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Love of baking leads to life with birds
Published Tuesday, March 11, 2008
MONTEREY — It was a love of baking, a dedication to feeding friends and family, and frugality that got Lois January into hen farming.
Or so she says.
“She’s telling you a big one there,” her husband Tommy said as he interrupted January’s story. “Cause she don’t bake that much!”
Tommy and Lois, Monterey residents, really got into the bird business because they wanted to, and for a dollar here and there.
Tommy raised birds — including peacocks, pheasants, quail and dove — as a child.
When he heard that a family in Tallulah was looking to get out of the business, the Januarys jumped at the opportunity to start their own.
For the past month, the Januarys have been building their flock, to over 30 birds ranging from their rare purple black-shouldered peacocks, to peach doves.
“Tommy came home one day with pheasants and peacocks,” Lois said. “And they were babies then so I thought they were turkeys.”
“And then to prove to me they were peacocks, he took me to the farm where he had gotten them and then I saw the green Emerald Spalding Peacock and I thought, cha-ching!”
A 1-year-old peacock can sell for approximately $35, Tommy said. Their eggs are also sold, often to the highest bidder.
Lois plans to get enough peacock eggs to fill the incubator they recently purchased, then start selling the eggs on Ebay.
But while Lois is the entrepreneur, Tommy just likes being in the coop.
“We look forward to getting home to a cup of coffee and to relaxing and watching the birds,” Tommy said.
Comments
Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on March 11, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
35 bucks a pop??? wow!! i've realy gotten into feeding the birds around my yard.. it's gotten to be FULL OF THEM!! lol wonder if i could set up a trap?? i'll let them go for 20 hahaha!!
good luck with the bird business really!! my boyfriend is always talking about 'making his killer living' by buying things and selling it off on ebay!!! hahaha wait till i tell him about this he is going to pout and say 'now why didn't i think of that' lol!! too cute
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on March 11, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I want a peacock I hear they taste alot like chicken . ( just a joke ya'll just a joke )
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on March 11, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Peacocks make a LOT of noise. Sounds like they are screaming HELP!
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on March 11, 2008 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have really enjoyed feeding my birds this winter. I've had nothing but cardinals and some real small birds which are gray, with black and white around it's head. Real beautiful bird but I don't know what kind it is. But I've had about 10-15 cardinals steadily eating my seed. A couple of doves have showed up also. Will I get some different species of birds now that spring is here with the migratory patterns? Could anyone tell me?
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on March 11, 2008 at 2:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If you want a good watch dog, get guinea hens. They will sound an audible alarm at the least thing out of the way. Even if a cloud passes in front of the sun. They are wanderers, though.
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on March 11, 2008 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Noisy birds probably like that their owner will "rap" their cages in cold weather. Bet they would like some rap year round. See the photo gallery.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on March 11, 2008 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
swapmeet - the little birds are Chickadees. You need to go on line to Amazon.com or to the book store and get a good bird id book. I have 7 feeders out in the winter, summer I have 3 seed feeders and 5 hummingbird feeders. You will get different species at different times. The doves will stop coming as often once they nest, but you should be getting bluejays, house and purple finchs, and sparrows as well all year long. Mockingbirds come too, if they think it is safe. Put out thistle socks (a net bag with thistle seed) in the winter for goldfinchs. That is a sight! You need a birdbath for water also. Good luck - it is a lot of fun to feed the birds.
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