spoke up but Henry just grunted rolling his eyes frustrated.

"What? No I cant do that I'd be fucking swamped" he hissed in irritation frustrated at the mere suggestion of him trying to date online.

"Whoa hold your horses let me finish I mean come on Hen there's bound to be hundreds of shy sweet women on there, I mean girls that are into your hobbies and stuff aren't usually the ones out and about partying and stuff, so its more likely they will be online" his brother quickly explained before Henry could pop off on one and shut him down.

Henry opened his mouth and stopped himself. That was a good point. Many of the women he would click with weren't going to be in bars or fancy parties. They were normally shy and at home most of the time reading or playing games.

"I... You really think i could meet someone? Meet the one online?" He asked in a small voice warming to the idea. His sibling smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes little brother, your a down to earth guy, just make a profile and have a look, if you don't like what you see you can delete the profile" henry nodded slowly thinking it over. There'd be no harm if he failed well he'd be no worse off, a little disheartened but that's about it.

"Look write down a few things you want in your dream girl, have a pseudo name like fucking I don't know Hank! Or something and say your a runner on set or something" his brother spoke up quickly as Henry sat back and actually thought about it seriously. He was right, henry could tweak things and be careful about what he shared and if he did meet the one then she'd understand... He could explain the predicament he was in. That he just wanted someone who liked him for him. And he would only reveal himself to her if she was the one and he was sure she would understand. As long as he was himself and honest about everything else in his life then there was no harm... and if he used proper photos of himself just... half cropped out then? It wasn't catfishing? Because he was being himself just using the nickname his mother used to call him.

"O-okay so be myself but... Just tweak a few things? So they don't know its me?" He reiterated to his brother still trying to figure out the morality of this whole idea.

"Yes! No full on pictures, no photos of Kal either new photos henry not old, maybe of your eyes up or something? Girls love blue eyed boy- not your right that brown will give you away... you could even fuck em up with a behind the scenes character photo? I mean come on how many men use a superman photo for their profile these days?" He encouraged wanting more then anything to cheer up his little brother.

"I yeah... That could work ,thank you- I'm sorry I got so worked up it... Its just getting to me now" henry apologised but his brother shook his head and chuckled standing up to go back outside to the others that were all happily chatting in the garden.

"I know Hen, look just give it a go, you might be surprized... come on lets get back out there, after all you are the host~ you cant just run off and hide" henry grinned standing and following his brother. It was decided, he'd give online dating a go!

A week later Henry sat at the computer everything was ready, he'd taken some precise photos and had spent the last half hour writing a profile up. He had felt a little guilty about this... Was he lying? Technically it was him, he was going by Hank which was a nickname his parents gave him as a child, luckily this site didn't require a surname because honestly? He had no clue! To fend off some guilt he had thrown in a behind the scenes photo of himself as superman it wasn't much but it helped take the edge off. The other photos were cropped and there were a good few just so that the women knew he wasn't technically a catfish; he even did one with him covering half of his face with a piece of paper with Hank scrawled across it. At the time he felt silly but it helped with his anxiety over the whole thing.

He paused for a second eyeing the screen rereading the profile over and over trying to make sure it was alright and honest. And it was, he had explained a little about himself, his hobbies and interests and his job... Only brushing over he worked for the film and tv industry recently working for Netflix he hadn't exactly explained what he did but there was enough information.

With a deep breath he clicked the button his mouse hovered over going live with the profile. Now all he had to do was wait and hope he caught a good womans eye. Within moments a few profiles popped up, matches. He scanned them flicking through some of the profiles and felt his heart crack. They were all full of badly filtered photos and used slang that to be honest he didn't even understand. What was so hard about using plain English?

He growled growing frustrated clicking through what were clearly a bunch of wannabe sugar babies. Each profile had a main photo a little bit of info then a few more pictures added to them. He scanned each one quickly going through the motions judging each one. 'Too far away... Your clearly not even eighteen?... Oh you like dc? Really hate to break it to you but thor is not a dc character' Henry grunted as he bypassed what felt like hundreds of women each with their own 'duck face' selfie most advertising their Instagram pages some even ballsy enough to add their only fans pages.

'Wait a second who was that?' He paused and scrolled back up and eyed the image on screen. It was a face on photo a cute woman smiling uncomfortably. Unlike everyone else's there was no distorting blur or heavy editing, the only make up was in the form of eyeliner in a set of black slightly uneven cat eyes. A slightly skewed black flicks making a point of no editing on the photo.

