BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[DesertChic]

I processed my beloved Bielefelder rooster, Hansel today...the biggest of the two boys. As emotionally heartbreaking as it was for me to finally do the deed, as I processed him I became more and more certain that I'd made the right decision. Here's his 7.1 lb processed carcass:



Yep...over 7 lbs processed PLUS 2 full cups of extra fat, and believe me, there's still plenty left inside this bird. He was so huge he barely fit in the giant cauldron I use for scalding and I had to carry his carcass around in a 5 gallon bucket. But notice that prominent keel? In spite of having really nice leg and thigh meat, there's hardly any breast meat on him...exactly what I detected when I used to hold and snuggle with him. This is precisely why I didn't use him as a breeder. I think he will, however, make a lovely dinner once brined for a few days (he's 2 years old) and then coated in a dry rub and slow roasted.

 

[Kassaundra]

I processed my beloved Bielefelder rooster, Hansel today...the biggest of the two boys. As emotionally heartbreaking as it was for me to finally do the deed, as I processed him I became more and more certain that I'd made the right decision. Here's his 7.1 lb processed carcass:



Yep...over 7 lbs processed PLUS 2 full cups of extra fat, and believe me, there's still plenty left inside this bird. He was so huge he barely fit in the giant cauldron I use for scalding and I had to carry his carcass around in a 5 gallon bucket. But notice that prominent keel? In spite of having really nice leg and thigh meat, there's hardly any breast meat on him...exactly what I detected when I used to hold and snuggle with him. This is precisely why I didn't use him as a breeder. I think he will, however, make a lovely dinner once brined for a few days (he's 2 years old) and then coated in a dry rub and slow roasted.

Sorry I know it was hard, but summer was coming and he really had problems w/ it.

 

[Gorman Farm]

So hard when it is one of your fav's. The circle of life...

 

[DesertChic]

Sorry I know it was hard, but summer was coming and he really had problems w/ it.

So hard when it is one of your fav's. The circle of life...

Very true. He had a really good life while alive, but it would've been pure torture to put him through another summer like last year. Biels are just not made for southern AZ. Plus he'd broken the top part of his beak quite a while ago and hasn't been able to effectively mate ever since. I even had to use the Dremel to file down the lower part of his beak so he could eat. It was past time to cull him and I'm glad I finally did it.

 

[supersymmetry]

Sorry I know it was hard, but summer was coming and he really had problems w/ it.

Very true. He had a really good life while alive, but it would've been pure torture to put him through another summer like last year. Biels are just not made for southern AZ. Plus he'd broken the top part of his beak quite a while ago and hasn't been able to effectively mate ever since. I even had to use the Dremel to file down the lower part of his beak so he could eat. It was past time to cull him and I'm glad I finally did it.

I am proud of you! It looks like you did a great job. As we all love our animals, I'll just remind us that all of our birds have great lives and just one, 'bad day'. I always take extreme comfort in that, as well as the fact that we are connected to our food in a way that makes 'thankfulness' ring true when we raise, prepare and serve something that we have nurtured for so long. You are carrying on a tradition that is inextricable tied to being human! It is a reminder to be grateful for each day! I hope he is absolutely delicious and enjoyed thoroughly.

 

[holm25]

I processed my beloved Bielefelder rooster, Hansel today...the biggest of the two boys. As emotionally heartbreaking as it was for me to finally do the deed, as I processed him I became more and more certain that I'd made the right decision. Here's his 7.1 lb processed carcass: Yep...over 7 lbs processed PLUS 2 full cups of extra fat, and believe me, there's still plenty left inside this bird. He was so huge he barely fit in the giant cauldron I use for scalding and I had to carry his carcass around in a 5 gallon bucket. But notice that prominent keel? In spite of having really nice leg and thigh meat, there's hardly any breast meat on him...exactly what I detected when I used to hold and snuggle with him. This is precisely why I didn't use him as a breeder. I think he will, however, make a lovely dinner once brined for a few days (he's 2 years old) and then coated in a dry rub and slow roasted.

