BYM Hatching Derby - Hatch-Along

[UncleChuck]

So pretty much yes, we've been saying we will for a long time, but this coming weekend has a slightly higher chance of it actually happening

They are 2 1/2 weeks now! Some have tails but I have a mix of breeds so not the easiest way to compare. One of my paint chicks already tried to tower over the others (easy because he's the biggest) and then hovers over their heads before he pecks the tops of their heads yeah, pretty sure he's a boy!

Oh yeah he sounds like it! I love watching their personalities develop, always looking out for that one in twenty or so who is extra pet like

 

[UncleChuck]

I couldn't find a current photo of him alone, but in this group photo, he is the giant towering over everyone his sire was the same way, always wanted to be dominant and started chasing the other chicks around at maybe 10 to 12 weeks old. He caused so much chaos and screeching of the other chicks trying to get away from him, I finally was fed up one morning and marched his butt up to a layer coop and dropped him off he thought he was crowned king, he is so stinking proud of his ladies. They don't like him and avoid him but he just doesn't care he's the sweetest little guy, he's not human aggressive at all surprisingly / thankfully!

But see the big white guy in the back of this photo who are you and how dare you take my photo!
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Oh yeah he's definitely a boy, already looking over everybody!

 

[2ndTink]

Well, I can say that the "one of these weekends" was yesterday for my overly aggressive rooster. He was gorgeous but I am not at all sad that I will never be flogged by him again, or have to constantly be on guard and watch out for him. He'd come all the way across the yard to get me if he saw me. Mean, mean rooster.

How is little Stargazer doing? And the ither little adorable chicks?

 

[UncleChuck]

Well, I can say that the "one of these weekends" was yesterday for my overly aggressive rooster. He was gorgeous but I am not at all sad that I will never be flogged by him again, or have to constantly be on guard and watch out for him. He'd come all the way across the yard to get me if he saw me. Mean, mean rooster.

How is little Stargazer doing? And the ither little adorable chicks?

I have one in solitary confinement until processing day. He came at me one too many times.

Couple mornings ago we found Stargazer buried in the waterer. We were both upset but Tenderheart bawled his little hobbit eyes out. Sweet guy hasn't had very good luck with the birds he's nursed out of a tight spot. Everyone else is doing well though. Not the best lighting,

Here are the 3 I think are boys from the second one. The two on the right are supposed to be boys and the one in the middle is obvious to me.

 

[2ndTink]

I have one in solitary confinement until processing day. He came at me one too many times.

Couple mornings ago we found Stargazer buried in the waterer. We were both upset but Tenderheart bawled his little hobbit eyes out. Sweet guy hasn't had very good luck with the birds he's nursed out of a tight spot. Everyone else is doing well though. Not the best lighting,
View attachment 3769049
Here are the 3 I think are boys from the second one. The two on the right are supposed to be boys and the one in the middle is obvious to me.
View attachment 3769051

Oh no I'm so sorry about Stargazer it was one loved little chickie though. his to you and your partner.

The rest are looking so adorably fluffy

Have you processed many?

 

[UncleChuck]

Oh no I'm so sorry about Stargazer it was one loved little chickie though. his to you and your partner.

The rest are looking so adorably fluffy

Have you processed many?

Thank you. I think Wry Neck must be a pretty tricky one.

Oh yes, there are some very cute combos especially from Marble/Momo and Babra/Rooster

We processed 3 cockerels back in the fall, that was our first time. Well, Sir is gonna be going with our 16 Freedom Ranger Color Yields next Tuesday.

 

[2ndTink]

Thank you. I think Wry Neck must be a pretty tricky one.

Oh yes, there are some very cute combos especially from Marble/Momo and Babra/Rooster

We processed 3 cockerels back in the fall, that was our first time. Well, Sir is gonna be going with our 16 Freedom Ranger Color Yields next Tuesday.

This weekend was out "first" basically, I'll explain... years ago I had some chickens dropped off on my property, like 30 of them. There was one crazy loud rooster that just drove me insane, finally one day I'd had enough, he crowed non stop from about 3 am until after 11pm. I processed him, skinned it, much to my neighbors amusement then 4 years ago I accidently bought a Cornish X that was in with the layer chicks. We gave her a good life until she said she'd had enough, so we processed her. This was our first official, set everything up, scald, pluck, etc time. We did 5, it took about 3 hours. We did 1 at a time and very carefully. Next time we will set things up even better and make it quicker. Part of what made it longer was me having to get completely done with one bird then going to point out who was next. If we separate out the ones to be processed next time and do 2 at a time, it will be shorter. But in reality, 5 in a day isn't too bad. This summer we'll process some cockerels and maybe a few more retired hens. I'm seeing that there is a point where they aren't laying but still healthy, then just start to decline. So I'm trying to mentally balance their productivity and quality of life and be ok with processing them. They are really my pets, this is not easy, but neither is watching them die a slow death with some of these internal problems production breeds are prone to.

