First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[Betsy57]

LOWER YOUR FLAGS TO HALF MAST!


Something bad happened today. I had to let the chickens out an hour earlier than normal today, because we had to go to Duluth for our Grand daughters baptism. We got home after dark. ( a little after 5pm). I immediately went to the coop to collect eggs and check on my chickens. I found Brutus. the worlds greatest rooster dead with rigor mortis on the floor of the coop by the chicken door.

I refused to believe it was Brutus. I checked my roosters and Brutus was the one missing. I feel like crying as I write this. I wish it had been a nameless rooster and not Brutus. I have not checked Brutus for wounds or done a chickentopsy. I will do that tomorrow in the day light. I am thinking it was the (and I cannot swear or use symbols here, so just imagine I am) Guinea fowl or an eagle. I have not been able to take a head count on anything yet, because of the dark and bitter cold here.

Tomorrow I will know more. I just wanted to share this. I am hoping my frog Mamas and Daddy are ok. I hate leaving here, things always happen when I do. I am betting Brutus gave his life protecting the flock from something. Brutus was just that way. He will be sorely missed by the DW and me.

So sorry to hear that. I can relate. The grief can be intense. My best rooster was Red and I had to put him down earlier this year. I miss him greatly. I get home now after dark due to the time change/winter and it kills me wondering if they'll all be okay when I get home. It was 15 minutes after dark one time when I got home and something killed my drake (not Disco, this was the duck before I got the replacement Disco). The poor girls were laying with him in the duck house grieving him. It was heart wrenching! My condolences.

 

[Morrigan]

Ralphie, I am so sorry for your loss and how much you must be hurting right now. Brutus sounded like a tremendous rooster and I'm sure you gave him a wonderful life.

Thanks also for all your help and support during my first go at butchering.

 

[mountain mom]

Ralphie I am so sad to hear what happened to Brutus. I am sure you are correct in assuming he sacrificed himself to save his flock. He sounded like a wonderful bird.
My condolences to you and your flock.

 

[duluthralphie]

Thanks

A thread you all might find interesting... This person sound like us before we changed the way we raise CX's.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/938906/raising-feeder-for-faster-growth#post_14415100

It is amazing how prevalent the myth CX's are lazy is. ( I had trouble with is/are to keep the verb and noun at same plurality) I thin is is correct)

 

[mountain mom]

It is funny the ideas people have of CX. I was one of them. I was horrified that I bought them on a whim, but dang it, I wanted a second batch of meaties and didn't have time to raise a heritage breed with winter coming.... nor could I get the ones I wanted.

But this thread completely changed my opinion of them! I was really excited after reading through it, and couldn't wait to get my little meatballs. Then they proved to be the awesome "little" chickens y'all said they would be!

Morrigan- I hope your second day of processing goes even smoother than the first! And yes, once you eat your first meatball, you will for sure be raising another batch. There is no chicken that tastes better. Congratulations on making it through the first round!

 

[LindaB220]

Well the first 6 meaties were processed this morning. We were supposed to do it yesterday, but it rained, so they got a one day reprieve. I was ridiculously happy back then, to see them all snuggled in their straw, under the shelter.

This morning, we had a short break in the weather, so we felt was had to get to it. We planned originally to do 10, but then only transferred 8 into the holding pen. After doing 6, we were tired and it was about to rain again, so we put the 2 back with the flock. The worst part emotionally, was picking them up and transferring them to the holding pen, and then bringing them over to the chopping block for my husband to dispatch. They totally trusted me and I felt like such a traitor.

They were good chickens.

Once we starting the processing, I was able to focus on just getting it done and it wasn't so bad. Unfortunately the rain had turned the area of the yard we had set up for processing into a muddy, bloody quagmire, that only got worse with the hoses and washing part. Yuck. We need to put in a gravel area with drainage for next year. I also need to get better with the scalding -- the chickens were hard to pluck, and I think I slightly cooked the skin on another. I was trying to keep the temp around 155, but I think that I may have gotten it too hot.

But, we have 6 birds ranging fro 4 to 5 lbs resting in the refrigerator now. It the weather cooperates, we're trying to man up and get 6 more done tomorrow.

