Jim:
I would like to clarify a point in the article, "Livestock for Survival" by Bobbi A. Regarding hens going "broody" – Probably not. There are very few breeds in which the hens will sit on their eggs, and even among broody breeds (such as Buff Orpingtons, which I raise) only a few hens will become broody. The broodiness trait has been intentionally bred out of chickens because a broody hen does not lay eggs. If you plan to raise your own chicks, have an incubator and power source as a backup.
Also, a suggestion: I have made arrangements with others in my area who also raise chickens. If I were to lose my rooster or all of my hens for some reason, my friends will re-supply me with chicks. I will do the same for them if the need arises. Having a backup arrangement like that could be crucial. – Stephen in Florida
JWR Replies: Here at the ranch, our no-tech solution has been to buy a couple of Bantam hens, for use as adoptive brooders in any year that we want to raise chicks from eggs. Since they are raised mostly for "show" rather than egg production (ha!), banties are notoriously broody.
James,
I don’t know any farmers (or any other group for that matter) who agree completely on everything. They may agree on a point, but place different values on the importance of that point. Bobbi knows what he is talking about and his solutions fit him. I do think he didn’t cover one point well.
I am in the process of bugging out to a very isolated area. (No roads within miles, etc.) I also suspect that the various municipalities, states etc will be hard pressed to keep some services such as water going. Cleanliness is next to godliness as far as disease is concerned, so I expect the filth produced by lack of water and garbage collection to produce a huge vector for disease. In a very isolated location, most human to human transferred disease will be unlikely to be a problem.
Studies have shown that rabbits convert pound for pound of food into about the same amount of protein as chickens per annum. Certainly no cook would consider doing without eggs, and rabbits just don’t cut it there. On the other hand, rabbits are not very prone to getting bird flu either. That is one disease that my isolation will not help, with crows, etc. having unrestricted license to fly where-ever they please. I haven’t yet totally decided to have no fowl, but I am concerned enough to give it very serious consideration. Now chickens are a much lower priority than rabbits in my book. In my location, getting land cleared and a first year crop off is easier with hay than seed grains, and rabbits eat hay. However, your mileage may vary. – Allen