First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[Betsy57]

Idk how/what to share on the decrowing or caponizing exactly. My bf has a steadier hand than I do, so he did the hard work, I caught them and held them down during caponizing procedure. He plucked, and did the hard stuff while I attempted to hold the flashlight in the incision. We need better lighting, and my bf wants to make a cauterizing tool to remove the testicles.

These are my 2 decrowed ayam cemani roosters Boss is the bigger one, Reginald is slightly smaller with mulberry leakage.


Do you anesthetize them before cutting into them? I would think so because I can't imagine they would sit still for that procedure.

 

[KCMOLisa]

Morrigan, mine seemed really small to me at around 4 weeks and then they blew up all of a sudden. Around a pound at 2 weeks sounds just right compared to where mine were.

 

[LindaB220]

Well, 11 of my meatballs have gone to freezer camp so far. We have 13 left, but we're calling it a day and finishing tomorrow morning. It took us about 4 hours to set up, figure out what the heck we were doing and process 11 of them. I think that's pretty good considering neither my brother or I had ever done it before and we were plucking by hand.

We definitely need to work on getting the water temperature even for scalding. We are just using a turkey fryer and it is either too hot or too cold. We scalded one that was way, way too hot and ended up having to skin it.

It's been a little traumatizing, but not too bad. In the spring, I am definitely calling around to see if I can get someone to do them for me. I live near a big Amish community, so if they will give me a reasonable price, I might just have them do it. Between ice and running water for hours and the time and mess, I really think paying a couple bucks per bird would be worth it just to drop them off and pick up a clean bird. If we don't do that, I'm definitely getting a plucker next year. I am exhausted after hand plucking and gutting 11 birds!

I just weighed a few that are in the cooler. They average about 4 - 4 1/2 pounds each. That's exactly the size I was going for, so I am excited about that! They were 7 weeks old yesterday. I'm glad I get to have the other half of my meatballs running around for one more day. It is going to be so weird to look out and not see any white fluffballs on the lawn in a couple of days. But I can still live vicariously through those of you who still have youngsters for the next couple of weeks (and Ralphie who has seniors! Ha ha!)

Fantastic time for 11 birds from scratch. And seriously, if I had an Amish anywhere close I'd be banging on his door. They are reasonable, usually a couple of bucks. Totally worth it in my opinion. I had to go make myself a drink after listening to your trials and to Ralph whine.

 

[LindaB220]

Actually, they don't. They strap the birds wings together and hang a weight off the side to keep it still. Then positioned on the left side they tuck the left leg under the right and strap the right leg down to immobilize it. They aren't in agony. Think piercing your ears. Over fast and heals super quick. There's something in Lidocaine that causes death in birds sometimes. They usually cover the eyes with a sock because they are trying to eat food if it's close.

Edited One more thing, this will not work on super agitated birds like Leghorns. They have a heart attack of stress.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Oh Lisa, I also meant to ask -- how heavy were your 7 week old before pre-butcher? We're trying to figure out how big to let our birds get into order to get to 4 lbs dressed out.

I usually subtract 25% from the live weight to determine dressed weight. Generally 25% is the stuff you would remove. So a 6 pound live weight should give you around a 4 1/2 pound bird.

 

[CoHomestead]

Jessica, I sure hope she is! I'll keep you updated with pics as she grows.

 

[duluthralphie]

Duluth

Holm: Did you have a bad experience with the CX's? Why would you not raise them again??

No but I want to do heritage breeds.

I can understand that completely, Thanks.

I have heritage turkeys and do not want broad breasted ones. On chickens I have an "assortment of colored egg layers". At least that is what the package I bought was called. I doubt their is a heritage breed in the mix, unless a Delaware, white rock or barred rock qualifies. I have RIR but they are far from pure.

 

[duluthralphie]

Fantastic time for 11 birds from scratch. And seriously, if I had an Amish anywhere close I'd be banging on his door. They are reasonable, usually a couple of bucks. Totally worth it in my opinion. I had to go make myself a drink after listening to your trials and to Ralph whine.

