California - Northern

[chiqita]

Ron,
I got great instructions for moving broodies from Mr heinz. (assuming you want to keep her broody) Put her in a dog crate or similar and keep her in the semi light for a few days ( we have what is a perfect spit I will use again ) The low light keeps her calm and then you can move the crate wherever, she think sits the nest and is honky dory.

Mind you, they don't FORGET the other nest. That's How I got Hulk broodie that killed all those chicks.

BROODIE ANGRY WHY ARE YOU IN MY SPOT ARRRRR!

I have some eggs I'm waiting on from the egg swaps, if you want her to sit on fun eggs I could have them sent directly to you! and let you raise em for me, mwahahahah. ( no ulterior motive here ) How is that for enabling!

I'm still waiting on the final report from Davis, poor snotty ( now renamed scniffler since she is all healthy again) is still in quarantine and going CRAZY. if I don't get it today I'm going to move a known rooster in with her so she isn't alone. Cant keep all of them anyway so If I have to cull them its not so terrible. Taking a shower is getting interesting, she is jumping up and down on your feet and demanding to get OUTOUTOUT!

I had lots of interesting thoughts about the marriage/relationship conversations from Saturday ( we went to the Paso Robles show and did wine tasting after so I didn't post then). I think a lot of the difference attitudes to Independence have to do with how it was seen by Society when you were younger. People of my generation expect to be independent, and it never occurred to me to do otherwise. We have the opposite problem. Many of my peers are so wedded to their Independence they are not willing to do things or compromise to make a relationship work. if its not perfect and doesn't stay perfect, clearly you should dump him. And then they hit 40 and wonder why they cant get a stable relationship, lol. Those 2 things (Independence and interdependence) IMO are compatible, you can and should do both, but everyone needs to find their own balance point with them.

 

[zooweemama]

It helps when you separate the action from the meal by a few days. Let them rest in the refrigerator for a few days. I check mine to see when I can flex the leg joint, and I pinch the thigh to see if the meat is soft. Then I put the bird into the freezer (thoroughly wrapped of course (I might need to ask for a sealer for Xmas

). When you take that bird out, they'll enjoy it.

Homegrown meat is always going to be "chewier" cooked in the same way as store bought chicken. They are basically "veal", slaughtered at around 8 weeks old. They haven't had the chance to develop muscle or flavor. You can get a similar result at home by raising meat birds. You can improve the flavor with the diet you provide, but they will still be young/tender.

I cook all my birds by braising and they are not chewy. I save roasting for store bought chicken.

I'll have to see the results this fall with my 15 turkeys

(less the furture breeders that get to stay).

Deb

Thanks! I think that will help a lot really. I was able to compartmentalize the whole thing- but my husband and mil was not. I wanted to let it rest this time but I had already slightly cooked the chicken when I tried to give it the dip. My fault. Next time way less of a dip. And def let time pass before eating them lol.

Man, processing turkeys??? What a chore!

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I cut up the chicken and split the breast in half. You may need a saw for that breast thought..

The bones are much harder than the store chickens.

Ron

 

[zooweemama]

Rocky has such pretty feathers. Hope they grow back quickly. I had a rooster beat up so badly he looked dead and he recovered.

Regarding killing your own meat, I feel the same as HappyChooks. Someone else has to kill it. I tried to be a vegetarian for many years because I felt so guilty about eating meat. Now, I feel better knowing that the animal had a good life and humane death. Something else that helped was that our teeth are designed for eating meat and in the animal world there are omnivores and carnivores. So humans aren't the only meat eaters. Those are the things that helped me finally feel ok about eating meat.

I don't name anything that is going to get eaten. From the moment a critter is born here, I develop a mindset that it is either a breeding animal or a food animal. Breeding animals get names or numbers, I get attached to them. Steers, barrows, wethers, cockerels are simply meat. That's another thing that I have to do in order to feel ok about eating them.

It was a learning process with me, to be able to cook homegrown chicken so it was edible. The texture took some getting used to and my husband complained a lot. I always age the birds in the fridge before freezing. I have best results by covering the bird with butter & seasoned salt, then slow roasting at 300 until done. I have done Coq Au Vin too.

Deb, I have heard that the Sac processor will not take turkeys and that the closest place that will is down by Modesto.

That's exactly what we have decided to do. Numbers no names. Especially for those more sensitive to it, it should be helpful.

We had thought to raise goose for meat but my husband and I LOVE geese and I think I would have a hard time processing one (since I am the designated butcher). After processing the chicken- one I didn't have a lot of an attachment too...I am not sure I could do a goose. Which seriously bums me out because geese graze for like 90% of their diet and don't eat all that much feed. They are excellent food converters and inexpensive too keep. Maybe one day...turkeys would be hard just because they are so big! Need special pots! LOL

 

[zooweemama]

I cut up the chicken and split the breast in half. You may need a saw for that breast thought..

The bones are much harder than the store chickens.

