Recent content by Hopulence

Do they only eat seed and mealworms? Maybe it's a calcium deficiency leading to thin breakable shells and your RIR feeling the need to eat shells. Why not get a big feeder and fill it with proper feed once a week or so? That may also be easier for your hectic schedule. If you're feeding...

OMG you used cooper pipe cutters. Those poor birds!

I did the same. Flopping bird with blood flying everywhere. First and last time I did it that way. Cone safe extremely sharp knife is the way to go.

Did it work?

Agree, you can even see the huge bulge where the crop is. I couldn't tell if one of my hens had a sour or impacted crop, but what I did was feed her olive oil by a dropper a few times a day. Massage the crop. After a day or so, I would gently push on the crop while I held her laterally. She...

Basic googling says a pound of roasted chicken is 1,000 calories roughly. So a larger bird 6 pounds dressed would solve the caloric needs for an average person 3 days

What breed of chicken are they? 13 weeks is a long time unless heritage breed. Also, why are they in a coop? Unless you mean chicken tractor/pen?

I'm sorry, but why are you keeping them to this point? I know you love them but they aren't meant to last past 10 weeks or so. If you don't eat chicken, can you give them to someone who does? It's not fair to keep them much longer especially as summer approaches. No offense intended - just...

Just FYI, usually vaccinated for Marek's disease. I've had over 100 meat birds at this point without vaccination and haven't had an issue with that. Anecdotal, I know, but still. Seems like a waste to me.

You can also build/use a box that you put in the sectioned off area for them. Put one small entrance in it. They can huddle there at night.

I have a 8 x 12 aluminum pen with hardware cloth on the sides and top and corrugated metal roof covering about 70% of the top. Plenty of fresh air to go around and protection from the elements. 25 chickens have fit in there no problem, but I prefer a max of 20. Or I'll process some around 5...

I have this one, and it seems nearly identical, when it was on sale earlier in the year. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082TR3976/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have never tried a duck or goose but it's definitely big enough for that. I've done two large cornish cross at...

Hi folks! I have had 4 successful batches of raising and processing Cornish Cross meaties. Sometimes I process a few at around 5 weeks to have a nice 3-4 pound Cornish hen (yes I agree the name is confusing and dumb!). It's a perfect size to roast whole for my small family. However, I am not a...

The only way you can learn here is by doing. Removing all the internal organs cannot be described or shown. You get a general idea but it all comes down to feel. What does the heart feel like? Oh the gizzard is the big hard thing. How hard do I pull without worrying about breaking the bile sac...

You'll do great! Something that helps me is to think, if you let them grow too much longer, you'll only be torturing them. It's almost a mercy to end it at the right time. Even better that nothing will go to waste. I say thank you to each one when I dispatch them. It seems to help