BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[AnthNDacula]

I love chicken skin when I'm roasting a whole bird, but I confess to hate plucking. I've skinned many a chicken out of my own pure laziness. Maybe someday I'll be able to afford one of those new fangled Featherman pluckers. The idea of throwing 3 birds in the barrel and pulling out 3 cleaned carcasses a few seconds later is very appealing.

 

[Beer can]

@AnthNDacula you can make one out of a old clothes washer, check out the youtube vids. I'm going with the drill style just for easier storage.

 

[hellbender]

Forgot to mention something...Some things die hard. We save brown bags all year long to singe the birds after plucking. I hate to think about the doubled ice cream bags that come through here in one year's time but they do come in handy.

 

[Beer can]

Here's that rumpless not a giant

I kept this pathetic attempt at a giant, looks similar to the tailless one but has a tail. Teenie tiny legs compared to the giant pullets in the breeder pen, and a weird fat body. Don't know if it is a really bad giant or something else?

 

[Ifish]

http://www.cornucopia.org/2015/12/s...sda-complacency-with-true-heroes-in-organics/

This was a very interesting read this morning. If the article and reports are true, it seem the USDA is sanctioning fraud in the egg business in favor of the large producers.

I do not sell our eggs, but I could certainly get behind a push back against the USDA to drop the double standards.

 

[Beer can]

My 'keepers', got them July 2 so almost six months, and they are already huge. The one pullet has some grey coloring but she's a bit bigger than the other and I need at least a trio. Had two much nicer ones, one had the dislocated hip, the other biggest pullet I lost to a hawk. I'll see what these two hatch out...

 

[DesertChic]

Thanks! I have a scalder I got on sale from Strombergs (I really didn't want to deal with a hot plate/pot if I didn't have to) - it's essentially just a laundry tub with a heating element in it and a thermostat set for 155F. My issue yesterday was that at first I didn't cover it while heating, and then I covered it with a metal pan (which, duh, radiates heat). I have cardboard over it this AM, and it's heating much faster.

You know, I honestly have to say, plucking wasn't that big of a deal to me. I had the bird hanging so that I could do it standing up, and the bird hangs in a large contractor bag from the clamp holding the bag (and the tarp), so I can just strip most of the feathers off in the bag very quickly. Finished the last bit on the table, only rarely had to use the pin knife. Of course, there may be breeds harder to pluck than New Hampshires - I would anticipate the the NNs will be even easier.

Oh, and I like the skin.

Everything is all set up and water heating - just waiting until it gets a little lighter. Having some breakfast and coffee before going to move the boys into the crate. I might take a photo of the set up before it gets all messy. What's so interesting to me is the skills that have unexpectedly helped me with this process: (1) early morning kayak fishing trip preparation, and (2) cheesemaking.

- Ant Farm

You make cheese! Now I really want to visit with you! I'll bring the wine and crackers.

 

[miss heny]

Hey ant do you use goat milk or cows milk for cheese?

 

[miss heny]

Well... I was out walking about and had a very scary moment... Minus the Swedish and my main OEGB flock ALL my birds were hanging out under the dead grape vines...

I fear they are plotting their next escape on cull day in a few weeks....

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

OK, well, all done, started around 7:30, finished a bit before noon. I took more time today with each bird because I had a headache and my carpel tunnel syndrome was acting up, which makes my fingers clumsy for things like pin feathers - also, I spent more time figuring out the best way to peel the feet (and finally figured out the flick of the wrist needed to get the outer toenail off), which I sort of gave up on yesterday (I'll rescald and peel those NH feet in the kitchen later). It sucked, emotionally, but otherwise went relatively ok, although the Naked Neck boys fought a lot more. I had two more flip themselves out, one before the deed, and one after - didn't figure out until almost the end that I really should always gently restrain the legs while they're in the cone unless I can manage to grow a third arm (easier to be able to use both hands to get a good clean cut on the neck, and also kept the birds more calm since they couldn't try to scrabble their way out). My technique is getting better, and it was so much better to use scalpels, but in the end, it's tough to take a life, even if it's right for the good of the flock. @DesertChic , I tried the upside down longer/comb pulling thing, and it seemed to make things better with several of them, one of whom started to doze off before going in the cone (others, it didn't matter).

Also, DesertChic, thank you for your post about my "special needs' New Hampshire pullet - I read it early this morning, thought a lot about it, and ended up culling her last today. You were absolutely right, it was the right thing to do, and as every single day has been borrowed time for her, it was the least upsetting of all of them. And it CERTAINLY reinforced how much easier plucking Naked Necks is compared to fully feathered chickens, to do her right after the NNs. Geez, so many feathers! Now I can understand why folks hate it if they aren't doing Naked Necks, and might skin them. (Oh, and yes, the NN phenotype are easier than the Nn...). Any of you NN keepers try dry plucking? I ask because the skin is a bit different/seems thinner. I didn't want to mess with it today, but would like to try it some time once my carpel tunnel issues settle down.

Data-wise, as a rookie at this, I got a yield of about 65% for the four Naked Neck cockerels (68% for Dozer). That's 3.5 pounds for Dozer (who WAS very narrow in body - I was right to make that call), 3 lbs for the others. That's carcass only, no neck/feet or organs that I kept - besides feet, neck, and gizzard for me, I saved the good organ stuff for the chickens (liver, heart) but didn't have the energy/wherewithall to give it to them at the time - they're in the fridge. Maybe tomorrow. BTW, the guides I viewed/read while getting ready never mentioned the spleen - I didn't keep it, but should I in the future, for the chickens? At first I was struck by the fact that the Naked Necks, while certainly not "fat", had more belly and abdominal fat than the NHs, (one with NN phenotype had enough to keep with the organs to render later), then I remembered that it's winter and the NNs don't have lots of belly feathers to keep them warm. Duh. I will weigh the NHs when I bag them all up - which will have to wait until tomorrow (I have some of those shrink bags and will do it in the kitchen in my big canner).

After I was done, and had cleaned up everything, what I REALLY wanted to do was take a bath and have an adult beverage. But what I ended up doing was taking care of other weekend chicken chores for the rest of the day - bedding turnover, fluff and refresh, poop scooping, etc, etc. It needed to be done anyway, but it was somehow the most soothing thing I could have done after culling, doing something to take care of the flock (despite the backache!). And, @gjensen , what do you think I found in the Naked Neck tractor while turning over their bedding? Feathers! You were right, they were molting (or at least some were) - it's just hard for me to tell with Naked Necks by looking at the birds, I suppose. While plucking I noticed that several of the NNs were regrowing lots of feathers, and I took another look at Tank, and he is growing his tail and wing feathers back out, so I think that may have been his "slow down" issue (he's not slow any more - he's acting like a BOY now!!! Poor pullets...). I also found some barred feathers in the Cream Legbar coop - Dumbledore is molting a bit as well. Both coops got mealworm-and-BOSS treat blocks today. (The Naked Necks are on Flock Raiser (20% protein) - should I get them some BOSS next time I'm at Tractor Supply?)

Anyhow, thanks again, everyone, for all the advice on my choice of the keeper cockerels, and in culling. While this was tough for me as a first time, it really had to be done - it was a bit overdue, but I couldn't have done it earlier because of work. The chicken yard is much quieter and calmer now, as am I.

Hot bath? Check. Pain killers? Check. Doctor Who reruns on the tube? - Check. (Don't have the energy to process any new episodes right now, and I need a River Song story arc fix). I had pizza last night - I think it'll be sushi tonight.

- Ant Farm