Cornish cross

[Malissa]

I know I am pushing my luck with these guys, but scheduling does not permit me to butcher until next Sat which will make them about 10 weeks. So....that said, I have 2 males and 2 females. I have limited feedings since fairly early on due to them spilling and me being at work all day! I am still giving the 4 of them (plus 2 tetra tint pullets) one chick feeder full a day, some days I give them an extra in the evenings. In the past few days I am realizing just how large they are now. They are all active and healthy, but one for sure is wobbling in his walk, so I will not let them out of their A frame anymore in the evenings like we had been. I am afraid of them getting scared and running and breaking something. I think they are safer staying in the pen now. The little girls come out to range, but the big ones are now banned. We are planning on camping this weekend, so I was actually thinking of letting them skip Sat of eating. If I try to give them more to get them through, they will just eat it all so that won't work. I feel bad for the pullets, but they seem comfortable foraging so I think they will be fine for a day and once the gang gets butchered I will let them have all the feed they care to eat. They aren't ready to fed off our layers yet...so they will still in the A frame until they start laying. I don't trust my 2 barred rocks! Anyway, any advice on how to get through this next week without these birds keeling over? Am I doing the right thing by keeping their feed to a minimum? They turned out to be very sweet, albeit sad little creatures. I feel bad butchering them, but I keep holding them and feeling their meatiness and OMG....this could be the BEST CHICKEN EVER!!! hahaha I just had some Welsummer pot pie I made with our old rooster and he was **** good, but these guys could even blow him away! hahaha Thanks for any advice!!!! Next I have to watch my video footage of the fall and make a chart for D Day!!!! I hope I remember! Also, I have not butchered a female and we have 2....any differences I need to know about in the gutting?

 

[Malissa]

 

[Malissa]

Those are the Tetra Tints....the meaties must have been hiding in the back.

 

[Malissa]

 

[Coralietg]

I think at any time, their death can happen unpredictably. I feel nervous around them, like they are my terminal chicken patients.

I've only gutted males, but I'm pretty sure it's the same process for females. They will just have a couple of different inside parts, but it all comes out the same way.

Others will have input!

 

[thriftyfarmer]

Keep limiting there feed. One night away from feed shouldn't hurt.

Males and females that age look almost identical when you butcher them. Older hens butcher the same way, it's just a little more... Interesting.

 

[Malissa]

hahaha. Awesome! I just went out in a torrential downpour to feed them their daily rations. They were happy to see me and trying to keep dry in their shelter. Keep your fingers crossed for me! I video'd our fall butchering lesson with our old order Mennonite neighbor down the road and started watching the footage to make a list of what we need and order of process. It's not too bad of an ordeal. I told the kids they should come around (after the killing) to see the guts. It's pretty interesting to dissect the parts.

 

[osbmail]

Remember to save your feet and necks for stock .I guess you can use the head for stock to have not tried so don't know first hand . Livers and hearts will make a good meal . If you use every part of these chickens you will have a pretty good bounty of chicken meals.

 

[Malissa]

My friend and partner in crime who learned with me and is coming to help out has a sister who feeds her show dogs a raw diet.....I was going to send the gizzards, hearts and yuck stuff with him! hahaha My husband wanted to try them though...so it will probably be a fight to see who gets what. I forgot the feet can be used in stock. I cooked up my old rooster and had to cook him for 25 hours to get the meat to fall off the bone but he made some pretty awesome broth which I am still enjoying! I did not save the feet and ironically, the Mennonite woman did not want them so we threw away with the heads. She did take the hearts and gizzards since the children love them! hahaha She has 7 kids so I am sure they fought for them....since we only butchered 3 birds. My dad grew up eating that stuff along with such lovelies as pickled pig feet jelly and pig stomach. When my kids complain something is gross I remind them it could get a lot worse!

 

[osbmail]

I butchered a roaster week let liver and heart soak in milk overnight great with some hot sauce for breakfast. Let the rest of the household eat cereal you eat liver and hearts they will wonder why you are so going so strong that day.If you really into making stock save the feet they are the best part for stock if I had the choice and had to buy parts for stock I would only buy feet even if they cost more I have cooked batches of just necks and batches of just feet ,feet win hands down.My 2 year old loves fried liver but don't hardly eat any other meat .