4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Here is a safe way...

Get two framing nails and drive them into a stump (or something similar) only about an inch or so, leaving 2.5 - 3" sticking up. Drive them about an inch and a half apart. Then you grab your rooster, pull his wing primaries down to his feet so that you can hold his legs and both wings at the same time. Put his neck between those two nails and straighten him out, putting tension on his neck to keep it straight and held still by the two nails. Then... make sure you have a sharp cleaver... its easier than an axe.

I really prefer to use a razor knife or scalpel and cut the arteries in the neck. bird is unconscious within seconds and the heat keeps beating pumping the remaining blood out of the body

 

[Bettacreek]

I used to do the jugular method, but this year I switched to a hatchet. I MUCH prefer the hatchet. Pretty much impossible to mess that up. Plus, I can then turn my back to them immediately and don't have to watch the throes of death. That is the *only* part that bothers me about butchering. If I'm too attached to the bird, it doesn't get butchered, so I don't have to worry about the guilt as much, lol. Mostly I realize that certain birds are destined for the dinner plate, and have a pretty level head about it. Even my sister has come to visit and said "I like that they all seem happy, which is better than birds that live in a cage their entire lives, so I guess I kind of approve of you killing them". My sister's a yuppie, would sooner starve than even clean an animal that has already been killed and quartered, lol.

 

[Shelshanam]

I'm staying up late tonight because in 4 hours it will be 12/4/12 and my turkey eggs will be heading into the incubator.

Anyone else putting their eggs in at midnight tonight for the longer hatching eggs?

 

[Mahonri]

It's been fun reading today... I need to get some of this equine fresh.... wonder where they'd sell it in AZ?

 

[cluck-cluck]

I am TOTALLY having eggie dreams! YAY for the NYD Hatch!! Still haven't figured out how to let DH in on the fact that we are hatching again....

I just told my hubby tonight

Do you ever notice that when you think your partner is going to blow up, they do something like "oh? Oh ok...."?

I'm staying up late tonight because in 4 hours it will be 12/4/12 and my turkey eggs will be heading into the incubator.

Anyone else putting their eggs in at midnight tonight for the longer hatching eggs?

Nope, but I got up at 4am this morning to finish up my very first batch of yogurt! The chickens love yogurt and I figured it's a lot cheaper to make it from milk than to buy it, so I did, and it is yummy stuff! Wow!

It's just part of the dedication that we have to our poultry

 

[coldupnorth]

It's been fun reading today... I need to get some of this equine fresh.... wonder where they'd sell it in AZ?

I tried to find it today at our local farm & fleet but they didn't carry it. I'm going to look at the feed mill tomorrow

 

[coldupnorth]

I'm staying up late tonight because in 4 hours it will be 12/4/12 and my turkey eggs will be heading into the incubator.

Anyone else putting their eggs in at midnight tonight for the longer hatching eggs?

The other set times have been noon of that day to qualify for the first hatch contest - so setting at midnight may not qualify you for that particular contest. I think that is what mrheinz has said for the 11th, so I'm guessing the other set days aren't any different. You might want to check if that is the case. I'm not sure

 

[coldupnorth]

I just told my hubby tonight

Do you ever notice that when you think your partner is going to blow up, they do something like "oh? Oh ok...."?

Nope, but I got up at 4am this morning to finish up my very first batch of yogurt! The chickens love yogurt and I figured it's a lot cheaper to make it from milk than to buy it, so I did, and it is yummy stuff! Wow!

It's just part of the dedication that we have to our poultry

Yum - homemade yogurt! Now I have to research how to do that....

 

[Lacy Blues]

I really prefer to use a razor knife or scalpel and cut the arteries in the neck. bird is unconscious within seconds and the heat keeps beating pumping the remaining blood out of the body

I would maybe prefer that method too if I could actually find that jugular! I don't know how many roosters' faces got cut up because I couldn't locate the blasted thing. The hatchet is much faster and they do bleed out pretty well. Then salt water brings out any blood that didn't get pumped.

 

[cluck-cluck]

LOL, it did taste better than my starter yogurt, not sure why?

I think I have my incubator running where I want it right now.

The high today was 99.5 (gonna see how it does tomorrow because I was still making adjustments today) and it's now at 99.1. I want to run it on the cooler side this time around.

And I can put a small blanket over the glass window at night and keep the temperature warmer if it gets too cold

. Now I'm going to watch it and record it's daily highs and lows ;P

Wow, time is runnin' fast man!