BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[jbkirk]

Call me uneducated, but why would you toe punch?

Too permanently mark birds. There's no hassle with leg bands or such, and there's 16 different combinations you can use and have them all different.

 

[dfr1973]

Caponizing? Dare I ask what this is?


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.

Caponizing is castrating a male chicken. Without the testosterone, the meat doesn't toughen up, they aren't aggressive - there is even stories of them rearing chicks - and they don't crow. That is, as long as it's a full capon, and not a "slip" where enough tissue was missed and begins releasing hormones.

I totally grok the idea that happy chickens taste better, and lay better eggs.

 

[southernmomma]

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.

I just did this for the first time and it seems to be much like getting your ears pierced. No real bleeding....obviously hurts but they got over it very quickly. I used small scissors and slit the web versus punching a hole as I'd read accounts of the hole getting filled with debris. They were 3 weeks old; I don't know that it makes a difference to when you do it but I would think the younger/smaller the chick the easier it is to physically handle them. I was nervous as all get out but it went relatively smoothly and the next day there were no hurt feelings

M

 

[southernmomma]

Quote: I did left foot, right foot and plan to number band significant individuals but there's an incredible number of variations.

M

 

[jbkirk]

I did left foot, right foot and plan to number band significant individuals but there's an incredible number of variations.

M

You can see all the variations here>http://albc-usa.etapwss.com/images/uploads/docs/ToePunchChart.pdf

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

OH. I have too many birds for this! I like banding. I really don't do it until after a bit of grow out, so it's not much hassle. And I only band layers on every other rotation. That way I know who is heading out. I trap nest some and band them as layers for breeding. Those get the long luxurious life. I often let them stay on well past any function because I am bonded to them. Iknow this doesn't make business sense, but it is my nature.

Let's talk marking systems. How are each of you tracking breeders?

I band breeding stock. Each band has a folder with notes in it. Some of these get named and some just have numbers. Each breed has a different color folder (I buy pretty ones!). What can I say; I work for my husband who is a attorney! Filing is my thing!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Selling meat is not without big issues; selling " on the hoof" is different. THe only draw back is the difference in clientele. Most who will buy "on the hoof" are not willing to pay more than $7 for a bird; and those that can afford the $25 a bird are at a different income level. FOr me, once I learned to butcher the cckls, I no longer sold them. $7which sure didnt cover the feeding and aggivation dealing with buyers.

A fellow showed me how to dip feet in hot water at the time of butchering and peel the feet then. At this point, I"m ok iwth a good scrubbing before boiling. The heat treatment will kill anything that I might be concerned with.

I have a beef burgandy recipe that called for salt pork instead of the original pork hocks. I think I will try this again, but use chicken feet, until I can buy pork hocks. ( ONly one store has them that I know of and that is 45minutes one way. )

I have "cold packed" and I have roasted and then picked the meat off for processing. Canned goods makes for quick eats for sure!

Quote: People are kind to chicks!! THey respond to the cheep- cheep differently than eggs.

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.

George, be willing to try different recipes. And alter ingredients to taste. We rarely buy sausage anymore. Very easy to make our own sausage Many to tempt you here: .http://thespicysausage.com/sausagemakingrecipes.htm

Quote: George even around here, that is the "code word" to buy milk. Sad but true. Then the seller is not liable for when the milk is used otherwise. So many stupid rules that get me riled. And is leading me to having my own milking goats, etc. Because I too feel internal irritation at needing to use subterfuge. Oddly it is better IMO to have a herd that is regularly tested and monitored, and the milk ' shared", then to have numerous single family milkers that are not likely to be tested.

Quote:
I have noticed that store purchased meat feels different too. A bit soft and slick with a waxy kind of feel. Yuck.

@gjensen , You shouldn't concern yourself about lying about the use of a raw milk purchase. The folks you buy it from are most likely lying about it being only for pets, at least in my experience. Consider the greatest lie of all~ that it's unsafe for human consumption.

M
Ya the flesh of the store bought meat is mushy. I cant say I dislike it, more just another choice. I like variety in my foods. lol

Quote: Do they allow herd shares in your state? I milk sheep and we sell herd shares... easy way of don't it if allowed in your state. Btw, once you try sheep's milk you'll never drink goats milk again. ;-)
What sheep breed are you using?? Or recommend.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I feed the blood back to the chickens. I think ROn wrote up his recipe near the beginning of this thread for another option.

No bone goes into the trash here-- it gets buried into the compost heap. In the future I will consider burying around the fruit trees!!

 

[ronott1]

I have a beef burgandy recipe that called for salt pork instead of the original pork hocks. I think I will try this again, but use chicken feet, until I can buy pork hocks. ( ONly one store has them that I know of and that is 45minutes one way. )

Bacon is a substitute for salt pork in recipes.

 

[Arielle]

OH. I have too many birds for this! I like banding. I really don't do it until after a bit of grow out, so it's not much hassle. And I only band layers on every other rotation. That way I know who is heading out. I trap nest some and band them as layers for breeding. Those get the long luxurious life. I often let them stay on well past any function because I am bonded to them. Iknow this doesn't make business sense, but it is my nature.

Let's talk marking systems. How are each of you tracking breeders?

I band breeding stock. Each band has a folder with notes in it. Some of these get named and some just have numbers. Each breed has a different color folder (I buy pretty ones!). What can I say; I work for my husband who is a attorney! Filing is my thing!

You read my mind!! lol I plan to maintain the notching of the original parents. BUt get stuck when I have multiple batches thru the hatching season. I have breed and raised enough chicks to know that careful making when young is vital to tracking who is who when they grow up a bit.