Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Pathfinders]

Heres a question with all the problems with no meat products in the feed these days. How does one fatten up say some Cornish game hens to eat if you had some. Or scubey R I Reds that you want to put in the freezer this winter. bob

Actually, the Purina Game Bird series of feed does still have animal protein in it (although it may just be feather meal I fear.) Here are two labels:

 

[debs_flock]

I do like my New Hampshires...................and very friendly birds too!

 

[debs_flock]

And they positively glow in the sunlight!

 

[AletaG]

A. I feed my dog raw, so we always have meat bits laying about, I've been chopping up liver and whatnot every couple of days for the cockerel and the youngens. We're also starting a mealworm and BSFly colony. We're fermenting, too, which is supposed to help a little. Not like that game feed Pathfinders posted, tho! 'course, dog food can be about 30% also, but wouldn't recommend lots of that!

Don't forget these silly New Hampshires Folks. They mature like quail lay fast, have meat on their bones and are dead on pretty on the ground. Matt 1616 has some and I give them the vote for the most stunning birds on his place. This is a old fashion H Standard of Perfection tread to preserve rare DUAL purpose breeds to some what.. Can not confuse these birds with Hybred fast growing chickens from the catalog its like fuit and meat. They have their purpose you can not beat a Cornish Rock and then caponize him and you got a killer eating chicken.
Heres a question with all the problems with no meat products in the feed these days. How does one fatten up say some Cornish game hens to eat if you had some. Or scubey R I Reds that you want to put in the freezer this winter. bob

So how long to harvest on HNH? (BTW in case I haven't been clear I don't expect 6wk harvest times, just trying to minimize the neighborhood hate on the cockerels. LOL I push the limits as much as I can, but there IS a point where the Sheriff will knock on your door.) So is a Cornish Rock actually a Cornish/P.Rock cross, or is that another of those specially bred icky picky things I'm really trying to avoid? What about a Cornish/HNH or C/HRIR or , or... Has anyone even tried in the last 100 years? but I'm not going to caponize. I've watched some videos, etc, and I just know I'll yank out a piece of intestine instead or something. First Aid I can do... minor repair work, wound care. Surgery? Not so much. My hands just aren't steady enough and any little thing will distract me. Dual purpose is good. Part of why I'm excited about the HRIR project I'm trying to work on, but a once a year meat harvest wouldn't be a bad side project, either. And if, by happenstance, I get to help with another breed, well, gee whillikers, what luck! Just trying to get the maximum I can out of my tiny little .25 acre! I'd have one of those cute little mini cows, too, but I can't convince the neighborhood to 'graze share'. Sigh. Who'd think that letting a couple cow pies drop on your lawn would be a negative when you'd get 2-3 gal fresh milk once a week?

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Buy straight run chicks. When they are old enough to sex them (if not autosexable) take all the cockerels and sell them on craigslist to people who want to raise them to eat. Take the money and buy more straight run chicks. Once again sell the cockerels and by them you should have a nice crop of pullets to fatten for the freezer and no problems with the neighbors and noise. Plus you will have chicks of staggered ages, which could be a good thing.
Just a thought,
Karen
By the way, have you read that wonderful book, "Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre "? http://tinyurl.com/mp789ds

It's fantastic. Ask your library to get it in for you! There are a whole list of mini-micro farming books on Amazon.com I found this one on the shelf at Barnes and Noble one day when we stopped in for a glass of tea. It' absolutely fascinating, the creativity that went into this microfarm. Yes, it does include poultry!
Best,
Karen

 

[Yellow House Farm]

