Recent content by tjcib

  1. tjcib

    Spring vs. Fall Harvest comparison

    So the only thing I am REALLY displeased with is my exsanguination on this batch. I have no idea what I did differently between the two batches. In the first batch, every bird came out bright white. But this time almost every bird has that hue of incomplete exsanguination. A few even show some...
  2. tjcib

    First Batch of CornishX

    Here's our 2nd batch just harvested. What a difference... Only two birds under 5 pounds...
  3. tjcib

    Spring vs. Fall Harvest comparison

    Yeah, normally we would only change one variable, but we wanted bigger birds more than anything. I think we will stick with the free-feed method. But we may harvest just a bit sooner. I feel like they peaked in growth during that last week. But they were destroying my feed supply. As fun as it...
  4. tjcib

    Spring vs. Fall Harvest comparison

    We just harvested and bagged our 2nd batch of Cornish Cross. They were all roosters from Hoover Hatchery. Here is a screenshot of the stats. It is crazy the difference between the two harvests!!!!! A few items of note: In the spring we tried the 12 hours of feed and 12 hours off feed as...
  5. tjcib

    Nice black rat snake

    Given its size and girth, I kind of just assumed it was a rat snake. I had found a clutch of baby rat snakes previously, which added to my assumption. If it were a racer, it would be approaching world record length, which I just looked up is 73 inches. Now I wish I looked more carefully!!! HAHA
  6. tjcib

    Nice black rat snake

    Caught this sucker near the chickens. I'm 5'9" for reference... Relocated to the state park 5 miles up the road. The very next day had another, even bigger, in the coop. I had my hand on him as he was halfway out of a crack, but couldn't keep my grip...
  7. tjcib

    First Batch of CornishX

    It is dressed weight. It was all roosters too! They were from the same hatchery my neighbor used and we got huge birds from them... oh well... We did not restrict feed, but they were butchered right at 7 weeks. Like I said, if we planned better, we would have given them one more week. I...
  8. tjcib

    Hen with poopy butt & sluggish

    (FYI... I'm generally not an alarmist...) Your post said that it has been in the triple digits. Chickens hate hot. They will stop eating. They will get pissy. They will stop laying. It sounds like you've been doing good work to keep them hydrated, but sometimes the heat just gets to them. Also...
  9. tjcib

    First Batch of CornishX

    Looking for input on some of my stats. This was our first ever meat bird batch. Raised in a Suscovich tractor. I was a little bummed at the dressed size, but we did harvest right at 49 days. I would have waited another week but we had a vacation coming and reservations were already made. Poor...
  10. tjcib

    Buff Orp/RSL Cross - Roo

    What is actually odd is that this guy's comb is bigger than his dad's. The dad rooster is only about a year old and his comb is very very small.
  11. tjcib

    Buff Orp/RSL Cross - Roo

    We purchased all 24 hens at the same time... Not sure what's up
  12. tjcib

    Buff Orp/RSL Cross - Roo

    We have 30 hens. It seems they have learned to give each other space. But he often does sleep outside of the coop, which worries me a little if it gets cold or stormy... But hasn't happened yet. He has recruited a few ladies to join him in the other shelters...
  13. tjcib

    Buff Orp/RSL Cross - Roo

    Our Buff Orpington rooster loves taking care of our RedSexLink hens. We had a broody hen so we let her hatch some eggs God's way. One of them turned out to be this MASSIVE and handsome rooster. He is bigger than his daddy by a long shot and only 28 weeks old. (The hen of the same cross is...
  14. tjcib

    Diagnosing low production in "big flock"?

    We live in central Virginia, so it's hot and muggy AND it's been rainy as heck lately. Recipe for disaster... Ive kicked the rooster in the face a couple times. We have a pretty good arrangement going inside the coop, it's just in the yard he's grumpy. I was able to get in and do a pretty good...
  15. tjcib

    Diagnosing low production in "big flock"?

    Thanks. Getting to them at night if the roost will probably be easiest. It will get dicey as we get closer to the Roo and his harem, but we can probably manage. He's pretty territorial, but that's what I got him for. Haven't lost a hen to predator in 3 years...
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