Recent content by mxitman

  1. mxitman

    Rigor mortis

    Hi Teresa, We like to let ours sit at least 24 hours at Refrigerator temps before cooking, We usually process ours and then shrink bag them right away most are always stiff getting them into the bags, then we deep freeze at -5 to -10 Deg F. When we eat them we let them thaw slowly in the...
  2. mxitman

    Dixie Rainbows/Pilgrim chickens - first meaties

    well I still don't have my outdoor kitchen area setup yet, so I had to setup a temporary prep area using a large cutting board attached to my portable utility sink piped into a collection bucket. It was also my first run using my chicken plucker and turkey fryer setup for scalding the birds. I...
  3. mxitman

    Hawk Attacks, need covered run

    I have a friend who lost several birds to hawks, He picked up a picnic table type umbrella and cast iron stand, added an extra 3' pole onto it, I think it's 10 or 12' wide, along the edge he put in brass grommets like used in tarps and then ran bright orange flagging tape with string line to his...
  4. mxitman

    Processing process Qs

    You can do it either way, I've done both and like said before letting them rest for a day or two in an ice bath or tub in the refrigerator will make it easy to stuff them into the shrink bags. I never had any issues with doing that, when I directly freeze them I usually pull them out of the...
  5. mxitman

    Dixie Rainbows/Pilgrim chickens - first meaties

    I ran my first run of the Dixie Rainbows/Pioneers this spring as well, I ordered 22 of the straight run from MM. I ended up with only 9 Males to 13 females which is abnormal I'm told as most straight runs are 70% male it seems. I also ordered some Delawares for egg layers. I've kept close tabs...
  6. mxitman

    DIY Chicken Tractor/Coop with Costs/Picture Heavy!

    Back in Feb we got our first run of birds, I got 12 Delaware chickens for our egg layers and 22 meat birds known as Pioneers or Dixie rainbows, I've kept records of all the costs, of course for building the coop/tractor even with my scrounging still cost more than I would have liked. Looking...
  7. mxitman

    How to Break a Broody Hen

    Finally got my hen broke, took me 4 days of consecutively removing her from the nesting box and blocking her out for a few hours every time. now she is molting...
  8. mxitman

    Deep litter method

    Just wanted to post an update that I have been using the DLM for well over a year now. We have a small coup with only 4 hens in the city, it has worked great and I only clean it out every 4-6 months. I just sort of winged it to how much DE to add, and when to add more wood shavings. I really...
  9. mxitman

    How to Break a Broody Hen

    I'm going to have to give this a try, one of my hens as been sitting/broody for about a month now, only have seen her out for a quick snack and some water. I thought she would give up but she's determined to hatch the ceramic egg..lol we have no rooster and can't have any more chickens so a...
  10. mxitman

    BOSS ends egg eating

    I'm going to give this a try, all of a sudden I'm losing all my eggs to the chickens eating them...
  11. mxitman

    The trouble with dogs....

    I'm glad I found this post, I'm going through similar issues with my dog who is 6 months, she's Lab & Shepard mix and likes to follow the chickens around with her tail wagging. She has lunged a few times but only let her around them with her harness & leash on. I'm hoping I can train her but I...
  12. mxitman

    Thin Shell Eggs Only One Chicken, Others Ok?

    well I hope it works, she's a little strange chicken. She has no fear, which if I lived anywhere outside the city would definitely be the end for her.
  13. mxitman

    How to move a playhouse

    I had helped to move a 10 x 12 tool shed for my neighbor a few years back, it was in the backyard with no access for a truck or machinery. We did it like the Egyptians. He bought a few round fence posts around 12' long, we used two of these to raise one side (by using a pier block and...
  14. mxitman

    Thin Shell Eggs Only One Chicken, Others Ok?

    Thanks for the replies, She does lay a very large egg, XL Size. I thought it may have something to do with how big the eggs are, too bad their body can't hold back until the shells are harder guess you can't change mother nature. I'll try to separate her and give her some extra calcium and...
  15. mxitman

    Eggs in Nest Boxes?

    Yea, If you do get an egg on the ground put it into the nest box overnight, that usually works for me.
See more
Back
Top Bottom