Finding, Growing and/or Breeding Food

[eightyduce]

As it is Easter, I thought I would write about the Incredible Edible EGG and the factory that produces them, the chicken. These feathered friends are fantastic in the post zombie apocalyptic world. They can be kept in a relatively small area, eat almost any and everything put in front of them. Chickens produce a continuous supply of fresh food via the eggs and meat. Chickens are great for insect and small pest control and are great early warning systems. Last but not least the waste product (chicken poo) will add nutrients to your soil for farming creating a healthier garden.

I like the Bantam breed of chicken, they come in all colors and sizes to suit a wide variety of uses and tastes, the roosters are friendly to humans, will fiercely protective of their flock against wild predators, even large family dogs, and you (depending on feed, age of the chicken, and season) can get from 1 to 4 eggs a day from each chicken (Roosters excluded). So if you can imagine having a half dozen or so of hens and a rooster or 2, your food quality and supplies will grow.

Chickens don’t lay eggs for the first 6 to 7 months of their lives and don’t need a rooster to stimulate the laying process. After about 2 years the hen’s egg production will begin to drop off, making the hen more valuable as a main course than egg producers. A Bantam hen once butchered is just perfect size for a dinner for two (Cornish hen style).

Things to remember:
1. Do not name your chickens (it’s hard to eat the family pet)
2. Start with quality stock (professional breeder)
3. Provide shelter and an area to roam (Chicken coop)
4. Store-bought feed designed for the purpose of egg production
5. or - let them eat a free range diet in the summer and give them your table scraps year round
6. Clean out the chicken coop or pen at least twice per year
7. Age the chicken manure in your compost heap for one full year, then add it to your garden soil
8. Eggs are great trade items (can be frozen safely outside their shells)

If you want to keep your continuous food supply safe make sure you have a few roosters in the hen house. Chickens will lay eggs without a rooster but there will be no chicks (chickens) without the man of the coop doing his job.


What are you going to do to extend your survival food supply?

[Faran Brigo]

I've had chickens, actually. They're relatively easy to take care of as far as livestock goes, but it's still not quite as easy as it sounds. Good idea though.

Food for thought. Hmm... I remember crows in movies pecking zombies without being affected. Think chickens could peck zombies as well? would the meat be edible if they did?

[Zombie_215]

Food for thought. Hmm... I remember crows in movies pecking zombies without being affected. Think chickens could peck zombies as well? would the meat be edible if they did?

Chickens usually shy away from people when they walk towards them. At least that is what the chickens did when my family raised them.

[Faran Brigo]

I meant more in the sense of using neutralized zombies as chicken fodder actually

[Evil Pug]

Originally Posted by Faran Brigo

Hmm... I remember crows in movies pecking zombies without being affected. Think chickens could peck zombies as well? would the meat be edible if they did?

Zombie Chickens!

http://www.poultrygeistmovie.com/movie/synopsis/

[eightyduce]

During WW-II, Korea, and Vietnam U.S. soldiers farmed “rats” for the protein and survival. As we all know “rats” are prolific breeders, will eat almost anything, and are sturdy critters that can be raised is a very small cage.

Rat meat is very tasty (yes, I’ve eaten RAT, lots of it) and can stretch the survivors food stores a long way. The hind quarters are the best; they have the largest percentage of meat to bone ratio. I recommend, butcher the rat, harvest the hind quarters, feed the leftover carcass to your breeding stock, and live happily ever after.

To some eating a “rat” might sound a little grotesque but it is better than dying of starvation.

[Darkness]

"Rat, Squirrel, Possum, Snake, Rabbit, Crawdad, Chipmunk or Chicken, meat is meat."

[korosukami]

Originally Posted by Darkness

"Rat, Squirrel, Possum, Snake, Rabbit, Crawdad, Chipmunk or Chicken, meat is meat."

what's a crawdad?

i would raise cows.. just like 3 of them. there are tribes in africa that survive only with one cow. what they do for food is mix the cow's milk with the cow's blood ad let it coagulate making a good source of vitamin, mineral and food. then when the cow gets too old they eat it

[zmbvan]

Originally Posted by korosukami

what's a crawdad?

It is the spider of the sea...

[Darkness]

Originally Posted by korosukami

what's a crawdad?

"A 'crawdad', better known as a 'crayfish', is a water crustacean that's related to the lobster, and is similar to prawns and shrimp."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayfish

[Tripoli]

The MUD BUG was cool. Can you really do the chicken thing?

[fester_hicks]

chickens would be a good way to go. AND you could use them as bait for attracting larger predators.

[DBCooper]

I love this too. . . And don't forget to think of your garden snails... These are good too. . . S-car-go ROFL!

[Lian]

I actually had considered chickens both for their incredible usefulness as a food source but because Chicken is high in Nitrates and can be used in the manufacture of Potassium-nitrate which is a key ingredient in Gun Powder. I've actually got a little book on Chicken farming sitting around here somewhere.


That little Tid Bit aside if it Fly's, runs, swim's or crawls on this earth it's generally safe to eat. Throw a little Tabasco on it and we got a meal.

[Darkness]

"And don't forget, Pig = Methane Gas."