Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[RoseMarie1]

She's a rare gem, that's for sure. If I were in a different place in time and the world was in a different time, I'd be really getting into breeding some heritage stock...I think it's worthy of time if one is going to spend time on chickens at all. If I ever ran across a hen that still laid eggs while she brooded small chicks I'd be trying to find just how set that trait actually is and see if I could develop it....such are what dreams are made of.

I'm finishing up the processing of the 10 birds I've been culling this fall...the last batch of stock is currently in the canner. Sure feels good to have all that meat and stock in jars, golden goodness glowing on a shelf. The healthiest, best tasting meat and stock one can imagine...people who don't know what it feels like to grow a bird from chick to finish and place it in that jar or freezer have no clue about the true fulfillment of raising your own chickens. To not have to eat meat from the store is a big deal to me...and to know how these birds lived each day in the sun and fresh air is priceless.

Can't wait until you folks start tasting the meat produced on this FF...it's spectacular!

That really sounds awesome Bee! I bet that broth would be some kind of good in your dressing for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Do your boys come home for Thanksgiving?

 

[Beekissed]

That really sounds awesome Bee! I bet that broth would be some kind of good in your dressing for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Do your boys come home for Thanksgiving?

Yes, they do..and now they are all nearby so it's easier for them. We always have a good many people here for Thanksgiving, so big meal, lots of talking, NO TV blaring with football games, lots of overeating and even some napping between the grazing of food.

Sometimes we do board games or card tournaments, which are my favorite. I love it when folks don't rush home after the meal like there is something more important than fellowship.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Yes, they do..and now they are all nearby so it's easier for them. We always have a good many people here for Thanksgiving, so big meal, lots of talking, NO TV blaring with football games, lots of overeating and even some napping between the grazing of food.

Sometimes we do board games or card tournaments, which are my favorite. I love it when folks don't rush home after the meal like there is something more important than fellowship.

Me to Bee! I have noticed every time we have family reunions once people eat, in 45 minutes or less they are going home. Here I am driving over an hour to get there just one way and they eat and leave. So I just stopped going to them. They'd rather go hunt or watch football or whatever so that shows you they don't care anyway and don't care anything about spending any time with you. It's VERY rude to me to say the least. It's always been a one way street though, none of my Mommas side ever comes to see us or when I had my daughter none came nor when we got married which came before the daughter. lol They always throw this at me when we do go, well you haven't been down here in so and so long, or it's about time you come see us etc. I've told them the road goes both ways. lol I have had 2 Aunts that has came to see me in 38 years and that's been it. My grandpa on that side had 17 kids so I have a slew of uncles and aunts on that side. So yeah I hear ya about eating and leaving!

LOL grazing and napping sounds awesome! So you have a nice cozy and relaxing time! Sounds awesome!

 

[Beekissed]

I agree! A person gets precious few days when you can all be together in the same place at the same time, so it's worth devoting your full attention to and spending time listening, developing relationship and just laughing...that too is a rare thing nowadays. I've always hated to see people eat and run, be it at a family meal or at a church fellowship meal...it seems rather perfunctory at that point and more of a duty than a blessing. That TV will still be there when they get home and that game can be recorded or tivoed if it's that important...but what could be more important than spending time with your family?

 

[BCMaraniac]

She's a rare gem, that's for sure. If I were in a different place in time and the world was in a different time, I'd be really getting into breeding some heritage stock...I think it's worthy of time if one is going to spend time on chickens at all. If I ever ran across a hen that still laid eggs while she brooded small chicks I'd be trying to find just how set that trait actually is and see if I could develop it....such are what dreams are made of.

I'm finishing up the processing of the 10 birds I've been culling this fall...the last batch of stock is currently in the canner. Sure feels good to have all that meat and stock in jars, golden goodness glowing on a shelf. The healthiest, best tasting meat and stock one can imagine...people who don't know what it feels like to grow a bird from chick to finish and place it in that jar or freezer have no clue about the true fulfillment of raising your own chickens. To not have to eat meat from the store is a big deal to me...and to know how these birds lived each day in the sun and fresh air is priceless.

Can't wait until you folks start tasting the meat produced on this FF...it's spectacular!

I think I have 8 more to process. Four of them are Red Ranger pullets that I am ashamed to say are laying eggs, even a couple of double yolkers!! They hatched on May 10, so they are just over 6 months old So I don't know exactly what I will do with them after I process them. I also have 4 Marans roosters that are about 7 months old......big boys....and I was thinking about canning them and making stock.

As for breeding, I am not smart enough to go there except to try to get some good sized birds to get meat on the table. Hopefully with breeding my Marans and caponizing I can accomplish that.

 

[Beekissed]

Canning is definitely the way to go with older birds...everything comes out tender when pressure canned!

It helps to have your meats in a jar too, when the power goes out in the winter months....last year it did that here for a week and a half and I hadn't canned up all the CX I had processed in the summer. Fifty odd meat birds had to be farmed out to strangers who still had power and I never did get even a fraction of those back. All that work, all that money...poof! Never again if I can help it.

I hate depending upon the power grid....

We homesteaded without it when I was growing up so still not used to all the downsides of living tied to the utility octopus.

 

[Beekissed]

I don't know what it's like where y'all live right now but we are having an unseasonably warm weekend and it's about 55* out, the moon is so bright it's like daybreak and the clouds are drifting by like dreams. Supposed to be meteor showers tonight but I doubt we'll be able to see them with the moon so bright. It's an absolutely stunning night, so if you get a chance to step out and see those showers, they were worth staying up for. My kids and I used to go outside, wrap up in down comforters and watch the meteor showers with the dogs snugged up with us...precious times and awesome things to watch.

 

[Triple Willow]

It is supposed to be up in the 70's here tomorrow which is completely unusual. Severe thunderstorms are expected and possible tornados. Warm temps here in winter is not a good thing weatherwise! It is only supposed to get down in the 60's tonight. I hope it doesn't get too crazy tomorrow.

 

[BCMaraniac]

The dependence on the power grid scares me to death. We have a soapstone wood burning stove that we use in the winter, so I can cook. I can as much as I can, but I do have freezers. We have a well, so we lose water if the power goes out. Fortunately we have creeks on two sides of out property, but I haven't gotten a manual pump put in alongside the electric pump. I've got to get that done ASAP.

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day, and tonight there is no need for a fire......a HUGE moon. Birdies and hubby both tucked in for the night(he was up at 4:30 this morning to go to work). I am so thankful. I may take a ride tomorrow afternoon to get apples in North Carolina to store over the winter......and to make apple cider/pies/and apple butter....

 

[Triple Willow]

Canning is definitely the way to go with older birds...everything comes out tender when pressure canned!    It helps to have your meats in a jar too, when the power goes out in the winter months....last year it did that here for a week and a half and I hadn't canned up all the CX I had processed in the summer.  Fifty odd meat birds had to be farmed out to strangers who still had power and I never did get even a fraction of those back.  All that work, all that money...poof!  Never again if I can help it. 

I hate depending upon the power grid....    We homesteaded without it when I was growing up so still not used to all the downsides of living tied to the utility octopus. 

Fifty-something meat birds lost, I'd be sick I tell ya! Bee you need to get a small generator. Just enough to keep the refrig and freezer cold.

If life doesn't buck me off next year I plan on raising some meaties. Plan on hatching out some DelawareXBuckeye crosses and ordering some CX. I MIGHT get ambitious and raise a few goats and a couple pigs, may even start rabbits. Sounds delicious to me! lol