I'm really hoping my new layer breed chicks from local breeders will have longer and healthier lives ❤

 

[UncleChuck]

This weekend was out "first" basically, I'll explain... years ago I had some chickens dropped off on my property, like 30 of them. There was one crazy loud rooster that just drove me insane, finally one day I'd had enough, he crowed non stop from about 3 am until after 11pm. I processed him, skinned it, much to my neighbors amusement then 4 years ago I accidently bought a Cornish X that was in with the layer chicks. We gave her a good life until she said she'd had enough, so we processed her. This was our first official, set everything up, scald, pluck, etc time. We did 5, it took about 3 hours. We did 1 at a time and very carefully. Next time we will set things up even better and make it quicker. Part of what made it longer was me having to get completely done with one bird then going to point out who was next. If we separate out the ones to be processed next time and do 2 at a time, it will be shorter. But in reality, 5 in a day isn't too bad. This summer we'll process some cockerels and maybe a few more retired hens. I'm seeing that there is a point where they aren't laying but still healthy, then just start to decline. So I'm trying to mentally balance their productivity and quality of life and be ok with processing them. They are really my pets, this is not easy, but neither is watching them die a slow death with some of these internal problems production breeds are prone to.

I'm really hoping my new layer breed chicks from local breeders will have longer and healthier lives ❤

You touched upon one of the goals I have for my project. One of my hens who has produced some absolutely beautiful babies with Montgomery was also the first to fill an egg carton. I dont want birds designed to peter out in two years so next year, I'll be selecting from the least productive birds and selling the rest. Another example, there's a hen with an insanely heavy bloom, beautiful! But she's a golden comet and they are bred to produce heavy for a year or two and get processed.
Tink, I Can Not Wait!!! to share the name I'm saving for them. No standard plumage color or pattern, random crests boots and muffs, heavy egg speckling/bloom, the egg color variability of F1 and F2 Olive Egger crosses, and ideally about 5 eggs per week.

We're getting everything set up to do 17 birds 3 at a time. We will have a 4-person assembly line: kill, scald & pluck, disembowel, drain, bag shrink-wrap and put on ice.

 

[2ndTink]

You touched upon one of the goals I have for my project. One of my hens who has produced some absolutely beautiful babies with Montgomery was also the first to fill an egg carton. I dont want birds designed to peter out in two years so next year, I'll be selecting from the least productive birds and selling the rest. Another example, there's a hen with an insanely heavy bloom, beautiful! But she's a golden comet and they are bred to produce heavy for a year or two and get processed.
Tink, I Can Not Wait!!! to share the name I'm saving for them. No standard plumage color or pattern, random crests boots and muffs, heavy egg speckling/bloom, the egg color variability of F1 and F2 Olive Egger crosses, and ideally about 5 eggs per week.

We're getting everything set up to do 17 birds 3 at a time. We will have a 4-person assembly line: kill, scald & pluck, disembowel, drain, bag shrink-wrap and put on ice.

My first flock had 4 GCs, I intend to never have another one. I'm not into chickens for profit, I want healthy hens with good quality of life. I love beards and muffs on chickens, I have several EEs and and adore their cute faces and the wide variety of colors! I would love a few olive eggers and a marans or two to get some additional egg colors.

Ooh, I will anxiously await the name reveal!

Your 4 person processing line sounds great! As hard as it is to process the chickens, I do like knowing they were so well cared for and. Ot shoved in those commercial poultry barns, then crammed into cages and ran down the freeway to a commercial kill plant. Ours are definitely raised with love, good feed, the best care, and allowed to have wonderful chicken lives until it is time to process.

 

[UncleChuck]

My first flock had 4 GCs, I intend to never have another one. I'm not into chickens for profit, I want healthy hens with good quality of life. I love beards and muffs on chickens, I have several EEs and and adore their cute faces and the wide variety of colors! I would love a few olive eggers and a marans or two to get some additional egg colors.

All the genetic diversity in the birds and egg basket makes my inner child very happy. Brings be back to when I first saw pink, green, and blue eggs from our neighbor's small flock when I was 5!

Ooh, I will anxiously await the name reveal!

Olive Eggers have a... demographic. I think it can essentially be doubled with some clever marketing. The cat will come out of the bag probably when the 3rd generation starts laying.

Your 4 person processing line sounds great! As hard as it is to process the chickens, I do like knowing they were so well cared for and. Ot shoved in those commercial poultry barns, then crammed into cages and ran down the freeway to a commercial kill plant. Ours are definitely raised with love, good feed, the best care, and allowed to have wonderful chicken lives until it is time to process.

Absolutely ! That's why I went with the Freedom Rangers. They are living their best, if short, lives, scratching and pecking on new grass every few days. And it's crazy how they know it's time... I've heard that about Cornish X and other meat birds before.