She was a full figured woman with proper kissable round cheeks and a sweet nervous grin. Her eyes were what got him, they were kind and genuine he could see she was uneasy about the photo but she was beautiful. She lived about half hour away which wasn't to bad.

Henry clicked the profile and scrolled down she didn't smoke, drunk occasionally and had no children. She did however have a college education in animal care and ran a small business. Centred on dogs by the looks of it. He moved further down reading the profile.

Y/n, 30, business owner, e/c, 5'4, curvy

I'm shy so will take a while to warm up to you. A honest woman, sometimes to honest I don't seem to have a filter 🤗 I'm laid back and tend to be sarcastic and I love animals I'm a kc certified dog breeder as well as run a small successful business that caters to dogs. So if you are allergic or don't like dogs then leave now but thank you for clicking🙃

I spend most of my free time gaming or reading. I enjoy the fantasy genre and love dc and marvel (though I love dc just a tad more🤫)

I have one fur baby in the form of my lovely girl Amii who is a three year old malamute. Yes malamute not a husky or Akita so again if you don't like dogs or big dogs I'm not the girl for you.

I'm looking for someone to have fun and maybe build a life with. Covid has been tough being single and decided that it was about time I tried this whole online dating thing. If you want to chat pop me a message 🥰

I do not have a personal Instagram, snapchat or only fans! Stop asking for pictures!😠😠

Henry's face split into a huge grin. She seemed to good to be true. She was wholesome, successful in her own right and looked fun. She didn't seem to be full of kale and bullshit. Just genuine and? Henry couldn't put his finger on it but there was something drawing him to this woman.

True to her word there was no Instagram link, no only fans or snap chat or anything. He scrolled further seeing photos of her and the biggest fluffiest dog he had ever seen in his life. She was sitting down next to who he assumed was Amii her dog and he melted. Y/n looked happy and content, living her best life.

There was nothing that sent alarm bells ringing, no racey photos or 'Netflix and chill' innuendos. The profile was clean and genuine.  He was right the woman was a little chunky but extraordinarily beautiful. The curves suited her and made her look more... cheerful and he could tell she was strong aswell, you had to be to have a huge dog like that about you.

There were photos of her walking a large pack of dogs in the wood; that he recognised! They were the very same he took Kal to only ten minuets down the road, he even recognised the small logo of her company on the jacket she wore. He had seen dog walkers wearing the same jacket so he knew of her brand. I he remembered correctly the company offered dog walking, grooming and kennel facilities as well as offering Breeding services helping stud dogs and stuff. They also helped advertise registered breeders and took in rescues for rehoming. It was a brilliant little company that he had even used for Kal once or twice to get his teeth cleaned and nails clipped, because Kal was a bugger for his pedicures!

He moved further down seeing more photos of the woman a small section with the games and tv she liked. Witcher was in both the tv and games category aswell as peaky blinders, Vikings and a few other shows.

Henry paused as he saw the chat button. Should he? He but his lip twisting on the spot in he chair rocking from side to side. What harm is there? He could just send a message she looked like a fun loving woman, he shared the same interests and stuff... so why not?

His fingers hovered over the keys ready to type out the words. But he choked. His mind ran blank what does he say? Hi? I saw your profile? Does he ask for a date? What does he do?

He let his hands fall and growled. Then scanned over the side of the message bar seeing a few pre-typed responses.

'It's a match!' 'You look fun, lets chat' 'I like your profile picture'

He winced they all seemed... wrong? Somehow they were polite and all but it- they wasn't personal or anything just... not quite right. He looked down as Kal came padding over and slumped next to him resting his chin on his foot with a loud sigh. With that Henry had an idea typing away a little message and hitting send before he could really think.

You sighed typing away the latest wage slips and added up all the various overtime, you really needed some more staff on now that lockdown was coming to an end. Thankfully animal care was essential so you hadn't been hit too hard a few staff were on furlough as they were extreme high risk and shielding but you were going out of your way to make the premises covid safe. Luckily it wasn't too hard as much of the business was just a few staff and lots of dogs.

You frowned when a chat icon popped up in to corner of your screen. 'Hank?' You though trying to remember if you knew a Hank? Maybe a client or some old friend... but you honestly couldn't recall. You l saved your document and clicked the small icon bringing up a chat and frowned a you read the little message.

