Texas

[RoosterCogburn7]

Apologies to the pet chicken folks who are horrified by these things, but I have to share. My wife and I purchased 4 young EEs from a local guy and were assured they were all pullets, and he seemed to be right as they were all developing the same. No real difference in appearance until... one morning while tending the garden I heard the most pitiful sound come from the coop. Should have named her Caitlyn because she turned out to be a cockerel. haha We ended up with a beautiful rusty colored boy. Unfortunately, we are suburban so roos are a no no. He crowed day and night, sometimes every 15-20 minutes. My neighbors are okay and downright giddy about my chicken keeping but I didn't want to push my luck and have the city on my doorstep so I decided Bruce had to go. It was for the best because he was very aggressive and absolutely terrorized the flock. In our area, roosters aren't in demand except for eating so I didn't want to sell him. I figured if he was going to be anyone's dinner, it would be ours. So, I thanked Bruce for his life, gave him a quick, painless death, and he was cooked in the rotisserie for Sunday dinner. I've only ever had store bought chicken except for when I was a small child and didn't really remember the difference... It was the richest, most flavorful chicken I think I'd ever eaten. He was not a big bird by any means, but he provided a meal for a family of four and the carcass was slow simmered to make a beautiful stock that will become chicken noodle soup tonight. Gives you a real appreciation for where your food comes from, and a good feeling to know that you gave the animal a happy, healthy life before that "one bad day."

I am not horrified. It sounds reasonable to me, and probably most folks here. I have gotten fairly efficient at culling extra roosters that I don't consider good breeding stock. My boy sacks them up, I put them in my makeshift killing cones (A treated 4x8 with two traffic cones with the bottoms razored out.) I snatch them from him, hang them upside down, and a slice to the jugular with a Lowe's bucket to catch the blood. I don't have to chase them cross the yard that way with their head's off. It also is effective letting gravity get the blood out. I finishing taking the head off after it is deceased. My wife brings we scalding water. I scald them then I take them to my folding table with cutting board and knives on a folding table. I put them in the chicken plucker, and whatever is left for feathers I will pull out with some needle nose pliers. I then cut the feet off at the joint, make an incision by the neck into the cavity, then I cut the skin by the legs to splay them out. Then I carefully cut around the vent and abdomen. Then I reach in and pull out all the guts. I put the gizzard and the liver to the side, and toss the feet and intestines. I then reach in and pull out the heart and put it to the side. A lot of people say the lungs are hard to removed, but I pull those out with my fingers. I then wash out the cavity with cool water. Next, I slice into the gizzard and splay it open. I take out whatever may be remaining as far as grit, an odd feather and wash it out. Then I pull out the tough yellow membrane and wash it out again. The bird, it's heart, and gizzard go into a plastic bag to cool overnight. The next day, two crock pots get going, and if you leave it alone long enough, you can peel off the meat quite easily. The meat ends up as an entre, on bread, in green chicken chili enchiladas, and the rest ends up as soup.

The key before you do a cull, is to pull the feed 24 hours in advance. It is less of a mess inside the bird that way. Now, I am not saying all this because I am hard hearted. I am not. I try to use every part of the animal I can so nothing goes to waste. I think we value life more, when you have to take an animal's life to put protein on the table. It becomes an impersonal experience to get a cold saline filled lump of flesh on a steyrofoam trey.

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

I have. I've been raising meat rabbits for about a year now. Recently, I started raising muscovy ducks for meat as well, although I haven't processed any of those yet. I have processed many rabbits and wild game but the roo was my 1st bird

What age do you butcher your rabbits? I have two left from my rabbits litter I am trying to use for a nice stew but not sure what is the right age, or is it just till they get a certain size?

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

When did 4-H lose its way? Apparently, cardboard is superior to wood brooder boxes. Apparently, you are supposed to wake your chickens up at night and take them for a walk. No, I am not kidding. These were the suggestions of the local 4-H chicken "experts".

 

[RustedOak]

I am not horrified. It sounds reasonable to me, and probably most folks here. I have gotten fairly efficient at culling extra roosters that I don't consider good breeding stock. My boy sacks them up, I put them in my makeshift killing cones (A treated 4x8 with two traffic cones with the bottoms razored out.) I snatch them from him, hang them upside down, and a slice to the jugular with a Lowe's bucket to catch the blood. I don't have to chase them cross the yard that way with their head's off. It also is effective letting gravity get the blood out. I finishing taking the head off after it is deceased. My wife brings we scalding water. I scald them then I take them to my folding table with cutting board and knives on a folding table. I put them in the chicken plucker, and whatever is left for feathers I will pull out with some needle nose pliers. I then cut the feet off at the joint, make an incision by the neck into the cavity, then I cut the skin by the legs to splay them out. Then I carefully cut around the vent and abdomen. Then I reach in and pull out all the guts. I put the gizzard and the liver to the side, and toss the feet and intestines. I then reach in and pull out the heart and put it to the side. A lot of people say the lungs are hard to removed, but I pull those out with my fingers. I then wash out the cavity with cool water. Next, I slice into the gizzard and splay it open. I take out whatever may be remaining as far as grit, an odd feather and wash it out. Then I pull out the tough yellow membrane and wash it out again. The bird, it's heart, and gizzard go into a plastic bag to cool overnight. The next day, two crock pots get going, and if you leave it alone long enough, you can peel off the meat quite easily. The meat ends up as an entre, on bread, in green chicken chili enchiladas, and the rest ends up as soup.

