First Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon- Join us! Set Day: Easter

[dsqard]

mlmddh I mainly do my own because I don't usually do a lot of them at the same time. I honestly don't know if there is a processing place close. I don't really want to do meat birds, we just process the extra roos I hatch and the turkeys. Now I am going to candle this morning before it gets too light.

 

[Arielle]

mlmddh I mainly do my own because I don't usually do a lot of them at the same time. I honestly don't know if there is a processing place close. I don't really want to do meat birds, we just process the extra roos I hatch and the turkeys. Now I am going to candle this morning before it gets too light.

Question, Do those that do their own butchering, do it because there isn't anywhere close to them that does it at a reasonable price or because they want to do their own? I have a place 15-20 minutes away that does a chicken for 1.75 (1.50 for cornish X) and it is state inspected. At the 30 minute a bird SCG, stated there is no way I'm better off doing it myself. I'm talking chicken processing price.

I can get to a processing place 20 minutes away, they do my turkeys. Pricey: $5 per chicken and $10 per turkey. Very pricey.

 

[yinepu]

Question, Do those that do their own butchering, do it because there isn't anywhere close to them that does it at a reasonable price or because they want to do their own? I have a place 15-20 minutes away that does a chicken for 1.75 (1.50 for cornish X) and it is state inspected. At the 30 minute a bird SCG, stated there is no way I'm better off doing it myself. I'm talking chicken processing price.

I was 3 when i had to help with the butchering.. so it's just something I've always done.. can't see paying someone else to do something that i don't mind doing myself..

30 minutes per bird?... eep! doesn't take me near that long ..even with skinning or plucking by hand...


(we have a new fancy drill plucker now.. so I may end up with a learning curve to deal with!)..

 

[dsqard]

Wow Arielle, $10 to do a turkey and $5 per chicken? That is very pricey. Well not entirely happy with the candling adventure. I only had to pull two clears from the eggs I got from birdguy but I had to pull six of Lurkey's eggs. Most of them were bloodrings? I don't know why this is so. I know most of her eggs didn't get a chance to sit in the coop so I am wondering what could have caused this. I can't blame the bator since they were sitting right next to birdguy's eggs and I am not having this issue with his. Hmmmmmmmmmm I might have to do a little research on this to try to figure out what happened there. On a good note, I still have 19 left in the two bators. I do have a couple more that were "maybes" so I will candle again in a week to see where they are at. It does look like all the chicken eggs are going at this point but it is still really early for them. Not even a full week. Just did them because I was doing the turkey eggs. I am probably going to transfer all eggs into the styrobator for hatching though since there is more room in there to hatch.

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: The closest processor to me is 40 minutes away. It is a small family run place that is inspected for private use but not for resale commerically. Chickens $1.85 bagged, whole (extra charges to cut them up). I don't have mine bagged. I get them unbagged, into my coolers with ice and salt. I add water at home and after two days in the cold brine, rinse and do a final cleaning, pat dry, bag and into the freezer. I took ducks there last Saturday for a friend. $4.00 each unbagged but cut in half or quartered depending on size. Turkeys are $5.90 under 25 lbs and $7.90 over that.
I'm so very glad this family is within a reasonable distance and charges a reasonable price. I've used them twice or more a year for the last three years and tell them each time I go how thankful I am for the job they do.

Quote: That is my yard in the Spring of '11.......still no leaves on the big trees yet and the grass hasn't come in completely but that's the fenced in portion that is the chicken yard (ducks are no longer in residence there). The coop on the left is the first one DH and I built when I got my first hens five years ago. It's a composite design we made up after looking at others online. I didn't know about BYC then or would have made some things different on it. It is moveable (four tires), has a ramp from the upper coop to the ground that can be closed by pulling a chain, one nest box with collection door, roosts up in coop and in lower section and is wired for an extension cord to be plugged into a ceramic light fixture inside. It's 4 ft x 8 ft , a bit wider when the tires are on it since they stick out a bit on each side, so fits through the 5 foot barn/coop door to be rolled inside in the winter. The rest of the coop is part of our 28x45 barn and isn't going to make any appearances on "Better Coops and Gardens"!

Don't think you want to be living in the chicken dust in there!!

Yeah the first roo I did was hard. After that it was easier. I don't stand there and watch. I will admit to that, but I do the "first step." I don't think DH could do it.

I have yet to do one myself...

...I know I need to.....I just need it to be one I haven't raised...... My DH isn't going to be helping with any step. I'm hoping to go help a friend when they do their next ones so I'm removed somewhat but will have the experience for the future.

Hi Everyone!! I'm back! Missed you!

I'm off to the farm now, but if you messaged me, I'll answer you this afternoon.

Have a lovely day!!

Yay, Renee is back!!

 

[Arielle]

I have yet to do one myself...

...I know I need to.....I just need it to be one I haven't raised...... My DH isn't going to be helping with any step. I'm hoping to go help a friend when they do their next ones so I'm removed somewhat but will have the experience for the future.

Having the right tools is key. Sharp knives required. ANd the feathers create a mess. In Mass we have rules aobut process for sale meat, so the licensed processors can charge a bundle as there are only a few, 2 that I know of so far. The state in collaboration with another organization have a traveling processor for rent, however a license is still required by one of the operators.

I am of the opinion that we have had to become so rules and regs oriented because of lawsuits that we have lost any level of reason. Makes everything unreasonably expensive.

Now if I can just learn how to process my own--that is my goal, just having a few stumbling blocks.

 

[karimw]

We bought some good equipment and did quite a few but I was relieved to find a "local" couple licensed to butcher. It's about 45 minutes away, but the time it takes us to do it is ridiculous. Not to mention all the cleanup involved! and I hate crying while I work. Sorry I can't help but get attached.

 

[gryeyes]

Hhandbasket and Farmer Lew will process mine. It's important to THEM, not just me, that they treat the birds with respect and care; Farmer Lew has Cherokee ancestry and he offers prayers for each bird before its sacrifice. They also have an EZ Plucker.

I think I could do it at some point in the future. I have already "survived" eating meals comprised of some of Kate's former Minions (RIR packing peanuts delivered with her from the hatchery) and two huge EEs I hated to give up. However, Michael and Patrick were quite tasty.

 

[crazypetlady]

Quote: I would laugh my butt off if DH came home with chicks because the chickens at home needed buddies.

I still have to explain the extra incubator to him before he gets home next weekend. I really don't think I am going to be able to clear out enough eggs to get it empty before the hatch.
I hatched all six eggs that Denny sent me last year. We ate two, one had to be put down because of a bad leg (I think she hurt it jumping down off something) and lost one tom to a coyote (that is when I did the hack job on Lurkey's feathers, if anyone is going to eat my birds it is going to be me). We kept the last two for eggs this spring. Now I also will have to explain the additional turkey eggs that I am getting from thebirdguy to DH. He knows how many I have now and how many I am sending you and I know he can do simple math sooooooooooooo I will have to tell him about the extras.

ETA - oooooooooooor maybe I could tell him that Lurkey went into this CRAZY egg laying FRENZY. That might work until the poults hatch. They are going to be different colors. OOOOOOOOOOOOOh even better, maybe I could sell him on a wild turkey tom getting in an mating with her.

You need to teach him chicken math, my dh is getting good at the chicken math.

 

[crazypetlady]

Quote:

The post office continues to amaze me last week I had chickens shipped from Fl to Indiana they were here overnight then from Ohio to Ind. 4 hour drive 2 days. Lol