Linda Grab a BIG bottle or box of wine before reading this!!!


Last night was trying!

I wanted to go to Menard's for some needed building supplies, so I went to put the baby CX's to bed early. I first add to feed the turkeys a treat as they were following me and would not allow me to feed the babies without their blocking the door to the brooder/tractor. After feeding the turkeys, I got my pitcher out that I bring the CX's their feed in. As soon as they babies see the pitcher they come running. They are wild tonight and I was almost trampled in the stampede.

Before I tell the rest I need to describe the brooder a tad, I have a door for them on the south side of the middle 4x4 box. There is a door on the east side that connects to the other 4x4 box and one on the west side that goes into the tractor. I put the babies to bed by simply dumping the feed on the ground through the wire roof of the tractor. The birds enter the south door and then need to make a left turn to exit the west door into the tractor.

Whew,,,,,,, The CX's kind of jam up at the doors as they wiggle through the doors. The doors are pretty small designed for small birds. Everything was going fine, until one of the babies got stuck in the door. He tried to wiggle through and got one wing stuck inside and one stuck outside. I had to lift the box reach under and help the poor little guy out of the door. It was traumatic! We all remember the first time we got stuck in a door, and how embarrassing it was......


Once they all wiggled into the tractor I did a quick count, and a recount, I was one bird short. My heart dropped. I counted again and again. I looked In the other boxes hoping to find one in them. There were no more white birds. Then I noticed the one missing was my white Easter Egger that moved in with the CX's.

I went on a search for her. I checked the open machine shed, I looked everywhere she was not there. I checked the other coops, not there. I only have 3 white birds other than the CX's. A Delaware, white rock and this EE. The EE is special to us, she is the bottom of the pecking order, she is a tad flightly but a sweetheart. We had her in ICU for about 2 weeks recovering from a nasty pecking assault were she lost a ton of back feathers and a bad wound. Once they are in ICU they become real special. I have lots of treasures piled around the farmyard. I checked around and under them, I looked under my lumber piles. I looked in the woods. I spent about 45 minutes looking for her. Then I headed to the house to tell my wife her ICU baby was gone. I was really feeling low, thinking a predator came into my yard during the day with the dogs running free and took a bird. I was swearing at the birds of prey as they are my worst fear.

I went in and told my wife the ICU baby was gone, she immediately broke into tears, not the reaction I expected from a woman that claims they are my chickens and she does not like them. I had to console her which is not easy for me as I feel like crying myself. It was getting late and I needed to get to Menards. It had become dusk by now, so I went to lock the other chickens into their coops.

I went to the coop nearest the CX's first as it is closest to the trees and gets shadowed first so the birds there go into the coop earlier. All the birds are in the coop, except for one that wants in to the CX area. I scoot her towards to the coop, this is a little RSL that moved into the CX tractor a few days ago. I figure she can go back to the coop she belongs in. It took me 10 minutes to put her into her coop. I turn around and there is my ICU baby! She is walking around like nothing happened.

I tried to get her into the coop. She refused. Have you ever noticed how a chicken that nearly trips you when you walk, can run so fast and far from you when you want her? I ended up following her to the other coop, where she again refused to go in. Then She ran into the trees and around another big shed. I followed. From there she ran into the open shed. I followed her through it. TWICE!!!

Then through the trees and back to the original coop, were she refused to enter again. She ran to the gate to the pen surrounding the CX brooder/tractor. I tried to catch her, fat chance I am going to do that! Finally I opened the pen to the CX's and she ran to the brooder door and waited for me to open it for her. When I did she walked in like none of the drama had happened and just sauntered over to the feed and started eating.

Now it is nearly pitch dark, I figure the EE must have started laying eggs, that is the only reason I can think of she was not anywhere around. I looked last night, I looked this morning, I will be Da&^ed if I can find the nest. I will be building a run off my coop that is covered to keep the birds in, she is moving whether she likes it or not! I need to get all the chickens into one coop and the guinea hens out.. My night was terrible.


