100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[kuntrygirl]

Thank you.


3 - 4 hours a day is a lot! I understand that feeling of madness.


LOL @ pic


I have to steal that and re-post. That is too funny !!!!!!!!!!!!! That's how I feel all of the time when I hear people complain about having to do this and do that how they are so tired. I'm like, "SERIOUSLY"???? Why don't you hang out with me for the weekend. :/

We know someone that keeps ditching us because she is SOO busy. Yet she lives with her mom, works the same exact hours as my wife at work, and only has one single dog.. Really?!

Somehow we still find time to do lots of other things. Winter sucks, because I add on snow blowing to that list.. Takes an hour each time we get snow. 

WOW!! Sounds like she is a busy bee huh? LOL

Snow blowing? Oh, you got me beat hands down. I do not make a good snow bunny. I was panicking over our little ice storm.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Sounds like it's so beautiful over there. WOW!! I have never heard of the Aviagen Ross 308 strain broilers. I"ll have to look that up. So, you will have broilers flown in? Such royal treatment. That cost is not bad at all. What are your feeding plans? Splitting an order with someone sounds like a great idea. I wish I would have done that. :/


You have a great group of birds over there, along with your terriers and cat. Do they get along with the chickens? That was a great "thank you" gift that you all received. Will you all process the lambs for the freezer? I just processed one about a month ago and it was so delicious. I have 2 more to process and I can't wait.

Over here the Ross 308 and Cobb 500 are the strains that the commercial broiler houses use.  If you ask anyone for a Cornish x here they will look at you funny - I've had to endure lots of funny looks until I learned if you ask for a Ross 308 or Cobb 500 they go "ahaaaaa!" It's like Hyline - the chickens get the name of the company that bred that particular combo breeds together to get that broiler... Or something like that.  

After reading your thread, I will definitely be fermenting!  I also have plans for growing fodder so they will be raised on fodder, fermented feed and of course free range in a 59*29 foot yard.  That should be 34 broilers if I split the order with 2 people or 50 if I split it with one person who is already on board.  Oh and I want to grow mealworms for them too, but that is in the future, won't be for this batch.  I reckon if I do a spring batch of 50 and a fall batch of 50 then my hubby and I will have plenty for ourselves and to share!  We eat a lot of chicken though because it's nice and cheap here.  

With the lambs, we will be keeping ewes for expanding into a little flock and processing rams.  

After reading your daily schedule I feel super lazy...   fortunately I never use the excuse "I'm too busy" because I know I'm not...

ETA: The broilers will be flown in because it's too hot to be sending them 310 miles by road, and I think we have a law here that live chickens are not allowed to be transported by road over long distances unless you have a commercial permit to do so.  I think because no one does it and I've never looked into it.  Plus it's cheap to have them flown here R195 (about $17) per 100 chicks

Great info to know about the breed and the different name. I found this link http://en.aviagen.com/ross-308/

Sounds like you have your work cut out for you.

I think anyone with chickens or any other animals are very busy people regardless of how many you have. It's a different type of lifestyle that we all love. I wouldn't trade it for the world but I would love to have about 10 more acres of land. But maybe not. Then I would have to get more animals and that is the LAST thing I need right now.

That's a good law to have about transporting the broilers in the heat.

 

[BoereMeisie]

Sounds like it's so beautiful over there. WOW!! I have never heard of the Aviagen Ross 308 strain broilers. I"ll have to look that up. So, you will have broilers flown in? Such royal treatment.

That cost is not bad at all. What are your feeding plans? Splitting an order with someone sounds like a great idea. I wish I would have done that.

You have a great group of birds over there, along with your terriers and cat. Do they get along with the chickens? That was a great "thank you" gift that you all received. Will you all process the lambs for the freezer? I just processed one about a month ago and it was so delicious. I have 2 more to process and I can't wait.

Ooh I missed that question lol...

My Jack Russell terrier female was a notorious chicken killer - she went into the farm owner's yard one day and killed over 30 chickens in one go. I replaced the chickens and apologized, but I knew the dog had to be trained. I then tried something funny that worked:

Lady (the dog) has (had) two major obsessions; Chickens and chasing a ball. I reckoned I would show her her ball - she focuses on it without batting an eye so I led her into my chicken yard focusing on that ball. I was so nervous because this exercise could go one of two ways - she would keep focus on the ball OR turn it to the chickens. It was risky - I was sweating! So in we went, me carrying the ball and Lady still focusing on it. She kept focus, good. Now I took the big chance - I threw the ball through the chickens. This could either be very good or VERY bad. She chased after the ball completely ignoring the chickens - SUCCESS!!! So I did that daily and I'm happy to report that Lady and my other JRT now accompanies me to my daily chicken chores without even looking at the chickens! (she used to tremble, drool and focus on them - scary). I can even turn away, she leaves them alone. Even sniffed a hen's butt the other day but the hen wouldn't have it! She squacked and ran! Lady just turned her head sideways all confused.

The cat was never bothered with the chickens or chicks - thank goodness!

So short answer to your question: Yes they do get along, but didn't always

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

 

[kuntrygirl]

Sounds like it's so beautiful over there. WOW!! I have never heard of the Aviagen Ross 308 strain broilers. I"ll have to look that up. So, you will have broilers flown in? Such royal treatment. That cost is not bad at all. What are your feeding plans? Splitting an order with someone sounds like a great idea. I wish I would have done that. :/


You have a great group of birds over there, along with your terriers and cat. Do they get along with the chickens? That was a great "thank you" gift that you all received. Will you all process the lambs for the freezer? I just processed one about a month ago and it was so delicious. I have 2 more to process and I can't wait.

Ooh I missed that question lol...