'I call my dog bear but he has nothing on Amii, Shes the fluffiest dog I've ever seen in my life she looks perfect for bear hugs😅'

'what the hell?' You cursed scrunching your nose up at the screen rereading the words. That's a bit random... you clicked his icon a small photo of half of his face then froze as a dating profile opened up. 'Oh... shit' you said seeing that your own profile you'd set up a few days ago out of curiosity had garnered the attention of the handsome blue eyed stranger. You swallowed biting you lip thoughts of finishing updating your records now gone as you scanned Hanks profile and a small smile crossed your face.

Hank, 37, works in the film industry. Blue eyes, 6ft, muscular.

Decided to finally try this online dating, unsure what to say other then I'm looking for a life partner. I like to think I'm funny and laid back. I'm fit and active but that doesn't mean you have to be, but maybe my lady could come for walks with me and my four legged son? I promise he's my best freind and a good boy.

My job is tough and I'm away for long periods of time, but when I'm home I like to play games and am into warcraft. I paint miniatures when I can. Fantasy and superheroes are a big part of my hobbies so if you don't like all things geek then I'm probably not for you.

But if they are? Then feel free to message me, I will reply when I can.

You read and re-read the profile And your hands hovered over your chicklet keyboard. Biting your lip, do you respond? He seemed sweet and real... if that made sense. You took a deep breath. What was the worst that could happen? Asking for a plane ticket? You decided to take a chance and typed back a reply hitting send whilst you had your nerve and then flushed.

"And they say fluffy dogs only lure in women~" You giggled to yourself  moving a hand over the huge fluffy girl beside you giving her pets whislt thinking of a reply.

[livingcorner]

How Easy Is It To Keep Chickens In The Garden?

Keeping chickens in the garden should be no different to looking after guinea pigs or rabbits. They will need housing, food, care and attention, which will involve spending both time and money, but you’ll find the effort and expense very rewarding.

What Type Of Coop Do I Need?

Whatever shape or size, coops should provide a safe haven from the weather and predators. They should be robustly built to withstand strong winds and offer shelter for hens who may not have experienced rain before. However, the main difference between commercially available coops is whether or not they have an integral run enclosed by wire mesh.

You're reading: How Easy Is It To Keep Chickens In The Garden?

The starter chicken coop is a good example of a coop that has an integral run. If sited on grass, you must be physically able to regularly re-locate a coop with a run attached. If the hen house or coop does not have a run it can remain static but you will have to fence off an adjacent area to guard the hens from predation.

How Much Space Do Chickens Need?

The size of the coop is dependent on the number of chickens you have. The floor space inside a coop should be approximately 4sq ft per hen, but it is always a good idea to buy a coop larger than your present needs to accommodate more hens when you become more experienced in keeping them and want to expand the flock.

What Features Should A Coop Have?

As chicken coops are going to be outside in all weathers, buy one made from good quality materials such as pressure treated wood. Make sure the coop is weatherproof and the nesting box dry. Although draught free, there should be some ventilation. Any mesh should be made from heavy duty galvanized wire. There should be a ‘pop door’ for the hens to go in and out of the nest box and make sure that the coop is easy to look after without having to be disassembled. Everywhere should be within reach when you clean and disinfect.

Where Do I Position My Chicken Coop?

You do not have to position the coop on grass, but this is the most popular choice. It will need to be relocated every one – three days before the grass becomes totally worn out. Hens will scratch all the grass and moss up to uncover tasty insects, so it is unlikely that your lawn will remain pristine for very long. On hard surfaces, litter such as wood shavings should be used to cover the floor, these will absorb droppings and will regularly need to be changed depending on the depth.

Read more: How to Plant a Vegetable Garden in 10 Steps

What Equipment Do I Need?

A pair of gloves, a small shovel and wheelbarrow / container to transport waste bedding material to a compost heap, a hard brush, torch for when its dark, food and water dispensers, disinfectant for the feeders and coop.

What Do You Feed Chickens?

To keep laying, your hens need be fed a good quality balanced diet twice a day. If your hens are ex-battery animals you will need to wean them off the mash they have been fed and onto Layers Crumble or Pellets, these contain all the nutrients they need. On average each hen will consume between 100g – 150g (3½oz – 5¼oz per day throughout the year).

Extra treats in the form of mixed corn (wheat and maze) are always appreciated especially to fatten poultry up before the winter and after moulting. Feeding scraps from your kitchen is now banned by DEFRA.

