BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[gjensen]

I don't yet have the room to keep the cockerels where they cannot see the pullets or hens. I would need to clear out the back acre and half (out of 2.55 acres total), then get another electric netting perimeter. I am learning to caponize anyway - neither hubby nor I have had capon since childhood.

Capons are good eating. A costly meat, but a good meat.

 

[DesertChic]

We have never made sausage with chicken. Has anyone had any that was any good? If so, could they point me to a recipe? It is something that I would like to try. Another thing I would like to try is canning poultry meat.

We still pluck and will pluck the birds. I do not want to lose the skin. I have removed only the breast and thighs on some young cockerels, but I would rather get it all. We feed some to the cats and dogs. That is what I do with the old males. I am not eating them. I have too many young birds to eat. The dogs enjoy them though.

ETA: The waste feathers, feet, bones etc. is good for burying where the future fruit tree will be etc. It gives them a great start. All of my trees that I have planted have been planted over such holes.

Really? I never even thought about this. Fascinating!

Um....what do you do with all the blood? My birds aren't mature enough yet to consider butchering, but what to do with the blood has been a nagging question in my mind.

 

[gjensen]

That may be more trouble than what it's worth. Are you sure you'll have fighting issues?
When we raise cockerels for meat they all get raised in the same group. I had a group of more than 100 last year. They were hatched in Jan and Feb, separated by sex in May and all cockerels combined (even those who had not previously been together). The trick is to raise them away from all the girls. I had more than 100 cockerels together until we got around to butchering in Oct and had zero fighting. Just keep them where they can't see the girls and you should have no posturing issues.

It took me a bit to learn this. I mention this periodically because I wish that someone had mentioned this to me early on. With time and observation, I learned to grow out the cockerels where they cannot see females. On the other hand, I want my individually housed cockerels and cocks to see females. It is aid in keeping them fit.

Some strains are more competitive than others, and eventually these will get picking on some too much. Still, if there is enough feed and water stations, and room to get away, they can be kept together for a long time.

Another aid that I have not used, but have seen used, is blinders. They are helpful to some.

I have noticed that some gamecock breeders allow their cockerels to free range without access to females for a long time. Only feeding them enough corn to keep them close. They are forced to rustle up the rest on their own, and they range far and wide. Eventually they have to be rounded up, and kept separate or they will start killing each other until there is only one left.

It all boils down to good management.

 

[gjensen]

Really? I never even thought about this. Fascinating!

Um....what do you do with all the blood? My birds aren't mature enough yet to consider butchering, but what to do with the blood has been a nagging question in my mind.

I kill the majority of my birds in killing cones, and the blood is collected in a bucket. I generally bury it with the rest of the waste. I have poured it in the garden, at the base of trees etc. The downside is attracting unwanted visitors.

 

[DesertChic]

I kill the majority of my birds in killing cones, and the blood is collected in a bucket. I generally bury it with the rest of the waste. I have poured it in the garden, at the base of trees etc. The downside is attracting unwanted visitors.

Yeah...those unwanted visitors are what concerns me. We have huge packs of coyotes out here and I suspect the smell of blood would draw them even closer.

 

[ronott1]

Yeah...those unwanted visitors are what concerns me. We have huge packs of coyotes out here and I suspect the smell of blood would draw them even closer.

Chickens draw them closer. Every critter that eats meat wants to eat your chickens. Believe me, they know you have them already.

A bit of decomp will not change that.

Stinking rotten predators....

 

[dfr1973]

I kill the majority of my birds in killing cones, and the blood is collected in a bucket. I generally bury it with the rest of the waste. I have poured it in the garden, at the base of trees etc. The downside is attracting unwanted visitors.

I put spanish moss in my bucket to sop up the blood, then dump it out by the back corner by some deadfall so if the bears are around, they are hunting back there and not trying to eat my chicks (again). Since I share a border with state land where at least five black bears live, I'd rather have them more interested in the very far corner.

George, that is what we remember about capons: very tasty but pricey. I haven't seen one in a grocery freezer since I was kid, so I am doing what I often need to do - learn to make it myself.

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

I love this thread. Let me say that folks on here are kind to one another and it makes reading this thread a joy. It seems to me that folks here are polite and thoughtful, enjoying our thoughts, differences and advice. Isn't that what a communicative discussion should look like? I have had some snarky encounters on other threads, but never here.

RAW MILK: I am a part of a raw milk cooperative. I bought a herd share and I pay $12 a gallon for raw organic milk. I love it. I recently ran out and bought some pasteurized milk. YUCK! I'm sold on raw milk. I too can buy goat milk for "animal consumption" around here and make cheese.

Caponizing? Dare I ask what this is?

The trick to sausage is fat. You have to have A LOT of fat and more salt than you think.I have had moderate success with making sausage. I always have to go to the butcher and buy fat to make it any good. I also think a variety of meat makes good sausage. Dark meat seems the way to go and I am sold on the idea of grinding meat. Thanks to whoever brought this up as I had never thought of it!

Store bought meat is weird.I am not sure why it tastes and looks like that. I do know that a lot of chicken is grown here, shipped to China for butchering and sent back. That may be it, but it's got to be raising meat in the dark on all that crap. We free range so our meat is rangier, but even if you don't range I am sure that the interaction, care in feeding and general joy in poultry raising goes far. Maybe that is woo-woo for some of you, but food raised with love and food made with love comes through.

Canning chicken meat is something I am loving. Canning meat period! I made a huge pot of soup last year that I canned in quarts. Great when we are sick or too tired to cook. I try to make things that are "bases" for other dish. A meaty chicken broth works well. Then I add a little of this or that while I cook rice, quinoa or noddles and serve over it. We love it. I also make bases that I change up. e.g. start with chicken soup. Can half the pot. Add spices from India and tomatoes and can the second half. Then there is a variety in the larder. I grow a garden for canning purposes. This year I hope to can 1/4 of our years food.

Story- Last year we raised ConishX for meat. We butchered them all at once--19. The next day I was surprised to find that one had hidden in the hen house and survived! Emily continued to grow and eat way toooo much. Finally she laid her first egg at 5 1/2 months. A monster. 2 days later another and prolapsed. The next day we butchered her. Dressed weight 13lbs! Her liver was HUGE, or so it seemed, because we had never grown a hen to turkey size! She was a little chewy, but I roasted her with 30 cloves of chopped garlic, 1/2c butter and 2 c minced cilantro packed under her skin. We had our neighbors over and thanked Emily for her contribution to our bodies and the fellowship of our friendships. Another bonus to raising your own meat!

 

[jbkirk]

So I have some questions on toe punching..
1. So does toe punching make the chicken bleed?
2. At what age can you do it?
3. Is slitting it better than making a hole?
4. You do it in the web right?
Sorry if these are really stupid questions.

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

Call me uneducated, but why would you toe punch?