This is an update I did not want to make. A few weeks ago around dinner time a fox got into my chicken yard. They took out about 22 birds in no time, most of them the heritage birds I have been breeding and documenting in this thread. It was really hard to see all my hard work and ideas strewn...
Have some updates and pics!
Most notably, generation 2, which consists of 4 NH pullets and 1 cockerel, have reached maturity at a stunningly early 3.5 months. These birds hatched April 12th, and have just started laying/crowing! That is a great trait to have when the males will be meaties and...
true, but a big part of the project for me is moving away from cornish x. cause I can't/dont want to produce them myself. So I would still be chained to buying from the hatchery every cpl years. For me that defeats the purpose. If I was going to do that i would probably just raise the cornish x.
Turns out that rooster (16 m/o heritage NH) weighted 7lb30z dressed. Musta been at least ten lbs live if going by the rile of thirds. What a monster! His dark meat looks and tastes more like a steak than i chicken! Just from him, I got 3 jars of shredded meat and 7 jars of broth! Here are some pics
Processed a few of my sex link males yesterday. They averaged about 6lbs live at 12 weeks. Not bad! I also processed a 16 month NH cock. Havent got a weight on him yet but he was easily the biggest animal I have ever dispatched and processed. The difference between processing the young uns and...
I got some weights on the sex link males yesterday...10 weeks old and averaging 5.4lbs! Very happy. I have put them in a confined grow out pen with unlimited food and plan to process in 2 weeks or less.
The 2nd generation is fully integrated, and have been given their yellow leg bands for...
Appreciate the condolences. Dannggg 71 coons in 2 years! That is nuts. I live in the middle of a state forest. I know they are plentiful here, so try to build very secure night coops, or use electric netting or both to combat them and up until now it has worked well. I recently moved it to an...
That is an INSANE coincidence. My meatie (SL boys) grow out also got hit by a coon last night! SOB penetrated my electrified perimeter and got through the mesh of the tractor. Admittedly, it was not HWC. I think he dropped down form the branches like a Ninja! He managed to kill 3 before I heard...
I appreciate the reassurance, friends. Everyone seems good on this morning's rounds. No symptoms presenting whatsoever. I will be keeping a close eye for the next couple days, but I am feeling like I can breathe a little bit.