Fresh water must be available at all times. Grit also needs to be provided to help digestion and oyster shell pieces will ensure your chickens have enough calcium to produce hard egg shells. Apple cider vinegar has a range of minerals and vitamins and should be diluted occasionally with your hens’ water.

Do Chickens Eat Garden Plants?

Yes, and some are potentially poisonous such as daffodils, foxgloves and sweat peas. Although chickens will eat weeds they will also love your vegetable plot, particular favourites are lettuce, spinach, kale, beetroot and tomatoes. They will consume any herbs that you are growing, and lavender, sage, mint and other aromatic herbs added to their nesting material can help keep it smelling sweet.

How Do I Protect My Chickens From Foxes?

To prevent foxes accessing an exterior run by digging or climbing you need a fence that is approximately 5ft – 6ft high and buried 8ins – 12ins into the earth. Only good quality wire mesh should be used, chicken wire is inadequate if used on its own.

Electric fencing is another option or an electric wire running along the bottom of the fence to prevent digging and higher up to discourage climbing. Both of these can be mains or solar powered.

For coops with an integral run you can fix a galvanized wire mesh skirt all the way round to discourage digging. All access points in a coop need to be fitted with a latch and the hens secured between dusk and dawn by shutting the pop hole.

Read more: Feng Shui Tips For Luck And Wealth: 7 Ways To Use Elephant In Your Home Decor

These are all tried and trusted strategies but there is plenty of information available on how to deter foxes foxes in your garden, these include a wide variety of methods ranging from chemical repellents to lifelike ornaments.

How Much Time Does It Take To Look After Chickens?

Caring for your hens does not take long each day, perhaps fifteen minutes. Make sure they have enough fresh food and water, collect any eggs, clear away any detritus and trouble shoot any problems. Once a week or fortnight thoroughly clean and disinfect the coop.

How Many Eggs Will My Chickens Lay?

Even rescue hens who are no longer commercially viable will lay an egg each or every other day. This will decrease as they get older and during the winter when daylight is shorter.

What Ailments Do Chickens Suffer From?

Lice, and three different types of mite – northern, scaly leg and red – can all be treated and prevented by good hygiene and regular cleaning. Mycoplasma is a respiratory disease that will affect the chickens’ immune system but is again treatable. You would be very unlucky to suffer avian influenza, and this must be reported to DEFRA.

What Regulations Are There For Keeping Chickens In The Garden?

There are no laws preventing you keeping hens, providing they are looked after properly and their welfare is taken seriously. However, it is advisable to check your property deeds or consult your landlord to make sure there are no covenants preventing the keeping of livestock. If you have a flock of over 50 birds, you must notify DEFRA, they can also provide you with a wealth of information on keeping chickens in the garden.

Where Can I Buy Chickens?

Hybrid and pure bred hens can be purchased from suppliers throughout the country but many people find rescuing ex-factory farm hens from slaughter an appealing alternative. They are docile, inoculated and still laying lots of eggs. Contact the British Hen Welfare Trust who have various regular collection points, there’s a donation of £5 per hen.

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/how-easy-is-it-to-keep-chickens-in-the-garden/

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by R. Ann Parris on The Prepper Journal.

An overabundance of eggs or milk is a good problem to have. It’s one some families will never experience, but it’s a common enough problem that it pops up annually on Facebook groups, homesteading and preparedness forums, and family gatherings.

I’m a huge proponent of various preservation methods, from freezing and oiling eggs to churning and pressing home-raised milk into salted butters and hard cheeses for later use. I’m especially a fan of the pre-modern storage methods. Sometimes, though, there’s just not enough time or space to develop skills or store it all.

If we have livestock and pets, they’re happy to help us deal with those gluts, as well as our table and garden scraps. In many cases, they’ll reward us with increased health or production as a result. Almost always, if we’re paying for our feed anyway, labor or cash, using our gluts can help us cut some of the costs.

Incredible Edible Egg

One of those things that so commonly pops up at day classes, tours, and online is an overabundance of eggs. There are many ways to use and store them, but sometimes there are still eggs ad nauseam.

Easy fix. It starts with scrambling them. You can cook a whole lot of eggs really quickly in either a steam table tray or a lasagna dish. You can even use a big metal mixing bowl.

  You do want to scramble them, or boil and mince them. Otherwise, birds and other animals start associating those ovals with tasty nibbles.

Once that habits starts, it’s hard to break and it regularly spreads.

