I pick up our 30 Cornish Cross tomorrow. Brooder is ready! I wonder how ready I am!
I will post pics her and share my experience along the way to help any other people that can learn from my experience.
First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!
- Thread starter JessicaThistle
- Start date
I pick up our 30 Cornish Cross tomorrow. Brooder is ready! I wonder how ready I am!
I will post pics her and share my experience along the way to help any other people that can learn from my experience.
13 week old CX and a turkey named Turkey, all from Meyer Hatchery.
The Bird in the Smoker is a Toad. It is not a Bert. Smoking a Bert would be a High Crime. They are the King Bird....
There is a whole legal process that we have to go through to smoke a Bert. There is a Bird on Death row now that use to be a Bert.
It requires the Bert to commit at least one major crime. This Ex-Bert drove his beak about 1/4 inch into my leg when he decided he did not want to go to bed one night. But even that did not send him to death row. A few nights later at bed time he decided to jump a pullet (toad) and breed her. Which is his royal right to to.
This Ex-Bert jumped on the pullet and bred her hard and furiously. So hard he ripped the feathers above her wing and drew copious amounts of blood from the cuts on her back.
For this offense the Ex Bert was given a trial. The Judge in the trial after examining the evidence, Declared this Birds name to not be Bert, but from now forward to be known as "OJ".
OJ was condemned to death for his crimes. However, A bleeding heart liberal judge stepped in and demanded we attempt to rehabilitate OJ. OJ is not in a cell on death row. He has been given a certain but secret amount of time to rehabilitate himself.
If he does not rehabilitate himself or if he is released and breaks probation the original sentence will be reinstated and the sentence will be carried out.
This is OJ in his cell.
There is a whole legal process that we have to go through to smoke a Bert. There is a Bird on Death row now that use to be a Bert.
It requires the Bert to commit at least one major crime. This Ex-Bert drove his beak about 1/4 inch into my leg when he decided he did not want to go to bed one night. But even that did not send him to death row. A few nights later at bed time he decided to jump a pullet (toad) and breed her. Which is his royal right to to.
This Ex-Bert jumped on the pullet and bred her hard and furiously. So hard he ripped the feathers above her wing and drew copious amounts of blood from the cuts on her back.
For this offense the Ex Bert was given a trial. The Judge in the trial after examining the evidence, Declared this Birds name to not be Bert, but from now forward to be known as "OJ".
OJ was condemned to death for his crimes. However, A bleeding heart liberal judge stepped in and demanded we attempt to rehabilitate OJ. OJ is not in a cell on death row. He has been given a certain but secret amount of time to rehabilitate himself.
If he does not rehabilitate himself or if he is released and breaks probation the original sentence will be reinstated and the sentence will be carried out.
This is OJ in his cell.
Attachments
Dave C
Songster
Took these last week when the sun was out.
Faces are starting to reden at 17 weeks, there mothers started laying at 18 weeks last year, so fingers crossed for some eggs soon.
Faces are starting to reden at 17 weeks, there mothers started laying at 18 weeks last year, so fingers crossed for some eggs soon.
- Thread starter
- #148
We butchered our final 18 from batch number one today. I edited because we took care of 18 in 3 1/2 hours including clean up. My husband was such as sweetie because it was 100 and something degrees outside. He did the culling, plucking part and then brought them inside where we kinda have air conditioning (wall unit) to let me eviscerate without dying. I am extremely sensitive to the heat and would have really struggled outside.
Can I just say that I must be a really big sap? I went out to make sure the chickens had water right before we began the process. It was hot out! They all ran to me. I have a couple that honk and they did that. I petted them and I suppose said a pitiful goodbye as I walked away with stinging eyes. I couldn't believe the loss I felt. I really cared about these little guys as I raised them by hand from one day old. I nursed some back to health in my chicken hospital (box in the house) and saved lives just to protect my investment and then end them. Wow. What a revelation.
So, once the process began, my 17 year old daughter, stepped in to try and eviscerate her first chicken. If you knew my daughter you would be as stunned as me! She calls me the crazy chicken lady and shows no interest in my chickens. Although she did hold my sweet little Easter Egger chicken once. She likes hair, make up and looking perfect. She butchered 4 of the chickens for me! She was a rock star!!
