Recent content by gigelus2k13

  1. gigelus2k13

    What height are everyones coop off the floor?

    That is an awesome idea! Anything that makes raking/cleaning the coop an easier task is a good thing. if I ever redo my coop, I’ll keep this trick about wheelbarrow height in mind.
  2. gigelus2k13

    broody hen and taste

    I have to dispatch a persistently broody hen. She's skinny now and would go straight to the pot for some stock. I think I heard that when broody, the meat has an off taste. Is this true?
  3. gigelus2k13

    Comment by 'gigelus2k13' in item 'Ameraucana'

    It must be a typo (or you're confused) because no chicken has ever laid at the sweet age of 3 months. Starting to lay at 5 mo is actually pretty good.
  4. gigelus2k13

    How to Break a Broody Hen

    The ice pack trick may work, but it depends on how determinate is the broody. My Orp warmed up pack after pack until she was shivering, but did not break out of broodiness. It looks like there is no silver bullet when dealing with a broody hen. The only method that works 100% of the time is to...
  5. gigelus2k13

    Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

    Hi, I think that this tutorial is pretty explicit when it comes to do the cut. At least it did teach me enough to do it successfully. Cheers,
  6. gigelus2k13

    How to Break a Broody Hen

    Right after I donated my first very broody Orp, the second Orp became broody too (never, ever will I get Orps again!). She's been broody for some 6 weeks and that's too much, so I decided to harvest her yesterday. Early in the morning, I put a big pot of water on the stove, sharpened my knife...
  7. gigelus2k13

    How to Break a Broody Hen

    @molinda: if your broodies are so mean and you're allowed only 4 chicken altogether, maybe it's better to just cull them and get fresh pullets or something like that. For someone who doesn't want to or can't do hatching, a broody hen is difficult enough, but one (or two) that kicks eggs and...
  8. gigelus2k13

    How to Break a Broody Hen

    Somebody was kind enough to take in the endlessly broody I had before I got to try it out. Next time...
  9. gigelus2k13

    How to Break a Broody Hen

    I was wondering if the following method would work in case you have a very stubborn case of broodiness. Take a small enclosure with waterproof bottom, fill the bottom with water 1 to 2" high, then put the broody in. It will be unpleasant to her to sit down and encourage her to stand up., as all...
  10. gigelus2k13

    How to Break a Broody Hen

    Yes and it did not work with my Orpington. She sat on the cold pack until it got all warm...
  11. gigelus2k13

    Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

    When I had to harvest my first rooster, I went to the source of all wisdom (youtube) and stumbled upon the video of a lady taking and cleaning a hen. Her method, which I think is by far the easiest, is the jugular cut. The bird is tucked between one's legs and, because she has so little blood in...
  12. gigelus2k13

    harvesting a broody?

    Hi, All last year I kept fighting her. Ice pads, dunking in cold water, separation in a mesh-bottomed box, even day eviction from the chicken range, nothing worked. I did give up and put some fertile eggs under her and she took great care of them until the chicks were about 6-7 weeks old; that...
  13. gigelus2k13

    harvesting a broody?

    I keep chicken for eggs, but occasionally I harvest the nuisance ones (the over-aggressive hen, the rooster etc). I now have a 2yo Buff Orp that gets broody so often and for so long that I finally decided to invite her for dinner - sitting all the time in a nest box just inconveniences the other...
  14. gigelus2k13

    how many eggs should I expect?

    The RIR and the barred Rock will each lay an egg a day at least the first productive year. Don't know how prolific are the other two, but you'll get at least 18 eggs a week, most likely two cartons a week.
  15. gigelus2k13

    fake broody?

    I have a 2 year old BO that has always been broody. Last year she had 3 long brooding episodes and the 3rd one was so bad that after a full month I gave up and got some fertile eggs to put under her; she took great care of them and of the resulting chicks - great mom, if you're into egg...
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