BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Kev]

While everyone is crowing about their Naked Necks, where do you all consider the best source for them?

for broiler/extra large NN it seems S&G is pretty much the only source available to the public. Apparently they might not be offering them next season though....

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Thanks all for the suggestions on scales. Before I buy, I might look around the hospital and see what's been set back and not in use when new ones have been bought....I could talk my supervisor out of one...that's how I got my microscope to check worm egg flotations...just another perk.

@Beer can , Rather than mess with saddles, it might be far easier to trim his nails really tight (over a few trimmings) and use the wood blade for a Dremel tool, cutting the spurs off all cock-birds at about 1/4'' from the leg. That's what we do and there is no bleeding....except when we cut a toe nail just a bit too much but it's easy to stop with styptic astringent. Some use flour...

Great idea but I just wanted to add, the quick on a chicken is very close to the tip of the toe- and it's unbelievable how much blood can come out of a toenail. Be careful!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Butchered birds Saturday...cleaning out some extras....
Two 12week old COl. Wyandotte cockerels as fryers with skin...each weighed 3.5 pounds.
One 2 year old Blue COl. Wyandotte cock...skinned to brine and slow cook ...weighed in at 5.7 lbs.
One Buckeye/RIR one year old cock...skinned to brine and slow roast...4.5 lbs
One Buckeye/CWyandotte one year old...skinned to brine and slow roast...3.5 lbs
Necks and gizzards, hearts and livers....2 pounds.

Bought a dozen Pekin duck eggs and 18 Turken and a few other breed eggs for the layer/ meat flock to incubate.
These were from a local farmers market vender's 9 year old son. I like to support those children who show an interest in raising their own flock. He sells eggs to buy his own feed.
Set the eggs Sunday evening...NNs should be interesting. I had some about 10 years ago...you all are enablers!!

I probably would have bought all the naked neck eggs too! I hope they hatch well for you. We're going to want to see the pictures!

 

[draye]

= 11.71 ounces for a gain of 670% since hatch. I'm leaning towards pullet.


Pics won't copy: but just my HO, this one is a cockerel.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Great idea but I just wanted to add, the quick on a chicken is very close to the tip of the toe- and it's unbelievable how much blood can come out of a toenail. Be careful!

I was going to let this slide but of course, that's not in my nature.

@CanadianBuckeye , what you posted is absolutely correct but for most potential problems there are multiple solutions. We cut spurs about every 8 or 9 months, depending upon how much grief the hens are getting and we trim nails at the same time. We usually don't have time to give the birds pedicures so the nails are lopped off rather severely because they are almost as much problem for the hens as are the spurs.

Yes, plenty of toes will begin to bleed profusely but worry not...depending upon how many people are trimming, we keep one or two disbudding irons hanging hot on a nail. We hold the tip of a bleeding nail to an iron and poof...no more blood. Some will think this is cruel but some think swatting flies is cruel. I truly do not believe the birds feel pain from the activity because when they are set down, they just wander off picking and clucking.

Turk

edit... CanadianBuckeye, have you ever seen baby goats disbudded? It's not a pretty sight and the kids can be quite vocal but if the person knows how to do the job, there is relatively little stress and pain for them. I would be a fool to say they feel no pain but better that than having them wrapped around an 8'' X 8'' timber. Few folks want dairy goats with horns or almost as bad...scurs.

Animal husbandry requires certain tasks to be done that are not for the squeamish or faint of heart.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

It's true, I'll admit it - I'm VERY faint of heart!

 

[Turk Raphael]

It's true, I'll admit it - I'm VERY faint of heart!

All joking aside, have you really EVER trimmed your adult bird's nails?

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

All joking aside, have you really EVER trimmed your adult bird's nails?

Yes, of course. That's how I found out that the quick was so blasted close to the tip. I trimmed my rooster, I thought he would be easier on my hens with nicely buffed toenails.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Yes, of course. That's how I found out that the quick was so blasted close to the tip. I trimmed my rooster, I thought he would be easier on my hens with nicely buffed toenails.

Additionally, if the feet of both hens and cock-birds are properly cared for, they will survive much longer, avoiding crippling, loss of egg reduction and a bunch of things that a miserable chicken in chronic pain (much like humans) is open to.

 

[Kusanar]

Quote:

Quote: I trim the claws on my indoor cats for the same reason, they don't tear each other up playing, don't cut themselves up if they scratch, don't get claws hung in the couch and jerk on their toes trying to get loose.... I'm actually worse about clipping the dogs nails than the cats... he complains more than they do...