My Introduction to Backyard Chickens

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Bnemi

Chirping
5 Years
May 9, 2014
38
2
56
Bryan Ohio
Hi Everyone on BYC,

I live in NW Ohio just a few miles south of Hillsdale, Michigan. I have had chickens for the last 3yrs. I work for the Ohio Department of Agriculture Soil and Water Conservation. Currently I have 2 Rhode Island Red Roosters and hoping to find some nice hens close by to purchase. The roosters were given to me. I am finding that these two are very smart and like to escape through the post and the barn. I really enjoy all the great information on this site.

Thank You BYC
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Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. If you are going to keep both roosters, make sure that you get plenty of hens to go with them. The recommended ratio of roosters to hens is 1 rooster for every 10 hens. As they mature and their hormones kick in, too many roosters will become very hard physically on your hens; over-breeding them, biting and plucking the feathers from their necks and backs, battering them, and potentially, seriously injuring them. The only reason you really need a rooster with your hens is to fertilize eggs for hatching and 1 rooster can easily handle 10-15 hens in that regard. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Cheers.
 
So one question I do have, is how do you get all the feathers out of the wings should I butcher a rooster?
I have Paraffin wax and a large pot burner ready to go. Just have questions on plucking wings...
 
Bnemi said:
So one question I do have, is how do you get all the feathers out of the wings should I butcher a rooster?
I have Paraffin wax and a large pot burner ready to go. Just have questions on plucking wings...
Click to expand...

I never pluck our chickens. I've always skinned them. It's much faster than plucking, it removes all the feathers, and we never leave the skins on chickens anyway.
 
Bnemi said:
So one question I do have, is how do you get all the feathers out of the wings should I butcher a rooster?
I have Paraffin wax and a large pot burner ready to go. Just have questions on plucking wings...
Click to expand...

We cut the wings off or breast them. Push your thumbs against the keel (breast bone) and push towards the wings and it should open the skin if done with enough force.
 

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