(Psst … Watch hogs – They don’t need the introduction to know eggs are tasty. It’s in their genetic coding to eat eggs of pretty much any kind.)

Eggs are fantastic due to the protein content – it’s usually proteins we’re paying the most for in our pet and livestock feeds. And while rich, most animals have no problem consuming them.

That makes them an excellent addition or replacement for dogs, cats, any poultry, and pigs – especially the young birds that need higher levels of protein to grow, carnivourous pets, and high-production laying hens.

  Whole, Raw Milk

Like eggs, milk is an excellent source of protein and calories. Most poultry is sensitive to milk and other dairy products, however, cats, dogs, and pigs can handle raw milks and pasteurized goat or sheep milk just fine, even if they’re lactose intolerant with supermarket milks.

Pasteurization destroys some of the milk enzymes as well as bacteria and viruses that cause illness. It’s those enzymes – still present in raw milk and soft products made from raw milk – that make it more digestible. Goat and sheep milk have different types of fats and enzymes, which leave them more consumable for more of the population than cattle milks.

(Psst … Penn State did a dairy waste milk study in 2015. They suggest not giving finishing hogs commercial milk due to antibiotic presence, but saw 6-7% cost decreases when nursery hogs were offered that waste milk.)

Whole milk is too rich a resource to let it go to waste. It’s also rich enough that if it’s being given as more than a dribble for cats and dogs, or a quart or half gallon for hogs, it’s worth doing some figuring with a Pearson square for proteins (and calories) so you can cut back on other feeds.

That’s the point, after all. Using up our gluts, but doing it in a way that doesn’t increase the cost we’ve already put into producing those gluts.

Livestock Trash Compactors

In many cases, chickens and hogs will eat anything that doesn’t eat them first. It’s one of the things that makes them useful on a homestead of any size. Goats that can help keep fields and fences cleared are also big winners.

Chickens especially, though, sometimes just aren’t capable of being foragers, and won’t survive or thrive on the same levels of feed substitution.

There’s a big difference between homestead-bred dual-purpose heritage breed birds that hunt but are easy to handle like the Dominique, and something like the white cross hybrids that would die of heart attacks or develop broken legs from their own body weight by 9-12 months of age.

There’s also a big difference in birds that have no idea you can peck into the big orange thing for tasty squash and seeds, and birds that grew up thinking it was totally natural to at least attempt to munch anything in the same space as them.

It’s not just the egg-meat yields. As with dipping a chick’s beak to show it how to eat and drink, some of our livestock have lost the skill to feed themselves, even heritage breeds.

If you’re going to try to use some of the garden produce to replace feeds, especially, you’ll want one that’s been bred to have an adaptable stomach.

If you’re specifically looking for livestock that will do well on a varied diet, especially if you’re after bug hunters and foraging birds, the Livestock Conservancy is a good site to visit. The mypetchickens.com site is also an excellent resource, but the Livestock Conservancy is nice enough to make at-a-glance comparison charts for us.

They compile ratings that include foraging skills (and predator savviness) along with other breed information.

Working with breeds that can do well on self-found foods, rough browse over higher-protein, higher-calorie hays and grains – even if their production is lower – isn’t just useful for decreasing glut wastes. The ability to replace feeds, not just give a treat, becomes a sustainability issue for truly long-term disasters.

Cats and ferrets, too, may take a while to warm up to the idea of new foods if they’re straight bag-can animals. I hear there are picky dogs, too. I haven’t actually run into any that aren’t delighted by milk or eggs and scraps, but I hear they’re out there. Somewhere.

  Calories Matter

Sometimes as I follow along various blogs and social media, I end up feeling sorry for somebody. That was the case when I read this article http://farmfolly.com/2011/03/complete-costs-of-raising-pigs/. It’s a fabulous write-up about home-raised hogs, with excellent price and input-output charting.

What I want to draw attention to is what they fed their hogs, and the realizations they reached once it was all said and done.

Two market-sized hogs of a lean, meat-heavy breed consumed 1,350# swine feed, 50# squash (pumpkins), and 38# of eggs (ten eggs per pound, 380 eggs). They got other garden produce as well, but those were the significant sources of proteins and calories.

And in the end, all the labor, cost, water and feed/fertilizer that went into those eggs and pumpkins amounted to barely more than 1 percent of the hogs’ diets.

