Recent content by rick54

I have found this thread to be most confusing with regards to the name given to this bird. I am looking to get some Cornish Game Hens. These are the birds that I slaughter at 5 wks. old last summer and are exactly like the frozen Game Hens I find in my freezer case at my local grocery store...

We raised both type of birds separately last summer and the Cornish X were the better bird. Faster growing and less food required. Although you will have to hold the food for 12 hours so that they don't over eat which leads to premature heart attacks. As for the Freedom Rangers, we thought they...

For my laying cots, I brought them up until they were 8 wks old on Purina Startena. At the 8 wk. point, I've switched them over to the Layena which has more calcium in it than the Startena. Although it is only 20% protein, where as the Startena is 30%. They're doing good and I get an egg a day...

Thank you for your reply and pics. I'll store that size away in my notes. Is there one specific supplier you like to use for your bags? Again, thank you!

I wouldn't have any problem eating them myself. Next time you slaughter your chickens, if you don't have killing cones, hang the live chickens from the clothes line and cut the throat. Don't let them run free and you won't have the bruised meat problem. If you are going to do this on a yearly...

From what I understand, the FDA has now allowed for large meat packers of fowl (chicken) to allow the Chinese to do the processing. I don't understand how the system is to work, but I've been seeing on chicken packages at the store the wording which reads, " hatched,raised and harvested in the...

How did you kill them? Did you cut their throat and let them run around? This will bruise the meat. This is why it's not the best to let them run after the cut/chop is made.

Yesterday the wife and I processed the 16 Pekin Ducks we raised up to one day shy of 12 wks old. They dressed out anywhere from 4 3/4 - 5 1/4 lbs. The equipment line-up consisted of the cone stand, scalding water, EZ 151 plucker, hot wax pot, ice water tub. The scalding water contained a good...

I'm trying to determine the proper size killing cone for the Cornish Game Hens that you process around 5 weeks? I have some cones I use for my big broilers, but I think they are too big for the smaller game hens. A suppliers name and cone size would be appreciated, i.e. cconly.com B2 or...

Thank you for the update on your Rainbows.

In regards to the Cornish Game Hens that McMurray describes as; "Have you ever admired the Cornish Game Hens for sale in the supermarket? Have you ever wondered if you could grow them yourself? Now you can! Murray McMurray Hatchery can supply you with baby chicks from the broiler industry’s...

rysmithjr, although we went with the 151 over the 188, we have not regretted that decision in the least. We processed 16 of the large Cornish X chickens without any major problems. The ducks will be done in the next week I'll guess. Three chickens at a time for about 8 seconds is all that is...

KlopKlop, thank you for the verification on the Cornish X's. I know nothing about the Dixie Rainbow birds. As for the Cornish Roaster, as I mentioned, I did get them through McMurray. I haven't seen that specific named bird advertised anywhere else for sale other than through McMurray. I have...

This is just my overview on these two birds that we are raising this year. We did the Cornish first, and once we figured out the best way to raise them without the early fatalities, they're a good bird. Withholding the feed for 12 hours proved to be way to go. We didn't have many of the leg...

bigcountry, we went with the EZ Plucker 151. I have to say that the plucker is a wonderful piece of equipment! A couple of things I learned. One, don't throw just one bird in at a time. I have a cone stand I welded together which holds 3 killing cones. I then kill and pluck 3 birds at a time. To...