Ron

No joke! And I have to tell you...you know how you simmer a whole chicken and you get scummy froth? I didn't get ANY of that with this chicken. And when you cool the stock you made a light layer of gelatin forms at the top? Well with this chicken the ENTIRE broth liquid had turned to gelatin all the way through. I was blown away. As soon as you warmed it up - it went back to a liquid state. I have NEVER seen some much gelatin after cooking in my life and I have cooked 2 birds at once before. Since I skinned it- there was only a minimal amount of fat on the top- like spots of it rather than a fat crust. I left it- lol. Such a small amount I figured it contributed some flavor. I paid attention to every detail of the process from kill to cooking. I personally am not a big chicken eater. I like chicken dishes but I cook a lot of chicken because it's my husband's favorite meat. I would love to figure out some ways to make some tender home cooked chicken where I can. If nothing else- even using the birds skinned for stocks and casseroles etc is still very useful!

Yeah a saw for the breast meat! LMBO!

 

[zooweemama]

Ron,
I got great instructions for moving broodies from Mr heinz. (assuming you want to keep her broody) Put her in a dog crate or similar and keep her in the semi light for a few days ( we have what is a perfect spit I will use again ) The low light keeps her calm and then you can move the crate wherever, she think sits the nest and is honky dory.

Mind you, they don't FORGET the other nest. That's How I got Hulk broodie that killed all those chicks.

BROODIE ANGRY WHY ARE YOU IN MY SPOT ARRRRR!

I have some eggs I'm waiting on from the egg swaps, if you want her to sit on fun eggs I could have them sent directly to you! and let you raise em for me, mwahahahah. ( no ulterior motive here ) How is that for enabling!

I'm still waiting on the final report from Davis, poor snotty ( now renamed scniffler since she is all healthy again) is still in quarantine and going CRAZY. if I don't get it today I'm going to move a known rooster in with her so she isn't alone. Cant keep all of them anyway so If I have to cull them its not so terrible. Taking a shower is getting interesting, she is jumping up and down on your feet and demanding to get OUTOUTOUT!

I had lots of interesting thoughts about the marriage/relationship conversations from Saturday ( we went to the Paso Robles show and did wine tasting after so I didn't post then). I think a lot of the difference attitudes to Independence have to do with how it was seen by Society when you were younger. People of my generation expect to be independent, and it never occurred to me to do otherwise. We have the opposite problem. Many of my peers are so wedded to their Independence they are not willing to do things or compromise to make a relationship work. if its not perfect and doesn't stay perfect, clearly you should dump him. And then they hit 40 and wonder why they cant get a stable relationship, lol. Those 2 things (Independence and interdependence) IMO are compatible, you can and should do both, but everyone needs to find their own balance point with them.

So perfectly stated.

I hope the necropsy is a simple little thing!

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I do have a bone saw somewhere....

The closest you can get to the meat and tenderness of a store bird would be to get some Cornish x rock meat hybrids. 6 to 7 weeks and they are supposed to dress out at 3.5 to 4 pounds. The chicken processor in Sac does not like even big chickens. I was talking to a 4-H girl that said she had been banned from taking hers in there because they were too big.

Ron

 

[Chooklet]

I had lots of interesting thoughts about the marriage/relationship conversations from Saturday ( we went to the Paso Robles show and did wine tasting after so I didn't post then). I think a lot of the difference attitudes to Independence have to do with how it was seen by Society when you were younger. People of my generation expect to be independent, and it never occurred to me to do otherwise. We have the opposite problem. Many of my peers are so wedded to their Independence they are not willing to do things or compromise to make a relationship work. if its not perfect and doesn't stay perfect, clearly you should dump him. And then they hit 40 and wonder why they cant get a stable relationship, lol. Those 2 things (Independence and interdependence) IMO are compatible, you can and should do both, but everyone needs to find their own balance point with them.

I was in Paso Robles all weekend and so am just getting caught up - didn't realize (or intend) that my comment would create such a stir! Interesting discussion though. I have no judgment whatsoever on what choices people make as long as they know what their options are and make informed choices (though making an uninformed choice is, itself, a choice to not become informed), my only point was that in the long run I think girls (still) need to be reminded that they are smart and capable and can get the things that they want out of life on their own without having to rely on others. One of those things may be a spouse/partner, but even if it isn't those other goals are totally achievable. I am glad to hear that so many folks on the board have indeed found icing for their cupcakes. So many of my friends who put off happiness trying to find the right man or woman are now really regretting not going after their goals when they were young and had the time and energy to do so. OK, enough said on that off-topic subject.

Paso Robles was a blast. Had a great time chatting with Sue (the Queen of Seramas), Denny, Chiquita, Sarah & her family, and meeting lots of new chicken nuts. I sole a pair of black mottled Japanese Bantams to a young boy (well to his mom) for him to use for showmanship - I have the greatest picture of him holding the birds with an enormous grin on his face! It was so awesome to see the kids there that are really into learning about the breeds, raising, taking care of, and showing birds, showmanship, etc. There was lots of interest in my calico bantam cochin project, which was encouraging. I had fun talking to people who have worked on color variety projects before - everyone agreed that these projects take time, time, and more time! I am excited about how the project is progressing. Focusing primarily on type now, but also keeping an eye on color. These are such sweet birds though that working with them is just an absolute pleasure!

So back to work now, gotta earn money in order to keep my feathered and furred friends happy. Hmmm - maybe I should be looking for a country boy - a really really rich one, so that I could retire and devote all my time to my crazy hobbies!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Quote:
I sure hope so he is such a nice looking rooster

 

[Papa Brooder]

Quote: saw someone else posted they don't do it, but I was pretty sure they told me that they charged $3.75-$4 per turkey when I was there in june, so worth a phone call.