The author surmises that feeding hogs on grain is inefficient. I have to assume that’s a typo, or a reflection of hogs’ efficiency – not grain efficiency. I feel safer in that assumption since the author makes the point, “We had hoped these would reduce our feed bill. The numbers tell a different story … One really gains a sense for how calorie dense grain is when you realize that 380 eggs and 50 pounds of squash represent the calorie contents of just 18 pounds of grain.”

That’s not intended to blast a hole in everything I’ve said about using up gluts. It’s intended to make us aware of the effort-reward scale that will be vital if we’re trying to cut cords now or planning to live off our land at some point.

What we feed – to which animals – should factor in the type of animals.

Those 380 eggs go almost nowhere between two hogs – 1.4-1.6% of their total feed for the ones raised by that blogger. That’s about 2 days at market weight, off the annual yield of a high-producing layer – which is being fed as well, and high-quality specialized feed at that.

However, 380 eggs between my two smaller hounds (45-55#) is protein and a big chunk of calories for 95 meals.

In prepper world-down conversions, I can just about keep those dogs for two months off the annual yield of a single high-yielding hen on bagged feed or a pair of hens fed off mixed forage, garden patrol, and worm bins.

  Then, being me, I bang my head at the thought of feeding an animal that can thrive as an herbivore pumpkins instead of grain.

(Psst … if you can produce 50# of pumpkins, you can produce 18# of wheat, barley and oats – usually with fewer pests, irrigation, and fertilizer, regularly in less time, and reap far higher protein yields while you’re at it, along with bedding straw or mulch.)

When we opt to feed gluts, or aim for production, we need to consider each component in our system, and weigh where our efforts are being placed.  I’m better served using my glut for an animal where it makes a significant difference than I am something where it barely even registers in their feed needs.

That’s one place where a SWOT analysis intended for business practice can be a huge benefit.

For that, I need to have done my homework on each animal. How efficiently they convert those foods depends on calorie and proteins and total bulk needs. It goes back to size, type, and specific breed – and the specific genetic lines of those breeds.

Switching Diets

Whenever we change feeds, it’s a good idea to do so slowly. We also want to be careful how much rich foods we offer at once.

The 10 percent-10 days rule works like a charm for most animals, although I rarely use it since I’ve been hugely lucky with my stock and pets.

If your animals have a history of intolerance or sensitivity, and with young or senior animals, consider moving very slowly indeed. However, animals that often get a variety of foods commonly keep diverse gut bacteria that decreases the risk of having negative reactions.

At some point, if we’re looking at a long-term disaster – whether it’s an extended job loss, an issue that interrupts shipping or our ability to fetch feeds, or a major national or international disaster – we’ll have to consider the sustainability of our animals. Having some tricks in the back pocket to make use of gluts can help us make plans, as well as avoid waste.

    The post Preppers – Got Glut? Cut Feed Bills! appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

from The Prepper Journal Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

[livingcorner]

How Easy Is It To Keep Chickens In The Garden?@|how to look after chickens in your garden@|https://www.gardensite.co.uk/cdn-cgi/image/width=500/https://www.gardensite.co.uk/database_images/1112.jpg@|21

Keeping chickens in the garden should be no different to looking after guinea pigs or rabbits. They will need housing, food, care and attention, which will involve spending both time and money, but you’ll find the effort and expense very rewarding.

What Type Of Coop Do I Need?

Whatever shape or size, coops should provide a safe haven from the weather and predators. They should be robustly built to withstand strong winds and offer shelter for hens who may not have experienced rain before. However, the main difference between commercially available coops is whether or not they have an integral run enclosed by wire mesh.

[external_link_head]

The starter chicken coop is a good example of a coop that has an integral run. If sited on grass, you must be physically able to regularly re-locate a coop with a run attached. If the hen house or coop does not have a run it can remain static but you will have to fence off an adjacent area to guard the hens from predation.

How Much Space Do Chickens Need?

The size of the coop is dependent on the number of chickens you have. The floor space inside a coop should be approximately 4sq ft per hen, but it is always a good idea to buy a coop larger than your present needs to accommodate more hens when you become more experienced in keeping them and want to expand the flock.

What Features Should A Coop Have?

As chicken coops are going to be outside in all weathers, buy one made from good quality materials such as pressure treated wood. Make sure the coop is weatherproof and the nesting box dry. Although draught free, there should be some ventilation. Any mesh should be made from heavy duty galvanized wire. There should be a ‘pop door’ for the hens to go in and out of the nest box and make sure that the coop is easy to look after without having to be disassembled. Everywhere should be within reach when you clean and disinfect.

