ALABAMA!!

[kimberly35042]

Bex - THAT IS AWFUL!! Matter of fact, it has prompted me to contact my sister in Maryland to see if she would host a HUMANE poultry processing workshop at our farm here in Calera.

She has an incredibly humane and RESPECTFUL process and uses a cone to suppress the bird then slits the artery. No muss no fuss for anyone. I like the Salatin principal: "Our birds live great lives....they have one bad day." Completely different than the big ag poultry industry which is good for no one and especially not the birds. NASTY! She also raise ducks and a few turkeys. I never thought I'd like duck==then I tasted one of her homegrown waterfowl. My goodness it was TASTY!

Anyway, is there any interest out there in something like this? Would $65 or so per person and take home your own bird be reasonable? I'd have to pay her expenses to get here.

Here's her farm site: http://www.moosemanorfarms.com/ ... Just thinking out loud here!!

 

[AtropineCaffein]

Kimberly, I would be interested to learn but all we have right now are Japanese bantams--our pet chickens that are not being processed.

 

[Tomtommom]

There was a processing workshop locally last year, I believe. It was $20 and bring your own bird (ofcourse that was a local person doing it, so no travel expense for them).

You can learn a lot on this thread too: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ort-group-help-us-through-the-emotions-please

I love the broomstick method and many folks on that thread are learning the joys of it too.

I'm a sloppy processor, still learning, but the end result is good and death comes quickly

 

[kimberly35042]

Thank you both for your replies! I had no idea there were such workshops locally and for so reasonable cost.

I was actually going to buy and raise the birds to have on site for processing. There is a local hatchery in Clanton that offers red rangers as well as a heritage white broiler, and I thought I'd use them as a taste test comparison to the Dorkings.

We have also processed birds, but like TomTom, I'd like to refine the process just a bit and possibly learn to do turkeys in the fall as well. Dana has a plucker which would speed up the process. Let's face it, anybody can pluck -- its the evisceration that needs work. She's a pro and raises/processes twice a year for many years now so to see a pro setup "at home" would be interesting. And although the birds would be raised in ground tractors, they would be finished on grains. Obviously the more people, the lower the costs....

Any other thoughts here??

 

[dan26552]

Thank you both for your replies! I had no idea there were such workshops locally and for so reasonable cost.

I was actually going to buy and raise the birds to have on site for processing. There is a local hatchery in Clanton that offers red rangers as well as a heritage white broiler, and I thought I'd use them as a taste test comparison to the Dorkings.

We have also processed birds, but like TomTom, I'd like to refine the process just a bit and possibly learn to do turkeys in the fall as well. Dana has a plucker which would speed up the process. Let's face it, anybody can pluck -- its the evisceration that needs work. She's a pro and raises/processes twice a year for many years now so to see a pro setup "at home" would be interesting. And although the birds would be raised in ground tractors, they would be finished on grains. Obviously the more people, the lower the costs....

Any other thoughts here??

Are you talking about s&g poultry?

 

[kimberly35042]

Yes, S&G Poultry. They list the first available date as end of January. I'll never have them shipped in the winter again (did that with McMurray couple years ago in February), but I'm close enough to S&G to go pick them up. 14 weeks has them ready for the freezer around the first part of May -- perfect timing!

 

[dan26552]

Yes, S&G Poultry. They list the first available date as end of January. I'll never have them shipped in the winter again (did that with McMurray couple years ago in February), but I'm close enough to S&G to go pick them up. 14 weeks has them ready for the freezer around the first part of May -- perfect timing!

My dad used to raise broilers from them. Good chickens very tasty. We free ranged them and didn't lose all that many

 

[kimberly35042]

On another topic -- does anyone here participate or have children that participate in 4H interested in Nankins?

 

[bamadude]

On another topic -- does anyone here participate or have children that participate in 4H interested in Nankins?

here in dale county, our county cooperative extension office handles the 4h chickens. We went to the 4h show here and all the birds were cheap looking hatchery birds. U could probably call your local cooperative extension office and ask if u can help. That is a good looking bird there

 

[kimberly35042]

Quote: Thanks Bama -- they are COCKY little things. Excellent little representatives of the word. I'm only hatching a few of these this year and have 14 or so 1/2 cooked. So I've got some eggs that I'll give to a 4h'r free for pickup. Of course the hens will insist on hatching a few later on, but I won't let them till it warms up some.They're cocky little things too 'cept they call it somethin different for a female....