Sorry you had to do that.. What a beautiful carcass though! Do you have any offspring from him? Or another Biel roo? Hens?

 

[DesertChic]

Sorry you had to do that.. What a beautiful carcass though! Do you have any offspring from him? Or another Biel roo? Hens?

No offspring from Hansel. Even though he was one of my largest birds ever, I never liked his lack of breast meat.

I have one Biel rooster remaining, Bosch, and he's a pet. I will let that boy live in part of the house during the hottest part of summer to keep him comfortable. He's always had the better body type and vigor, sired some decent hybrid offspring, and has given me a lot of therapy. Bosch will run across the yard to come hop on my lap for snuggling. He's even befriended by dogs.

I also have two Biel hens remaining, but will be culling one of them this weekend. She's never been a good producer, and by not good I mean only 100 eggs in her most productive year, and she has breathing issues. I honestly suspect that she's got so much internal fat that it puts pressure on her lungs. She's a very sweet girl, but at this point it's not only practical to cull her, but merciful. The other hen, Zoey, has always been one of the better producers and lays jumbo-sized dark brown eggs. She's healthy and vigorous so far and I'm considering breeding her to one of my NN roosters before the summer heat sets in. She does okay in the summer, but not great, and I will probably be culling her in June.

These are the two hens I have from my NN/Biel cross with my favorite Biel hen, who died last summer from the heat:





Not only do they have really friendly personalities, but they're outstanding layers of brown eggs and have nice, meaty bodies for hens. And the bottom one, Gypsy, is the favorite of my eldest NN rooster, Heisenberg. I can't wait to see their offspring.

 

[Gorman Farm]

I can relate to the heat, we haven't had any die from it so far, but being where we are in Florida it is VERY hot in the summer, I tried to off set this by placing the coop with partial shade from a large oak tree and fans in the coops for both my chickens and turkeys. I find my turkeys are more sensitive to the heat than the chickens.I also fine mist them with the hose some days when I am cleaning waterers, and make them a play puddle in their runs. Of course we have humid heat which I understand is different than dry heat.

 

[DesertChic]

I can relate to the heat, we haven't had any die from it so far, but being where we are in Florida it is VERY hot in the summer, I tried to off set this by placing the coop with partial shade from a large oak tree and fans in the coops for both my chickens and turkeys. I find my turkeys are more sensitive to the heat than the chickens.I also fine mist them with the hose some days when I am cleaning waterers, and make them a play puddle in their runs. Of course we have humid heat which I understand is different than dry heat.

I even went so far as to put window A/C units in one of the chicken houses. (Actually, it's a cabin I converted into a chicken house.) My chickens don't appreciate misters at all, but they love when I leave a hose running on low to create a nice big puddle for them to stand in. But last June we had nearly two straight weeks of temps above 115* with humidity over 30%, which is high for us. Even my NNs were uncomfortable without that puddle to cool their feet in. I'm surprised I only lost the one chicken.

This is my chicken cabin before I completed all the modifications:

 

[DesertChic]

Color genetics continues to amaze and perplex me. Actually, all of poultry genetics continues to amaze and perplex me. You may (or may not) remember how impressed I was by Andres, son of Monty and my Dorking-mix, Bubbles.

Monty: Dad


Bubbles: Mom (the one in front)


Andres (the Giant) - favorite offspring.



Well, I managed to hatch one more egg from the Monty + Bubbles pairing, hoping for a pullet. I got another cockerel, but his color is so totally different from his brother's and his parents that I'm blown away. He's ten weeks old now, and has developed the extra toes from mom, and puffy cheeks from the Ameraucana blood in dad. His growth rate is well below that of both Andres and Monty, but he probably has the most laid-back, mellow disposition of any boy I've hatched. I'd planned on culling Bubbles, but I'm so fascinated with what she and Monty produce that I'm actually thinking of hatching a few more eggs, just to see what comes out of it.

Poe: