Eastern Tennessee Thread

[NellaBean]

those are blues not blacks. The feathers have lacing which is a blue thing. Black feathers should be solidly one color.

 

[tennesseeckn]

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X2 ... At least with Orps...

 

[tnchickenut]

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Wellllll.... I don't know..... see, well.... we kinda thought.... fine. Ok. You can be my +1. (lol) I'll probrably only have one boy to bring. I'm not eatting Einstein, even if I don't have a plan for him, and the rest are breeders/flock leaders. Oh, well, there is one Braden Del and one other Del of my stock.... so maybe three. I just have to sit here and think and I'll come up with more.

 

[tnchickenut]

About the caponizing... I understand the science and purpose of it and how it used to be a big deal on a farm, but I just never want to do it. Sorry! That is where I wuss out. lol. I have successfully raised MANY MANY roos together all at once (different ages and sizes) and so them "getting along" isn't a motivator and being able to eat them later isn't either because the longer they stick around the more I will let them stick around. LOL!!

Personally, I learned how to vent sex and just don't get attached to the boys at all. "Sorry, guys... I'm throwing feed and water at you and never watching your antics so I won't grow fond of any of you."

 

[joletabey]

Yeah, I thought I could do that, it didn't work - I fell for all those glossy black feathers on the extra Orp and JG boys currently awaiting their doom - and BTW are Orps really good for eating?

 

[tennesseeckn]

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The guy I talked to at Wisner who's doing my processing tomorrow told me that he has done some of the fat English Orps before and they turned out good. He said they were nice and meaty, which made my throat close up, which doesn't bode well for tomorrow.

 

[stanglover2001]

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I thought they might have been, but couldn't tell... I thought maybe once they got their grown up feathers in they'd probably look black

I'm not complaining if they are blues though

 

[ladyride]

tennesseeckn do you need someone to hold your hand ?? All kidding aside the 1st time ain't easy you have an emotional tie as we raise them from little chicks. It was not easy for me & at wisener's I had no emotional attachment which made it easier to do. Yeah I know sounds silly. Something to think about.

 

[bairo]

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lol.

you are right...it may not be "as" worth it these days. I would say if you wanted to do a run of meat chickens and would rather shy away from cornish crosses, then it is a better idea.
A big load of 50 Delaware boys for example would make the perfect caponized bird. Or start your own sex link meat bird by getting the biggest 5 del hens you can find and put them under the biggest RIR roo you can find. Presto...you have your own sex links and the girls are big enough for a fryer about the same time you process the capons. You can grow them out to 5 months and never have a problem with them all being together or waking up the entire zip code at 5 am. Of course they can still crow, but rarely get the urge without all that testosterone surging through them. I think with some more practice I could do a capon in under 5 minutes.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
lol.

you are right...it may not be "as" worth it these days. I would say if you wanted to do a run of meat chickens and would rather shy away from cornish crosses, then it is a better idea.
A big load of 50 Delaware boys for example would make the perfect caponized bird. Or start your own sex link meat bird by getting the biggest 5 del hens you can find and put them under the biggest RIR roo you can find. Presto...you have your own sex links and the girls are big enough for a fryer about the same time you process the capons. You can grow them out to 5 months and never have a problem with them all being together or waking up the entire zip code at 5 am. Of course they can still crow, but rarely get the urge without all that testosterone surging through them. I think with some more practice I could do a capon in under 5 minutes.

Oh heck... waking up the zip code at 5am sounds perfect! LOL!

Speaking of 5am... guess what I seen last night (this morning?) comming home....... a bear 3 doors down. We turned around to get a better look and it was already gone. The dogs were barking (mine and the neighbor's) off in that direction for hours though. I'm just glad it didn't find the coops... yet.