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  1. minifarmer

    JM hatchery

    As of last year, they were.
  2. minifarmer

    Processing a goose

    You could probably substitute a 5 gallon bucket for the turkey cone, just cut a 6" hole in the bottom, then pull the head through and slice or 'prune'. I used a machete on a log and hand plucked mine, last Christmas. Seemed to take a bit longer to bleed out than my chickens that I use a knife...
  3. minifarmer

    Butchering Freedom Rangers vs Cornish X

    I've raised both CX and FR's at the same time and the only processing difference worth noting was the pin feathers of the FR's being more noticable. But that made them easier to get! Karla
  4. minifarmer

    16 week CornishX - How to Cook?

    I let a bunch of mine go big, last year and I just treated them like small turkeys. Some I roasted, some I jointed and fried, some I ground up (or used wings and breasts and ground legs and thighs). They'll still be really tender as long as you age them a few days in the fridge. Karla p.s...
  5. minifarmer

    Plucking chickens with...... newspaper?

    It sounds like it would create a sauna like effect, assuming you leave them wrapped a minute or two, before doing the pulling/sliding. Theoretically, it should work. I'll have to try this. Thanks! karla
  6. minifarmer

    Putting ducks up at night - suggestions?

    Keep struggling! I have to build some kind of enclosure for mine as an owl is killing them several times a week. I'm looking at making a pen that has fold out sides(additions like wings) made of 2 pieces of hog fencing. That way I can herd them towards the covered pen and shut them in at...
  7. minifarmer

    Raising Pastured Colored Range chicken

    pretty much. Bigger chickens equal bigger chicken poo. They can put something like 300# of nitrogen down on an acre, and if you don't keep em' moving you'll get burn spots. I let the condition in the pens dictate how many moves I do. Karla
  8. minifarmer

    Raising Pastured Colored Range chicken

    If you're using the 10x12 pens with the crb's I, personally wouldn't put more than 60 per pen. Salatin uses 75-100 of the cornish because he said feed conversion dropped (they run around too much). With my crb's, they would try to run around even at 75 -100 stocking rates, and probably fight...
  9. minifarmer

    Raising Pastured Colored Range chicken

    you should be able to. I wouldn't stock them as heavily as you would with the cornish cross. I raised both at the same time and my cornish needed to be 'encouraged' to forage where the colored broilers were everywhere, chasing bugs and such.My cornish, as a rule, adapted better to containment...
  10. minifarmer

    Raising Pastured Colored Range chicken

    I started mine out in pens, but they are just as active as any 'normal' chickens, so I ended up going to that premier electric fencing after a few weeks. Karla
  11. minifarmer

    Butchering a goose the same as a chicken? UPDATED W/ UGLY COOKED GOOSE

    wow...um...wow!Yeesh! I've only done one goose and I dry plucked it. It took me almost an hour to do, but I got 99% of the feathers out. Used a butter knife to get the remaining ones out. That kinda' looks like 5 o'clock shadow... I suggest skinning it and shredding the meat to use in...
  12. minifarmer

    estimating necessary freezer space

    I would say .75 per bird. Mine were around 8# each and took about 1 sq ft apiece. That was making them as compact as I could, while leaving them whole. So, you're looking at (at least) 67 1/2 cubic feet, and probably more. Plus, you can only put so many in at a time so they freeze quickly...
  13. minifarmer

    Will solar lights around my coop help deter predators?

    I think you meant www.niteguard.com. I'm going to order a few because my chickens have become an all you can eat smorgasbord for every hawk, owl, and raccoon in the county. Karla It can't be any worse than what I have now.
  14. minifarmer

    Freezer bags and Labels

    cornerstone-farm.com has shrink bags. These are great! I couldn't believe how professional it made my birds look! They say the bags are good for preventing freezer burn. Great customer service, too. I use their bags for whole chickens and the foodsaver for the people who wanted theirs cut...
  15. minifarmer

    Building a drill mounted chicken plucker....

    I love mine! I spent $10 on it and about an hour to put it together. Works great with an electric drill, my cordless didn't have enough power. I lent my whizbang book to a friend and he was able to build one for about $200. It works really well for him. He has an issue with it breaking...
  16. minifarmer

    Anyone process Cornish X when they need them?

    I process by myself, and prefer to do 2 or three at a time. My equipment is minimal and only takes a few minutes to set up. The longest wait is for the water to heat, (unless I'm skinning them) and since I change the water after every 3rd or 4th bird... I leave them in the fridge for 2...
  17. minifarmer

    I am looking for some feedback on this breed for meat production????

    I've raised both, and will continue to raise both. The crb's are tastier ( longer lives= more forage and mature flavor), but the cx are quicker and more readily available from multiple sources. My 'customers' are evenly split on which they like more. They say the crb's legs are 'more chewy'...
  18. minifarmer

    Cost chick to table...

    chickenlady123, Yes it is normal. If you keep them long enough, they will feather out. They grow so fast, they can't keep up on featrher development. karla
  19. minifarmer

    How I process Quail... My 6yr old helped... WARNING: Graphic Pics

    hens_and_chicks, I've done something similar with some of my meat hens. Skinning is great and fast if your not going to roast them whole. The only thing I do differently is cut the wings off at the first joint, and I fillet the breast meat, and cut the leg/thigh off. If your not too keen...
  20. minifarmer

    How many?

    I would say 50. That allows for a few unexpected deaths and you can hang onto some of the hens for eggs . This cuts down on the butchering.(the cornish crosses I've had layed for about 6 monthes before I needed more chicken in my freezer and my poulet rouge (freedom rangers) from JM hatchery...
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