Recent content by lynxpilot

  1. lynxpilot

    Butchered chickens for the first time today

    I've got about 80 to do next weekend. Probably end up splitting it between 2 weekends. Not really looking forward to it.
  2. lynxpilot

    Is it just me or does anyone else think this...

    My kill cones are plastic bathroom trash cans. I got them at Walmart for about 97 cents. I cut a hole in the bottom and 3 little holes in the top for the ropes to hang the bucket. Lots of resourceful alternatives to expensive "kill cones".
  3. lynxpilot

    so what does "cage free" REALLY mean anyhow?

    I second the vote for Omnivore's Dilemma. My daughter is vegetarian and I asked her to read it. Haven't heard back yet. That book isn't the only source that verifies how chicken factories do business. I'm hoping to establish a strong local market here for eggs, poultry, beef, and produce. I...
  4. lynxpilot

    who has plucker

    I splurged and bought a Featherman Pro. If you scald right, they are incredible. Worst case, you just have to pick a few off of the wings and out of the crevices. When all was done right, they went right from the plucker to the gutting table. Not even a pin feather to pick.
  5. lynxpilot

    info request from Cornish Rock raisers

    We did our first ever batch at 13 weeks and they were monstrous. They were also somewhat tough. Took them to an amish fellow to process and he called them "almost turkeys". All since then have been done in the 8-10 week range. I currently have about 50 in a 10 x 12 pasture coop and another...
  6. lynxpilot

    Evil Cornish !

    They desire to eat beyond compare. They will stop at nothing for food. They associate your arrival with food. If you aren't bringing food, they just assume you are it.
  7. lynxpilot

    acceptable loss % for Freedom Rangers

    I've never dealt with freedom rangers, and have either bought local or Murray McMurray. The first several batches were virtually flawless. Our first ever batch, we lost none until about a week in and I had 2 dead from what I presume to be getting mushed by a food dispenser. Next couple years...
  8. lynxpilot

    Selling processed birds

    Both USDA and most states allow home grown and processed for up to 20K per year. There are regulations but they're somewhat ambiguous. They could probably nail you on any number of birds on some little clause or loophole, but I haven't heard of them doing that around here. I sell mine to...
  9. lynxpilot

    Parrot people!!! **NEED ADVICE!!!!**

    They must be adaptable to some degree because a lot of pet shops have grays as perch birds that customers and browsers can handle. I don't really care for them much because they do tend to bond to a very select crowd (of usually one). If there's any way to socialize it with a lot of people out...
  10. lynxpilot

    so many horror stories...

    My first batch we lost 2 chicks for unexplained reasons (that being out of over 50). Next couple years nothing. This year we received a batch of 200 with 4 dead. We lost about 2 per night for the next several nights. I'm guessing they had a bug from the hatchery and it spread a little bit...
  11. lynxpilot

    Updated! Ordered Incubator-very upset-long rant

    I'd sure let ebay know about their threatening message regarding retaliatory feedback.
  12. lynxpilot

    With a heavy heart I say ..." it might be time to give up on chickens"

    I'm in a very rural area and we have every potential predator you can think of but my dog keeps most of them away. The only ones I've seen wander in are skunks and I suspect it's only because they are so unaware of anything that is beyond a few feet of them. My dog has been skunked several...
  13. lynxpilot

    They must have suffocated!! I'm heartbroken!!

    I never see them pile up like that unless they're cold. How are you measuring your temperature? Do they have enough room for their age? Will they go outside soon?
  14. lynxpilot

    Why are there so many ordinances against keeping chickens?

    Our nearest neighbor is about 1/4 mile and the nearest with chickens is about 1/2 mile. I can hear their rooster at very early hours. Some people might not appreciate things like that. Livestock and pets require management, and since for every responsible pet/livestock manager there are...
  15. lynxpilot

    work with feed store manager for de

    Rich, Just out of curiosity, do you find it does anything at all to the fire ants? We had them really bad when I lived in Pensacola, FL and it seemed like nothing worked short of nuclear weapons. When I lived there, a 1 and 1/2 year old boy accidentally plopped down on a hill and ended up...
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