We both agreed that, although it was hard, we will do it again next year.

So proud of you. It's sad alright, but you got into this for the nourishment. Think of the great meals you will have from "Your good chickens". They were very well cared for and led happy short lives. Much better than most CX's. Right?

Be proud of yourselves and look forward to raising many happy chickens.

 

[LindaB220]

LOWER YOUR FLAGS TO HALF MAST!


Something bad happened today. I had to let the chickens out an hour earlier than normal today, because we had to go to Duluth for our Grand daughters baptism. We got home after dark. ( a little after 5pm). I immediately went to the coop to collect eggs and check on my chickens. I found Brutus. the worlds greatest rooster dead with rigor mortis on the floor of the coop by the chicken door.

I refused to believe it was Brutus. I checked my roosters and Brutus was the one missing. I feel like crying as I write this. I wish it had been a nameless rooster and not Brutus. I have not checked Brutus for wounds or done a chickentopsy. I will do that tomorrow in the day light. I am thinking it was the (and I cannot swear or use symbols here, so just imagine I am) Guinea fowl or an eagle. I have not been able to take a head count on anything yet, because of the dark and bitter cold here.

Tomorrow I will know more. I just wanted to share this. I am hoping my frog Mamas and Daddy are ok. I hate leaving here, things always happen when I do. I am betting Brutus gave his life protecting the flock from something. Brutus was just that way. He will be sorely missed by the DW and me.

Oh Ralphie, I'm so sorry!!!! It seems like if you have a loss it's always the favorite ones. I lost my one and only Marraduna Basque pullet (worlds friendliest chickens) to a mink sneak attack in the coop.

 

[Double Kindness]

I think if I had a plucker, it would go much much faster.

Ralphie-i'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I have a slw pullet sick in the bathroom with an upper respiratory infection thing going on. I have already started hitting the vodka in anticipation of culling my favorite chicken Wobbles today. Sitting in tears. Not my Wobbles

. Wtd to get her better? She has had tylan injections the last 3 days and still is gasping for breath

And this is Babs a new ayam cemani pullet to my flock. I'm nesting in this bowl momma, do you mind?

 

[LindaB220]

I think if I had a plucker, it would go much much faster.

Ralphie-i'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I have a slw pullet sick in the bathroom with an upper respiratory infection thing going on. I have already started hitting the vodka in anticipation of culling my favorite chicken Wobbles today. Sitting in tears. Not my Wobbles
. Wtd to get her better? She has had tylan injections the last 3 days and still is gasping for breath

And this is Babs a new ayam cemani pullet to my flock. I'm nesting in this bowl momma, do you mind?

One of my La thread buddy's is getting in EZ plucker for Christmas. One hour away. I may have to go see him occassionally. Do you feed fermented feed to your birds? I don't understand why you're getting so much infection around. I'm sorry for that. Maybe it's the difference in the weather, but mine have not been sick at all. Knock on wood.

 

[Morrigan]

Double Kindness -- sorry you are going through this, but you are doing right by her. Either she will pull through, or you know you did your very best trying to help her.

Thanks everyone, for all your words of encouragement. They really do mean a lot to me. Linda, it does help knowing they had happy lives. I agree totally, MountainMom, that this thread changed the way I view meaties. (Thanks again, Jessica!) And, Betsy, you were spot on about dropping the water temperature for the scald. The plucking went much easier today. We processed 6 more meaties this morning, plus a young heritage rooster.

The young rooster was the first time I cried doing this. He was an absolutely gorgeous boy -- all red and gold with black tail feathers. But, he had getting into staring contests with Duke and aggressively jumping the hens. It would have been too hard on the hens to keep him and I didn't want to risk him hurting Duke, who is a wonderful rooster. But, it was tough. He fought the whole way. From the time he went into the carrier to take him butchering area, to taking him out, to doing the deed. We tried to wait until he calmed down, but he just wouldn't, and the slightest movement would set him off again. He's not going to be great eats, probably, but it needed to be done. I'm not sorry to see him gone from the flock, but I cried for the loss of such a magnificent looking bird.

ETA: I just realized that "Red" who we processed today is the lighter colored of the two chicks in my avatar. He went from birth to day on my farm.