California - Northern

[zooweemama]

4-H is like that. Here in Woodland, a store or other business will buy a Sheep or poultry pen for a lot of money. They then post the purchase along with the ribbons won and a picture of the 4-H or FFA kid. They often do not even want the animal (or fish!), just the publicity and to help the kids.

You have you children in 4-H right?

Ron

That is so amazing seriously. My oldest son is an insane perfectionist and he is almost never proud of himself after a job well done. Something is always just not enough for him. We can praise him until the cows come home...I think 4-H would be SO good for him. To be around other kids that work hard and feel good about their efforts. I am looking forward to 4-H life. We chose this over Boy Scouts. Nothing wrong with the scouts at all- I just do not have time to do both and neither does my husband with his odd hours/long days of traveling and all these animals to care for.

 

[Papa Brooder]

Quote: so far so good. she has 4 chicks, seems a new one appears each day

On the molting, they'll start laying again this year. I'm starting to get more eggs as they start looking better. My Polish have quit all together and they're some of my most consistent layers, but I had a team meeting with them tonight and I think they agreed to get back to work...well, all except Cher who pecked me...I think she's filing a grievance. I'll counter with physical abuse and I think she'll be back on board! ;D

I will have 8 chickens to process. Some won't dress out to even 2 pounds lol. BUT I would like to get it done. Would it be worth my while to take these guys to Sac to have it done? I cannot process 8 chickens in one day- I might be able to do 3. (i have other stuff to do) So this might take me 2 weekends to get done plus feeding them all more food. Would it be worth it to save time to drive them to Sac and have them done? Do I pick them up the same day? If so maybe we could take the kids for a trip to the zoo or something while we wait.

You have to make an appt in advance. you drop them off early-ish no later than 8:30 i think, but call and ask. Then, they should be done by 11am to noon or so. They will still have heads and feet so you will have a bit more work to do at home. if you bring coolers they will put them on ice in the coolers and they could hang til later in the day when you are done with your adventure. I also have about 8-9 chickens that I need to have processed and have been debating the same question. It does really have to be combined with another reason for going down there like the zoo otherwise, it would be frustrating to pay all that gas money!! there has to be something around here... i think we have yet to find it!

 

[zooweemama]

so far so good. she has 4 chicks, seems a new one appears each day

You have to make an appt in advance. you drop them off early-ish no later than 8:30 i think, but call and ask. Then, they should be done by 11am to noon or so. They will still have heads and feet so you will have a bit more work to do at home. if you bring coolers they will put them on ice in the coolers and they could hang til later in the day when you are done with your adventure. I also have about 8-9 chickens that I need to have processed and have been debating the same question. It does really have to be combined with another reason for going down there like the zoo otherwise, it would be frustrating to pay all that gas money!! there has to be something around here... i think we have yet to find it!

I wish I had a HUGE pot. I do have a big one- but not sure it's quite the size that would as easy as it could be with a larger one. I will take a pic and share and you all can tell me if I can make do?

Know anywhere in town that sells decent prices gigantic pots? LOL

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Look for one at an Hispanic store--large pots are used for cooking tamales.

Ron

 

[zooweemama]

Slit the jugular on each side, let them bleed out (we use a cone), then remove the head and go from there. I've tried dry plucking and I wouldn't do it without scalding. It's not a matter of the body still being warm, when you scald the feathers nearly just wipe off the bird. With dry plucking, you are more prone to tearing the skin.


The ranchers, contractors, feed store operators, etc in this area have all lived here forever (old gold rush, rural town). They are mostly all old 4Hers themselves. They are VERY supportive of the kids. My son always got $2,000 if he managed to win meat pens in chickens or rabbits (that is for two animals), so I always gave them everything he raised.

Steers, hogs, sheep..............the kids always got in the $3-4 per pound live weight range. Even $15+ per pound if you have Grand Champion. The meat pens are sold by the pen, not the pound. I couldn't speak more highly of any program than 4H for kids. Not just for the money, but for the moral values the kids are taught.

Deb

That's what I wanted to hear. I want to have an easy time plucking. It will be the easiest part of the processing but the most tedious and longest task if I don't do something efficient. I DO want the skin (I love eating crispy chicken skin lol- my family says I am gross but whatever) so I want the skin in good condition when done. Should I pick up 1 or 3 cones at the store? if I buy more than 1 cone- I can process more than 1 at a time. Would it really speed things up? Do you guys boil outside or take them inside and do the boil dip?

 

[zooweemama]

Look for one at an Hispanic store--large pots are used for cooking tamales.

Ron

Thanks for that tip!

 

[MonsterClucker]

It could be black mold. They do not get sick right away. It could still be one of the CRDs that does not stay in the flock and does not compromise their immune systems.

Wait to cull more unless you see the test results. 

 I think you will be allright!

Ron

Ok. I'm just a little nervous. But I do feel good about nothing else spreading to my chickens I had before the chicks. That means it could possibly not be contagious.

I would wait for the necropsy results. Each time I thought it was something horrible- it turned out to be something really simple. Like the time I was sure they had CRD and it turned out 2 of my cockerels had eaten plastic off the puppy pads they were on when I was brooding and it was stuck to the back of their darn tongue. Removed the plastic- good as new. Then some were laying down and acting poorly near death. Cocci. Easy. Then an impacted crop...cleaned it out. Done. Then this stuff...thought for sure it was one of the horrible viruses. Mold. 

So it's been a rough rode but I have def learned to not jump to fast to the extreme and pull back, get the necropsy and see what's going inside. So you may not need to do more than you already have. But if the results come back with bad news- I still wouldn't jump yet. Send in a chicken from one of the nearby coops and see if it's migrated. I don't know how far the coops are from each other. Some of the nasty bugs travel on the wind so there could still be some exposure. It just depends on the first necropsy. 

I really hope it's nothing big. 

I know you have gained a lot of knowledge with the situations you have had lately. I have too.
Chickens are a lot like plants. In a way. Someone can sell you a plant with mites or powdery mildew that will spread through and wipe out all your other plants. So I've been learning that you have to be precautious when taking in any animal or plant.
I will wait to cull anymore. I'm sending in the chick on Monday.
But so far so good with my chickens. Havemt seen anyone that looks infected. But you never know.

 

[zooweemama]

This is the pot I have that is big.
http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/for-...Home-_-16d833a&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=16d833a

But it's enameled and I am afraid the stink would stick on it. Would it be better to get an all metal one? What would be a good size to have?

 

[ronott1]

This is the pot I have that is big.
http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/for-...Home-_-16d833a&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=16d833a

But it's enameled and I am afraid the stink would stick on it. Would it be better to get an all metal one? What would be a good size to have?

There really is not that much stink. The water is only 140 degrees when you scald them. It really is just wet feather smell.

Put a bit of dish soap in the water and there will be less smell.

The pot only needs to be big enough for one chicken. It takes less than 5 min. in the water for them to be ready for plucking.

Are you processing tomorrow?

Ron

Edited to add: No it will not get into the pan

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Yes! good plan.

Most diseases take 10 days to show up. For now, boost their immunity.

Ron