A. I feed my dog raw, so we always have meat bits laying about, I've been chopping up liver and whatnot every couple of days for the cockerel and the youngens. We're also starting a mealworm and BSFly colony. We're fermenting, too, which is supposed to help a little. Not like that game feed Pathfinders posted, tho! 'course, dog food can be about 30% also, but wouldn't recommend lots of that!
So how long to harvest on HNH? (BTW in case I haven't been clear I don't expect 6wk harvest times, just trying to minimize the neighborhood hate on the cockerels. LOL I push the limits as much as I can, but there IS a point where the Sheriff will knock on your door.) So is a Cornish Rock actually a Cornish/P.Rock cross, or is that another of those specially bred icky picky things I'm really trying to avoid? What about a Cornish/HNH or C/HRIR or , or... Has anyone even tried in the last 100 years? but I'm not going to caponize. I've watched some videos, etc, and I just know I'll yank out a piece of intestine instead or something. First Aid I can do... minor repair work, wound care. Surgery? Not so much. My hands just aren't steady enough and any little thing will distract me. Dual purpose is good. Part of why I'm excited about the HRIR project I'm trying to work on, but a once a year meat harvest wouldn't be a bad side project, either. And if, by happenstance, I get to help with another breed, well, gee whillikers, what luck! Just trying to get the maximum I can out of my tiny little .25 acre! I'd have one of those cute little mini cows, too, but I can't convince the neighborhood to 'graze share'. Sigh. Who'd think that letting a couple cow pies drop on your lawn would be a negative when you'd get 2-3 gal fresh milk once a week?

You might find that spatchcocked heritage broilers becomes your commonest chicken meat. They're petit, but their delicious. Raising up extra females can provide you the older cuts.

PS: Get NHs

 

[3riverschick]

y

 

[BGMatt]

A. I feed my dog raw, so we always have meat bits laying about, I've been chopping up liver and whatnot every couple of days for the cockerel and the youngens.  We're also starting a mealworm and BSFly colony. We're fermenting, too, which is supposed to help a little. Not like that game feed Pathfinders posted, tho! 'course, dog food can be about 30% also, but wouldn't recommend lots of that!
So how long to harvest on  HNH? (BTW in case I haven't been clear I don't expect 6wk harvest times, just trying to minimize the neighborhood hate on the cockerels. LOL I push the limits as much as I can, but there IS a point where the Sheriff will knock on your door.) So is a Cornish Rock actually a Cornish/P.Rock cross, or is that another of those specially bred icky picky things I'm really trying to avoid? What about a Cornish/HNH or C/HRIR or , or... Has anyone even tried in the last 100 years? but I'm not going to caponize. I've watched some videos, etc, and I just know I'll yank out a piece of intestine instead or something. First Aid I can do... minor repair work, wound care. Surgery? Not so much. My hands just aren't steady enough and any little thing will distract me. Dual purpose is good. Part of why I'm excited about the HRIR project I'm trying to work on, but a once a year meat harvest wouldn't be a bad side project, either. And if, by happenstance, I get to help with another breed, well, gee whillikers, what luck! Just trying to get the maximum I can out of my tiny little .25 acre! I'd have one of those cute little mini cows, too, but I can't convince the neighborhood to 'graze share'. Sigh. Who'd think that letting a couple cow pies drop on your lawn would be a negative when you'd get 2-3 gal fresh milk once a week?

I am sure this won't be the popular opinion, not that that's ever stopped me, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with CornishX commercial meat birds. Raise them on controlled good feed and as much range as you can and you'll avoid most the health issues and with ranging they'll actually use muscles so you'll get some flavor and they're ready real fast. The commercial meat birds started with Cornish/Plymouth Rock but have far surpassed that now as a terminal cross of specialized hybrids. Terminal Cross meaning the actual meat birds aren't used for breeding but are a result of specially selected breeding birds. For your type of situation if your Rhode Island Red project doesn't give you enough meat, run to the feed store, pick up some commercial meat birds and have more chicken in the freezer in about 8 weeks.

 

[AletaG]

Anyone with Heritage fowl going to the Ridgefield show, then - 2nd weekend in Oct.? Maybe if I knew someone would be there to make sure I didn't get lost /shystered, <--made that word up, but you know what I mean? It's got to be a very worthwhile trip, 'cause Jon works Saturdays, so I'd need to find childcare and save up travel expenses... We WILL be at Puyallup this year. Jon's off TH F and Sun's so it will be one of those days... If anyone wants to try to meet there, let me know? We've been planning all year, 'cause both my kids want to try the Woolriders this time, and Nigel loves the kid tractor pull, and...

 

[debs_flock]

Quote:
When my son was raising meat pens in 4H, he would put his water at one end of the pen and feeder at the other. This would force the birds to move around and do something besides eat and poop. He'd also place a small barrier across the middle of the pen, to give them an obstacle to need to get over for extra muscling. He did manage to win both Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion in the same year with his methods.