Recent content by pat3494

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    Meaties not really huge

    You don't say what breed you're raising and you don't say what kind of food you're feeding. I raised colored Range Broilers which grow a little slower than Cornish cross. You need to keep them on a high protein starter food about 24 % protein. Limit the snacks and other food. My broilers were...
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    Bad case of bumblefoot

    My BO rooster has a bad case of bumblefoot in one foot. I opened up the bottom of his foot but only got out some blood. I opened up the top of his foot on both sides between the toes because they were swollen and got out some white infected material on one side.I've been redressing the wound...
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    Scrawny Carcasses

    I was going to butcher some of my Buff Orpingtons yesterday but after looking at the first two carcasses (one hen and one roo) I decided they were too scrawny and to wait. They are 23 weeks old and each carcass had some fat on it but the meat content was lacking. I wonder if the summer heat in...
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    How meat birds have changed you

    It's an interesting question. I started raising dual purpose chickens about 2 years ago and I raised Freedom Rangers this past Spring and I've butchered both kinds. I also hunt, so I've killed animals for food before. I've decided that I actually have several types of relationships with animals...
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    Would Dec. in Florida be too late?

    I live about 60 miles west of Tallahassee and I think it could be done. Make sure you don't put them out until they're fully feathered and use a draft free coop with plenty of bedding. I haven't tried meat birds during the winter but I have raised meat birds and dual purpose birds in this...
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    egg with no yolk

    I recently got a very small misshapen egg from one of my hens. It was about an inch and a half long and an inch wide. When I cracked it, it contained egg white but no yolk. Most of my hens are molting right now so I'm getting fewer eggs than before anyway. I thought it was interesting. I've...
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    freedom rangers

    I processed 25 Freedom Rangers in September and I was pleased with the result overall. Some of the roosters had dark pinfeathers but they grew to the size of a supermarket roaster in 9-11 weeks. I've eaten two so far and they had good flavor and were only slightly more firm than a supermarket...
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    What Kind of Knife Do You Use To Make The Kill Cut?

    I use Victorinox Fibrox (Forschner) knives. I like the large Fibrox handles. I use a longer curves one (about 5 inches) on the kill cut and a shorter one (4 inches) to do the other processing cuts. I use a pair of kitchen shears to cut off the head or other cuts where bones are involved. I...
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    Best ways to cook Freedom Rangers?

    We just finished processing 25 FRs over a 3 week period, 9-12 weeks of age. We let ours rest in the fridge 3 days and then vacuum seal them. We ate one already as a beer can chicken and it was very good. Our next one will be Coq au vin. I would say that how you cook them would depend mostly on...
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    hybrid chickens

    I notice in the "Breeds" section there is no hybrid represented except Cornish Cross. Although I understand that a hybrid is not a breed, I think it would be helpful to show some of the established hybrids such as the Feedom Ranger. Many members are interested in these hybrids although they do...
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    Ate my first colored range broiler (Freedom Ranger)

    I cooked my beer can chicken like I usually do at 350 degrees, but cooked it longer for about 1 hour 20 minutes because the chicken was so large. I put on a spice rub beforehand. The Frs I raised were recognizable as male and female at 10 weeks and the males were just beginning to crow but not...
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    couple quick questions about non-cornish meat birds.

    If you are looking for a meat bird and you don't care about raising your own chicks I would suggest colored range broilers, aka Freedom Rangers. They are a hybrid available from Randall Burkey or the Freedom Ranger Hatchery. I just raised some and they are very meaty at 10 weeks, about 5-6 lbs...
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    Ate my first colored range broiler (Freedom Ranger)

    I processed the bird at 10 weeks along with 9 others and they were very meaty, about 5-6 lbs. I ate the first one yesterday as a beer can chicken and it was really good. I picked the fattest of the bunch to cook this way. It was slightly firmer than a supermarket chicken but with more flavor. I...
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    bantam cornish as meat birds?

    That's interesting. I was thinking of cooked bones. Where did you get this diet from? Thanks.
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    wormers for meat birds?

    What is the brand name for that wormer? Do you know a source? I'm in Marianna, about 60 miles west of Tallahassee.
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