My Jack Russell terrier female was a notorious chicken killer - she went into the farm owner's yard one day and killed over 30 chickens in one go.  I replaced the chickens and apologized, but I knew the dog had to be trained.  I then tried something funny that worked:

Lady (the dog) has (had) two major obsessions; Chickens and chasing a ball.   I reckoned I would show her her ball - she focuses on it without batting an eye so I led her into my chicken yard focusing on that ball.  I was so nervous because this exercise could go one of two ways - she would keep focus on the ball OR turn it to the chickens.  It was risky - I was sweating!  So in we went, me carrying the ball and Lady still focusing on it.  She kept focus, good.  Now I took the big chance - I threw the ball through the chickens.  This could either be very good or VERY bad.  She chased after the ball completely ignoring the chickens - SUCCESS!!!  So I did that daily and I'm happy to report that Lady and my other JRT now accompanies me to my daily chicken chores without even looking at the chickens!  (she used to tremble, drool and focus on them - scary).  I can even turn away, she leaves them alone.  Even sniffed a hen's butt the other day but the hen wouldn't have it!  She squacked and ran!  Lady just turned her head sideways all confused.  

The cat was never bothered with the chickens or chicks - thank goodness!

So short answer to your question:  Yes they do get along, but didn't always 

Sorry to hear about your dog killing all of those chickens but cool story on how it worked out. I have stray cats but they don't bother any of the animals . They only kill rats and mice.

 

[kuntrygirl]

 

Left field but you're a tough broad right? Lol

Don't laugh too hard :/ but are there any correctional facilities near you? Often non violent criminals can get work release programs and Farm work is the best work honestly. And you have enough of it to have a regular visit. They are escorted, watched and I'd think you'd get stronger helpers or helpers that know what they gotta do to stay in the programs...just a thought.

There is actually a facility not too far from me and I have a van show up like everyother week to clean the drainage ditch in my neighborhood and the surrounding area.  Its usually the same guys but every now and then there's a new one.  They deffinitely do a really good job cause they like getting out and moving around freely even if they are wearing their jumper and neon vest.

edited to add that they also do all the city landscaping, lol.  I guess the city finally figured out it was cheaper than hiring a professional service... after all it doesn't take much skill to push a lawn mower or two around.

Claudia

Sounds like your kids have been raised very well. Good job!

 

[kuntrygirl]

My broilers are all doing good. They will be 5 weeks old tomorrow. I'm amazed that I have only lost 1 and that was due to it being smashed near the heat lamp. I am on my 8th bag of feed. WHEW! The amount of feed that they are eating has increased tremendously. They are getting bigger and bigger. They have outgrown their pen in the garage and now I have to come up with another idea. :/ They are mean!!! When I stick my hand in there, they continue to attack me and want to rip my hand off. :/ I hate to see the little buggars go in 3 weeks but it is what it is. Then my life can return to normal (whatever that is). I don't think I"ll miss mixing feed and feeding 2 - 3 times a day in addition to watering.

As far as storing them for the freezer, I know most people use the vaccum seal bag method. Is there anyone that just puts them in freezer bags along with freezer paper. With all of my meat from the yard (lamb, chicken, duck, turkey and rabbit), I have always just placed the meat in freezer bags and wrapped freezer paper around the freezer bag and taped it up. I have never had any problems at all. I"m trying to decide if I want to put the broilers in large freezer bags or should I use the vacuum seal method.

Any suggestions?

 

[Arielle]

Trying!!!


Oldest was swinging a hatchet about age 5, with close supervision: I held the stick , a looooong thin stick on the chopping block, and wham wham wham. After a few strokes, told him to rest. If aim is off or arms getting shaky-- rest. Fatigue makes for louzy aim. And as a clean whack to part a length from the stick was the most pleasing event for a 5 year old, he listened. He can swing an ax now, and split the wood; not a lot, but it is a start!!

( I am very concerned about the obesity of our childrene very poor eating habits and no exercise-- something that we are all paying for in poor health and high medical costs from issues that are totally preventable. arggh. ok I"ll stop here. )

 

[aoxa]

My broilers are all doing good. They will be 5 weeks old tomorrow. I'm amazed that I have only lost 1 and that was due to it being smashed near the heat lamp. I am on my 8th bag of feed. WHEW! The amount of feed that they are eating has increased tremendously. They are getting bigger and bigger. They have outgrown their pen in the garage and now I have to come up with another idea.

They are mean!!! When I stick my hand in there, they continue to attack me and want to rip my hand off.

I hate to see the little buggars go in 3 weeks but it is what it is. Then my life can return to normal (whatever that is). I don't think I"ll miss mixing feed and feeding 2 - 3 times a day in addition to watering.

As far as storing them for the freezer, I know most people use the vaccum seal bag method. Is there anyone that just puts them in freezer bags along with freezer paper. With all of my meat from the yard (lamb, chicken, duck, turkey and rabbit), I have always just placed the meat in freezer bags and wrapped freezer paper around the freezer bag and taped it up. I have never had any problems at all. I"m trying to decide if I want to put the broilers in large freezer bags or should I use the vacuum seal method.

Any suggestions?

I wrapped in parchment paper when I cut them up into pieces. This helps keep them from sticking together in the freezer bag. I do not use a vacuum sealer, and have never had an issue.

I use big zip lock bags. Make sure they are dried off before putting them in though, or they will get freezer burnt.

 

[Arielle]

Freezer burn is when the moisture moves from the muscle and skin to the area of air in side the bag. I dream of having the opportunity to use vaccum packaging, but for now use plastic bags for short term storage.

I do have some lamb that is packek in plasatic and then in freezer wrap--suorprizingly most of the meat is still good at 10 years in the deep freezer. I'm not recommending meat be stored that long, lol, just that the years got away from me when I had kids!! lol Well sealed wraping paper does a great job.