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[chrissynemetz]

We tried butchering a few roosters early on in our chickening days and learned we were really bad at it. Since then, we take them to our local Mennonite lady who charges us $2 a head to process them for us. I put them in a dog cage at night and take them to her first thing in the morning, knowing they have empty crops. I pick them up in the afternoon in plastic bags, ready to sit in the refrigerator for a few days before going into the freezer. I don't feel like a wimp. I feel that I'm doing right by my birds, having the deed done by someone who knows what she's doing and does it efficiently.

I have a neighbor who does mine for me. I can process them myself if I have to, I just have a hard time doing it.

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

Filling the freezer is easier for me if I have someone else do it for me. I talk a big game, but when it comes down to it, I always wimp out.

Sounds like me..
One of the boys has a bent foot so I splinted the toe last night.. added an extra wrap to it today an tomorrow I'll take it off. I think it's a boy.. getting hard to tell and their wings are all the same..

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

Too many boys..
Even going by their wings, only 1 girl..

The big incubator has the 2 hatched naturally and the 4am one I had to break out, it was wrong end around but had pipped the shell. Had to help it. Still weak but getting stronger. There's still 2 unhatched in there, I've partially hatched them, both are breech so I'm sure they're dead but neither are shrink-wrapped. Ones absorbed the blood, so I'm keeping eye on it just in case it's still alive.
In the little incubator are the 2 I had to get the shrink-wrap off them. One still chewing, I'd say another couple hours. The other still absorbing the yolk, or at least is dragging it's cord around

Finally.. 5 girls..

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Finally.. 5 girls..

Congrats!

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

Congrats!

I now have 7 girls.. Need to build something outside for the newbies

No one seems to want to hatch their own eggs an I've got way too many. I'm allergic to fertilized eggs so I can't eat them so I have to cook eggs to feed back to the adults. Buried another 12 today, there's only so much they'll eat.

Fingers x'd, Pip may have a home.. he'll be 11 wks 23rd Dec... Already too big for the cage he grew up in. Learning to crow already.. oops..
Time for a collar..

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You're only allergic to fertilized eggs? Can you separate the rooster?

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

You're only allergic to fertilized eggs? Can you separate the rooster?

Yeah, found out when I was a kid they some made me sick, others didn't.
I have my neighbors hens but they've been sick so the eggs have been going in the garden until they're completely clear. The last few days the shells are so course and grainy, I'm sure it's hard for them to lay.

Rhodeys other mate (the freeloader Lucy) died 4 weeks ago an he's twice as possessive of Jess so I've left them together.

We had a market today so I offered the eggs to a lady. She's going to use them for cooking.

Right now I'm kinda over the sight of eggs, hatching chicks has put me off eating them for now, plus so many have been buried. I think once I've finished hatching them, I'll feel like them again. I've got an order for 12 chicks but it's market season and I have to time it between days so I can assist them.
Apparently, hy-lines are the hardest to hatch.. they'd be 100% right.. the first 2 always hatch, the rest I've had to break out. Otherwise, I'd have all dead eggs.
The last batch, 3 were wrong way round, but I hatched them out.. they're thriving well.
This one's called Tiny, she's furthest under the brooder. Had the paddles on 2 days, now she's perfect, she hatched with my help 2 days late and crippled. The white on left (Teeny) I had to hatch too. Both are strong and healthy.
I'll take a pic when I clean their brooder tonight