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My DH thinks he has the best plan for our hens.

post #1 of 6
2/26/12 at 5:46pm
Thread Starter 

They are all DP and not even a year old and they have been laying all winter with added light in coop. Today we only got 7 eggs from 14 hens. My DH asked " why they all can't lay everyday?"

I laughed and told him - wait till Fall when they all molt and stop laying all together for a couple months. So - His GRAND IDEA is that we should butcher them when they have pulled all their own feathers out. He really hated plucking the few meat birds and roos last Fall.

I told him I didn't think the meat was as good because of moulting but maybe he's right??? I'm laughing but, please tell me who's right? I apologize if I should have put this in another forum but I thought Meat Birds ETC was the right place. Please help me tell him he's wrong LOL

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post #2 of 6
2/26/12 at 6:25pm

I don't think that moulting will affect the taste of the meat, but neither is it an assurance of easier plucking.  While they do shed a good number of feathers, it's only from certain places, not all over.  And often they'll be growing in new feathers at the same time, pinfeathers which are like hedgehog quills, and much harder to remove.

 

Many folks do not find hand-plucking to be a chore, especially once they learn to get a good scald on their birds.  Or they build a mechanical plucker.

It's not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy!
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It's not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy!
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post #3 of 6
2/27/12 at 7:00am
Thread Starter 

Thank You for the reply. We don't really want to butcher good laying hens just cause they are off for  couple months.  We did use a scalding pot and I didn't think plucking was that bad and we got faster after the first couple we did but, he hated it.  I'm guessing a plucker is in our future.

Thanks again.

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post #4 of 6
2/27/12 at 7:21am

I'd cull any poor layers but generally you've already grown out good layers and it seems a waste to process all of them as they've a good 2 more years of laying ahead. Also the tenderness of meat wouldn't seem worth it. That would be a lot of stew birds.

There's so little to fear from hatching even chickens dare. In fact, it's so easy a turkey can do it.

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There's so little to fear from hatching even chickens dare. In fact, it's so easy a turkey can do it.

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post #5 of 6
2/27/12 at 3:45pm

yes, I second everything sunnyside had to say :) If your husband wants some super layers get some hatchery quality whites.

Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,
At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can. JW
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Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,
At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can. JW
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post #6 of 6
2/27/12 at 11:11pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the replies. I just ordered H/VH egg layer chicks that will get here the end of March. They should be laying by the time our other girls need to moult and have some time off. We are even building another coop for them this Spring.  I'm hoping for good weather so, the chicks get here in good shape fl.gif

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Meat Birds ETC › My DH thinks he has the best plan for our hens.