We recieve 250 baby chicks in the mail today at the post office. They get to the post office faster than coming with the delivery person. We ordered Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, White Rocks, Astrolopes, Production Reds, and Turkens (Naked Necks!). All seem to be doing fine.

For the first 2or 3 days, we use waters that use a quart canning jar for water. This keeps the chicks from drowning! We use 2 waters for 100 chicks. Bell waterers are added one to each brooder. These are wonderful because they are attached to a 5 gallon bucket that holds the water. It takes far less time to water!

Our Brooders are 4 feet by 8 feet and are 3 feet tall. These can be divided in half with a piece of plywood. For 3 days, the babies are kept in 1/2 the box until everyone gets used to being in the box and know where food and water is. After 3 days, the middle piece is removed and another heat light is added. Boy how the chicks love to run!

2 heat lights per 50 chicks is normal. Heat lights are about 18 inches above the floor. If the chicks are too cold, they will pile on top of one another...so if you have chicks watch them off and on for a couple of hours. They will tell you if they are cold...pile of chicks-lower the heat light 2 inches. Not under the light? Then raise the light 2 inches and check again in 10 minutes.

August 23, 2010

We are fastly approaching Fall and all the animals here have kicked it into high gear! Several litters of baby pigs are due any moment and several goats and pigs are now in heat. (Goats take 5 months to have kids-pigs take 3 months 3 weeks and 3 days to have their piglets)

Last week we recieved 300 more baby chicks (Broilers for eating) and 100 more baby turkeys These turkeys will be used for whole breasts, legs, ground turkey, and 1/2 bone in turkey breast (great for grilling). These won't be ready until February. It takes about 19 weeks to finish a turkey and get him to the right size!

Lambs are Here

Baby Goats

Baby Goats arrive every so often and we now have about 25 of them. A few of them did go to 4-Her's to show at the fair. We also had a few go to a sheep farmer. One of his ewes lost her lambs so now she is the mom of 2 baby goats!

Thank You for Saving our Meat Business

We here at R Family Farm would like to Thank each and every one of our customers for purchasing our Meat. By purchasing our meat either at the Farmers Markets or at our Store, you have all helped save our Meat Business. Animals take a huge amount of Feed and care and the costs are huge. Each one of you has helped us to be able to continue to raise our animals and be able to provide you with quality meat. We truly could not have been able to continue if it hadn't been for you. So, again, Thank You from the bottem of our hearts!

Fresh Chicken (unfrozen) Available Sept 3rd

We are making another trip to Amish to have our chickens butchered so we will have Fresh, unfrozen Chickens ONLY at our store on Friday September 3rd and Saturday Sept 4th. Please call ahead so we know how many to have!

We also have many cuts of Pork now. Our Brats are featured at the North Boone High School Football Games!

You can also email your order in and we can have it boxed up and ready for you at the Woodstock or Belvidere Farmer's Market. Deliver is also available to McHenry, Crystal Lake, and Geneva.