Category: Chickens

So, You want to Support our Farm!

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Briden Farm Creating Fun Farm Experiences

We’ve had a number of people say they’d like to support us and our efforts! We’re thankful for each of You! 

 Many aren’t sure the best way to support us, or want to help, but can’t afford a lot. We fully understand! Absolutely we do! These are tough times for all of us. 

To help provide a simple way for you to support us is to “Buy Me A Coffee”! Sounds funny! Right? 

Well, it’s pretty neat actually…

Not just because some people buy me a coffee, but because the “Buy Me A Coffee” program allows us to setup membership or contribution levels that meet most budgets, help our budget, and allows you to choose a level of support that you’re comfortable with. While at the same time allowing you to Choose to Sponsor a Chicken, Duck, or Goat!

Learn More … Click Here 

 

 

Keeping Vigil at Briden Farm

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Woodland Pastured Goats

Ok, so, I’m tired, I’m stressed, and I finally have a better understanding of what my Dad, Vic Hurlburt Sr., used to experience when he had sheep! Although We don’t have Sheep…

We have Goats! Only four adult does at the moment. One had two kids on July 6th. The other three are due to freshen within the next couple weeks. 

Now, in fairness to my Daddy, who passed in 2013, but I think still keeps an eye on us, He had as many as 300 Sheep! So, my keeping vigil over three to four pregnant doe Goats… Certainly doesn’t compare! 

Although it’s basically the same process. Hurry up and wait! The three who are currently still pregnant, I think, are Eve Our Saanen Goat, Sophie, and Ella.

Ella is a little to young, not really, but under normal circumstances I would have waited a year or so before breeding her for the first time. As it is she got bred at 10 months. So, hopefully, will be freshening for the first time, this month at 15 months. She has been showing signs of late stage pregnancy for nearly a week now! Goop, Pawing, Bedding, and yesterday I am pretty sure she had a bout of early contractions. Yet, still no movement! 

Sophie is about 8-9 years old, she’s a complete sweetheart around people, and we even had her walk with us in the Bear River Cherry Carnival. She’s usually very friendly and almost wants to cuddle, and the past day or so she’s becoming more distant. Laying down, getting up, and while she still came to greet me this morning she just seems a little off. It’s funny how different goats act different when they’re getting close to giving birth. 

Eve, she’s my Sweetheart. We got her last March at supposed age of 11 years. Most only live till 11 or 12 years. Eve was still in milk after two years when we got her. I continued to milk her through November. She’s a gentle, loving lady, who loves to be milked. She’s actually older than we like to breed, but I’m really hoping to have a little doe to carry on her line. 

All in all it’s fun, but it’s also kind of nerve racking. With Ella being young, and Eve being old, it’s a concern. The kids are going to be born on Woodland pasture. So, even worried a bit about predators. 

The kidding season for us should be over by month end, thankfully, as the does were exposed to a young Buck for six weeks in February and March. 

With all this going on, we’re probably crazy to do Tours, but it’s really the best time of year! We have lots of Babies, Bunnies, Chicks, Ducklings, Goat Kids, Kittens, and more!

We actually enjoy doing Farm Tours, and we don’t charge at this point, but we are open to Donations which help pay for feed.

Book You Farm Tour … 

Call Brian at 902-907-0770

Pet Peve About Bovan Brown Buyers

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Bovan Brown Laying Hens

Ok, I know, what a Title! It comes down to this, yes we have Bovan Brown Hens For Sale. No, You can’t pick them up today! Funnier still! Right? 

Nova Scotia is under a Heat 🔥 Warning, and this is literally our fourth day being hotter than Costa Rica some 4,200 Kms to our South! 

Meanwhile, we’ve been contacted by two potential Buyers, both demanding they get their birds today! Actually, one was Friday and the other today, Sunday! Both could only come get them in the exact day they first asked for them! First Red Flag! 

The second red flag is when they ask how many we have? Really none of their business! A better question would be, “Can we get “X” number of birds?” Why does it matter how many, or how few, we have? 

Both of these first two questions makes me wonder about their true motives!? Are they activists making inquiries to try to trip us up? Or are they so inexperienced they just don’t know any better!? 

Then, after I explain to them that Chickens get heat stressed when the Temperature goes above 24/25 Celsius, and so no yo7 can’t pick them up today! We’ll get them when they go to roost tonight and have them ready for pickup in the morning. After we explain that, the buyer doesn’t even reply! How Rude!

Even though these hens come to us when the Free Range Operations we source from are getting rid of their birds, that doesn’t mean we’re not going to look after them!

Yes, we’re a traditional farm, but we also give all our animals, pets and livestock, the best life we can for as long as we can. How many people have cats they’ve raised from kittens that are 18 years old!? 
Tis Gris

Suffice to say, we will always do our best to protect our animals and customers will come second! Which also means that we’ll know who you are, and where you’re from, before getting any of them! After all, these may be advertised on Kijiji but they are living beings, not some yard sale item! 

Honestly, we consider we pretty much rescue these Laying Hens! Yes, they come from Free Range operations, that doesn’t mean they’re in perfect shape when we get them. Often they are intensively farmed, hen pecked, and have perhaps come through a molt. Definitely not show birds! Yet, they still lay, often at 60-70% lay rate. When we get them we boost their shell, calcium, protein, and after a few weeks they begin to spruce up quite nicely! Perhaps that’s why many of our Customers are repeat customers! 

Our main goal is not to sell chickens! It’s to give them a better life! We charge just $10 a Hen, and that at a time when others are charging $20-$40 or more per bird! Yet, we’re only going to sell them when the time is right, and to those who will be responsible owners! 

Ok, end of Rant!

To all of our Customers, especially our repeat customers,

Thank You! 

If you have questions, or concerns, or you would like to make a purchase, please call me, Brian at Briden Farm 902-907-0770 

Making Seafood Chowder for Our Gardens!

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Making Seafood Chowder for Our Gardens

Here at Briden Farm, we try to do things, as much as possible, the natural old fashioned way! That includes making Liquid Fish Fertilizer! Actually, because it often has clams, or other things mixed in, we refer to it as Seafood Chowder for our Gardens! The following Video is humours, and shows how we make it, although it is not for the faint of heart as it does show the raw guts of the operation! So, if you’re faint of heart, you may not like it, but otherwise, I hope you enjoy, learn something, and also have a few laughs…

Hope You enjoyed that, and my helpers! If you’d like to learn more, come visit us at Briden Farm. Call Brian at 902-907-0770 now to Book Your Visit!