Where Do I Position My Chicken Coop?

You do not have to position the coop on grass, but this is the most popular choice. It will need to be relocated every one – three days before the grass becomes totally worn out. Hens will scratch all the grass and moss up to uncover tasty insects, so it is unlikely that your lawn will remain pristine for very long. On hard surfaces, litter such as wood shavings should be used to cover the floor, these will absorb droppings and will regularly need to be changed depending on the depth.

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What Equipment Do I Need?

A pair of gloves, a small shovel and wheelbarrow / container to transport waste bedding material to a compost heap, a hard brush, torch for when its dark, food and water dispensers, disinfectant for the feeders and coop.

What Do You Feed Chickens?

To keep laying, your hens need be fed a good quality balanced diet twice a day. If your hens are ex-battery animals you will need to wean them off the mash they have been fed and onto Layers Crumble or Pellets, these contain all the nutrients they need. On average each hen will consume between 100g – 150g (3½oz – 5¼oz per day throughout the year).

Extra treats in the form of mixed corn (wheat and maze) are always appreciated especially to fatten poultry up before the winter and after moulting. Feeding scraps from your kitchen is now banned by DEFRA.

Fresh water must be available at all times. Grit also needs to be provided to help digestion and oyster shell pieces will ensure your chickens have enough calcium to produce hard egg shells. Apple cider vinegar has a range of minerals and vitamins and should be diluted occasionally with your hens’ water.

Do Chickens Eat Garden Plants?

Yes, and some are potentially poisonous such as daffodils, foxgloves and sweat peas. Although chickens will eat weeds they will also love your vegetable plot, particular favourites are lettuce, spinach, kale, beetroot and tomatoes. They will consume any herbs that you are growing, and lavender, sage, mint and other aromatic herbs added to their nesting material can help keep it smelling sweet.

How Do I Protect My Chickens From Foxes?

To prevent foxes accessing an exterior run by digging or climbing you need a fence that is approximately 5ft – 6ft high and buried 8ins – 12ins into the earth. Only good quality wire mesh should be used, chicken wire is inadequate if used on its own.

Electric fencing is another option or an electric wire running along the bottom of the fence to prevent digging and higher up to discourage climbing. Both of these can be mains or solar powered.

For coops with an integral run you can fix a galvanized wire mesh skirt all the way round to discourage digging. All access points in a coop need to be fitted with a latch and the hens secured between dusk and dawn by shutting the pop hole.

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These are all tried and trusted strategies but there is plenty of information available on how to deter foxes foxes in your garden, these include a wide variety of methods ranging from chemical repellents to lifelike ornaments.

How Much Time Does It Take To Look After Chickens?

Caring for your hens does not take long each day, perhaps fifteen minutes. Make sure they have enough fresh food and water, collect any eggs, clear away any detritus and trouble shoot any problems. Once a week or fortnight thoroughly clean and disinfect the coop.

How Many Eggs Will My Chickens Lay?

Even rescue hens who are no longer commercially viable will lay an egg each or every other day. This will decrease as they get older and during the winter when daylight is shorter.

What Ailments Do Chickens Suffer From?

Lice, and three different types of mite – northern, scaly leg and red – can all be treated and prevented by good hygiene and regular cleaning. Mycoplasma is a respiratory disease that will affect the chickens’ immune system but is again treatable. You would be very unlucky to suffer avian influenza, and this must be reported to DEFRA.

What Regulations Are There For Keeping Chickens In The Garden?

There are no laws preventing you keeping hens, providing they are looked after properly and their welfare is taken seriously. However, it is advisable to check your property deeds or consult your landlord to make sure there are no covenants preventing the keeping of livestock. If you have a flock of over 50 birds, you must notify DEFRA, they can also provide you with a wealth of information on keeping chickens in the garden.

Where Can I Buy Chickens?

Hybrid and pure bred hens can be purchased from suppliers throughout the country but many people find rescuing ex-factory farm hens from slaughter an appealing alternative. They are docile, inoculated and still laying lots of eggs. Contact the British Hen Welfare Trust who have various regular collection points, there’s a donation of £5 per hen.

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source https://livingcorner.com.au/how-easy-is-it-to-keep-chickens-in-the-gardenhow-to-look-after-chickens-in-your-gardenhttps-www-gardensite-co-uk-cdn-cgi-image-width500-https-www-gardensite-co-uk-database_images-1112-j/