Anyway, I went like crazy trying to eviscerate as fast as possible to keep up with my husband. They seemed to just keep coming and they did. He was much faster than I was. We eventually got through them. A little funny...my hubby thought that he got through them all and started to clean up. He looked out into the pasture to see the biggest roo we had standing out there looking around like "where'd everybody go"? We had a laugh about it because he skipped out on the first go round a week ago too. I had my hubby reheat the scalder and take care of him too. He was big and looks like a turkey in the pan.
So, after it was all done, I went out to lock up my layers and bantams and take a peak at CX batch #2 that is one week old today. I went out to the now empty chicken tractor to just take it in. They were gone. No more peeps, honks or other sounds, just empty. I feel an extreme loss. When I look into our coolers with 18 beautiful chickens and the 8 in the freezer, I know they sacrificed their short lives for my family. I also know that I raised them with extreme love and their best interest at heart. They were very healthy as their organs were all perfect and I know they were happy every moment until the end. The meaning of their life has been accomplished. What a profound thing to experience!
So, back to the info part and away from the emotional part. Snap out of it. I will let these guys rest a few days and then package them up. I will weigh them after packaging so I don't know yet the final wait or cost per pound. That is to come. Yes, i am still feeling a bit emotional. We will see how I feel tomorrow, but I have 29 more week old CX in the brooder and I can't let this consume me. I will move on because I have to. I chose to raise meat chickens and it is what it is.
@PlaidBattleAxe - When you read this, please don't freak out sweetie. You will have feelings just like me and you will need to focus on the health of your family and the importance of you pushing through this because you raised these chickens to feed your family. That was their purpose and you need to accept that when it comes to the end. I needed to express this for myself and for others that may feel the same thing I did. You have to let these chickens go as they are here for this purpose and it would be harmful for them not to.
A little Vodka at the end of the night is quite helpful.
Can I just say that I must be a really big sap? I went out to make sure the chickens had water right before we began the process. It was hot out! They all ran to me. I have a couple that honk and they did that. I petted them and I suppose said a pitiful goodbye as I walked away with stinging eyes. I couldn't believe the loss I felt. I really cared about these little guys as I raised them by hand from one day old. I nursed some back to health in my chicken hospital (box in the house) and saved lives just to protect my investment and then end them. Wow. What a revelation.
So, once the process began, my 17 year old daughter, stepped in to try and eviscerate her first chicken. If you knew my daughter you would be as stunned as me! She calls me the crazy chicken lady and shows no interest in my chickens. Although she did hold my sweet little Easter Egger chicken once. She likes hair, make up and looking perfect. She butchered 4 of the chickens for me! She was a rock star!!
Anyway, I went like crazy trying to eviscerate as fast as possible to keep up with my husband. They seemed to just keep coming and they did. He was much faster than I was. We eventually got through them. A little funny...my hubby thought that he got through them all and started to clean up. He looked out into the pasture to see the biggest roo we had standing out there looking around like "where'd everybody go"? We had a laugh about it because he skipped out on the first go round a week ago too. I had my hubby reheat the scalder and take care of him too. He was big and looks like a turkey in the pan.
So, after it was all done, I went out to lock up my layers and bantams and take a peak at CX batch #2 that is one week old today. I went out to the now empty chicken tractor to just take it in. They were gone. No more peeps, honks or other sounds, just empty. I feel an extreme loss. When I look into our coolers with 18 beautiful chickens and the 8 in the freezer, I know they sacrificed their short lives for my family. I also know that I raised them with extreme love and their best interest at heart. They were very healthy as their organs were all perfect and I know they were happy every moment until the end. The meaning of their life has been accomplished. What a profound thing to experience!
So, back to the info part and away from the emotional part. Snap out of it. I will let these guys rest a few days and then package them up. I will weigh them after packaging so I don't know yet the final wait or cost per pound. That is to come. Yes, i am still feeling a bit emotional. We will see how I feel tomorrow, but I have 29 more week old CX in the brooder and I can't let this consume me. I will move on because I have to. I chose to raise meat chickens and it is what it is.
@PlaidBattleAxe - When you read this, please don't freak out sweetie. You will have feelings just like me and you will need to focus on the health of your family and the importance of you pushing through this because you raised these chickens to feed your family. That was their purpose and you need to accept that when it comes to the end. I needed to express this for myself and for others that may feel the same thing I did. You have to let these chickens go as they are here for this purpose and it would be harmful for them not to.
A little Vodka at the end of the night is quite helpful.
Last edited:
JRNash
Crowing
Teeth....
I snort June bugs for fun, and to prove to the June bug it ain't all that tough.....
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