Recent content by JacobsRewardFarm

  1. JacobsRewardFarm

    Can you identify this Packing Peanut?

    Awesome, guys - thanks for the input. I'd love more EEs (I have 3 current layers that I love), although this should be a rooster, and that puts his destiny in peril. We'll see how he grows up. I'll check back in a month or so and let you know what's happening with him. I'll also check out...
  2. JacobsRewardFarm

    Can you identify this Packing Peanut?

    Hi all, Haven't posted in a while. But that's good news. Things have been going well. I have 7 hens laying well, and 15 new girls, eight weeks old. But today I got my 7 Cuckoo Maran chicks from Ideal and of course, they added 3 males for warmth. Two look like Ameraucanas (they are light...
  3. JacobsRewardFarm

    Can you RENT a plucker?

    I've been so busy since we finished our chicken processing that I haven't had time to report back and tell you all how it went. We butchered 77 chickens, all told. We did it on 3 Saturdays, a couple of weeks apart--25 or so each time. By the last session, we cut our time by about 1.5 hours...
  4. JacobsRewardFarm

    Good news, bad news

    Well, they're right. It does get easier. We did 25 birds in about 4.5 hours, so we didn't get much faster, but it was easier. (I timed myself from the beginning of skinning to tossing into the cooler - 11 minutes.) I was doing 4 birds to my husband's 3, so we worked out another routine: we...
  5. JacobsRewardFarm

    Good news, bad news

    Good work, homesteader! Tomorrow my husband and I will try to improve our time (average 24 minutes each last time) because again, we have 26 or so to do. The first batch was a group of 14 week old Delawares - the largest one processed out at 1.9 lb, skinned and without wings. The batch...
  6. JacobsRewardFarm

    Tomorrow's the Big Day

    Thanks, friends. MissPrissy - I loved your story about the mean roosters! I appreciate the encouragement. I reminded my husband that it's the people who are willing to do what others won't, who get ahead. Everyone I've told about this are very awed that we would do it ourselves, and know how...
  7. JacobsRewardFarm

    Tomorrow's the Big Day

    Hey friends, we did it. I'm still recovering, LOL. We didn't get as early a start as I would have liked, but even with that, and a couple of interruptions, we were done and cleaned up by 3:30PM. I used a cleaver to separate the chickens from their heads for a while, but it didn't always do...
  8. JacobsRewardFarm

    Is the convenience of skinning worth it?

    fowlfriends, my husband and I processed 26 birds yesterday and we opted for skinning. I vacuum-packed them with my new Food Saver and it was as slick as a whistle. Now, that was my first ever processing so I can't compare the two methods, but it just seemed simpler to me for our first time to...
  9. JacobsRewardFarm

    Tomorrow's the Big Day

    I think I'm all set. I've studied websites and videos and I've visualized and I've checked my list of supplies. My husband says he'll help me (he can be a bit squeamish) and my daughter is at a friend's until mid-morning. I might even get to take some photos if anyone's interested. I'll be...
  10. JacobsRewardFarm

    hey how come my chickens won't lay eggs

    My eight pullets were on probation up until recently. Today, I got 5 eggs, and one of those is from one of my two adult birds. So half of the girls are doing their job, but I'm still waiting on the other half. Two should be green eggs (Ameraucanas) but I haven't seen any of those yet. I...
  11. JacobsRewardFarm

    Emerald Green Poop?

    Thanks, Teri - who'd a thunk it? While you're on the board, I was wondering, what is the cross used to make Red Broilers? I have 50, as I said, and they are coming out all colors from buff to dark brown/black. Just interested. They're doing great and are about 5 weeks old now, I think...
  12. JacobsRewardFarm

    Online Butchering Tutorial

    Mac, thanks for posting Herrick's blog! That is awesome! I'm going to print and laminate this to take outside with me while I learn this process. I'm sure after you do it a couple of times that it becomes habit, but at first, it's a slow, step-by-step deal. The only difference in my plan is...
  13. JacobsRewardFarm

    Red or Black broilers? Slow cornish?

    OK. My red broilers are almost 3 weeks old now, and I can't wait to get them out on pasture - they are messy! At least they are more messy than my Delawares were. I'm cracking up because they really eat like machines, and of course, the poo is proportionally deeper . I am getting a kick out...
  14. JacobsRewardFarm

    dust etc for only three chicks in dining room?

    Also, think about moving them outside sooner than 8 weeks. I was surprised just how well they can handle cooler temps once they have their feathers. I bet four weeks would be plenty. Then you will cut the indoor dander problem in half, and they will love living in their eglu. Good luck! God...
  15. JacobsRewardFarm

    Delaware Chickens ???

    RE: my pvc coop (aka Frankencoop or the Chook Wagon), I haven't had it through a winter yet - these are my first chix and I just got them in the spring. I did hear that these pvc kinds of coops will blow away, but I hang my water from the center post and haven't had trouble. But I am going to...
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