The key before you do a cull, is to pull the feed 24 hours in advance. It is less of a mess inside the bird that way. Now, I am not saying all this because I am hard hearted. I am not. I try to use every part of the animal I can so nothing goes to waste. I think we value life more, when you have to take an animal's life to put protein on the table. It becomes an impersonal experience to get a cold saline filled lump of flesh on a Styrofoam tray.

I knew most would understand here. I've just gotten used to warning in advance due to lots of folks on Facebook (even those calling themselves homesteaders) who are appalled that someone might raise their own meat. People have become so disconnected from their food source, it's as if meat is manufactured in a factory where no animals were harmed in the process. I just don't get it.

 

[RustedOak]

What age do you butcher your rabbits? I have two left from my rabbits litter I am trying to use for a nice stew but not sure what is the right age, or is it just till they get a certain size?

If you're looking for fryers, the recommended age is between 8 and 12 weeks because after that, the meat gets much firmer. For stew cooked low and slow, any age is fine, even an older rabbit. Some people don't focus so much on the age and wait until they reach a certain weight, (about 5 lbs. usually) but that all depends on breed. I personally start in the 12 week range because after that, the feed/growth ratio drops drastically.

 

[bnjrob]

When did 4-H lose its way? Apparently, cardboard is superior to wood brooder boxes. Apparently, you are supposed to wake your chickens up at night and take them for a walk. No, I am not kidding. These were the suggestions of the local 4-H chicken "experts".

?????????? I can see cardboard compared to wood - because cardboard is cheap and you can throw it away when it is dirty. Wood can get germs and mites trapped in the crevices and if the kids aren't cleaning well, they could put their birds at risk for a compromised immune system and their birds could get sick or get covered in mites quickly. But to me, that seems like they are trying to avoid problems resulting from inadequate cleaning and lack of preventive measures, rather than teaching the kids to take responsibility for their birds and utilizing appropriate husbandry techniques so that wood brooders would be acceptable and not pose a significant risk. And as far as the waking chickens up thing....what in heck?????!!!!

 

[bnjrob]

I knew most would understand here. I've just gotten used to warning in advance due to lots of folks on Facebook (even those calling themselves homesteaders) who are appalled that someone might raise their own meat. People have become so disconnected from their food source, it's as if meat is manufactured in a factory where no animals were harmed in the process. I just don't get it.

LOL - it does make you wonder. One of the things that really irks me is the number of people making money off of their blogs, by claiming to be homesteaders and giving people advice on how to do all this stuff. Yet these people live in the city, they only have 3 hens, and their hens are pets, not bred for egg production and if you even mention butchering a home raised chicken they freak out. But they think they are experts on how to be a homesteader and so many people don't take what they put on their blog as gospel. When people start freaking out that we butcher our chickens and turkeys, I have been known to get pretty graphic about how their store-bought poultry meat is raised and what terrible lives those birds live. And if they start harping on me that I should be a vegan, then I remind them about how many animals have died in order for farmers to clear land and grow crops, and how many animals die as a result of building homes and roads and such. They usually don't like me much after that.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

?????????? I can see cardboard compared to wood - because cardboard is cheap and you can throw it away when it is dirty. Wood can get germs and mites trapped in the crevices and if the kids aren't cleaning well, they could put their birds at risk for a compromised immune system and their birds could get sick or get covered in mites quickly. But to me, that seems like they are trying to avoid problems resulting from inadequate cleaning and lack of preventive measures, rather than teaching the kids to take responsibility for their birds and utilizing appropriate husbandry techniques so that wood brooders would be acceptable and not pose a significant risk. And as far as the waking chickens up thing....what in heck?????!!!!

That is my thought except for the brooder box. I built one big enough my wife can lay down in it. We also put down linoleum then pine shavings. The top is hinged with chicken wire and two heat lamps. With wire brooder caps are hanging for them to drink. I have used it with all my baby chicks that are in quantity. Right now there are 27 in there with plenty of room. I put them on medicated feed to build their immune systems for the inevitable life outside in one of the various coops.

 

[mshuey1]

Anyone in San Antonio

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Anyone in San Antonio

Oh, yeah! San Antonio area roll call!!!

- Ant Farm