After reading this whine I do not think you should drive Linda as you Blood Alcohol level will be twice the legal limit! It was such an emotional night.....Whine over!

 

[LindaB220]

Linda Grab a BIG bottle or box of wine before reading this!!!


Last night was trying!

I wanted to go to Menard's for some needed building supplies, so I went to put the baby CX's to bed early. I first add to feed the turkeys a treat as they were following me and would not allow me to feed the babies without their blocking the door to the brooder/tractor. After feeding the turkeys, I got my pitcher out that I bring the CX's their feed in. As soon as they babies see the pitcher they come running. They are wild tonight and I was almost trampled in the stampede.

Before I tell the rest I need to describe the brooder a tad, I have a door for them on the south side of the middle 4x4 box. There is a door on the east side that connects to the other 4x4 box and one on the west side that goes into the tractor. I put the babies to bed by simply dumping the feed on the ground through the wire roof of the tractor. The birds enter the south door and then need to make a left turn to exit the west door into the tractor.

Whew,,,,,,, The CX's kind of jam up at the doors as they wiggle through the doors. The doors are pretty small designed for small birds. Everything was going fine, until one of the babies got stuck in the door. He tried to wiggle through and got one wing stuck inside and one stuck outside. I had to lift the box reach under and help the poor little guy out of the door. It was traumatic! We all remember the first time we got stuck in a door, and how embarrassing it was......


Once they all wiggled into the tractor I did a quick count, and a recount, I was one bird short. My heart dropped. I counted again and again. I looked In the other boxes hoping to find one in them. There were no more white birds. Then I noticed the one missing was my white Easter Egger that moved in with the CX's.

I went on a search for her. I checked the open machine shed, I looked everywhere she was not there. I checked the other coops, not there. I only have 3 white birds other than the CX's. A Delaware, white rock and this EE. The EE is special to us, she is the bottom of the pecking order, she is a tad flightly but a sweetheart. We had her in ICU for about 2 weeks recovering from a nasty pecking assault were she lost a ton of back feathers and a bad wound. Once they are in ICU they become real special. I have lots of treasures piled around the farmyard. I checked around and under them, I looked under my lumber piles. I looked in the woods. I spent about 45 minutes looking for her. Then I headed to the house to tell my wife her ICU baby was gone. I was really feeling low, thinking a predator came into my yard during the day with the dogs running free and took a bird. I was swearing at the birds of prey as they are my worst fear.

I went in and told my wife the ICU baby was gone, she immediately broke into tears, not the reaction I expected from a woman that claims they are my chickens and she does not like them. I had to console her which is not easy for me as I feel like crying myself. It was getting late and I needed to get to Menards. It had become dusk by now, so I went to lock the other chickens into their coops.

I went to the coop nearest the CX's first as it is closest to the trees and gets shadowed first so the birds there go into the coop earlier. All the birds are in the coop, except for one that wants in to the CX area. I scoot her towards to the coop, this is a little RSL that moved into the CX tractor a few days ago. I figure she can go back to the coop she belongs in. It took me 10 minutes to put her into her coop. I turn around and there is my ICU baby! She is walking around like nothing happened.

I tried to get her into the coop. She refused. Have you ever noticed how a chicken that nearly trips you when you walk, can run so fast and far from you when you want her? I ended up following her to the other coop, where she again refused to go in. Then She ran into the trees and around another big shed. I followed. From there she ran into the open shed. I followed her through it. TWICE!!!

Then through the trees and back to the original coop, were she refused to enter again. She ran to the gate to the pen surrounding the CX brooder/tractor. I tried to catch her, fat chance I am going to do that! Finally I opened the pen to the CX's and she ran to the brooder door and waited for me to open it for her. When I did she walked in like none of the drama had happened and just sauntered over to the feed and started eating.

Now it is nearly pitch dark, I figure the EE must have started laying eggs, that is the only reason I can think of she was not anywhere around. I looked last night, I looked this morning, I will be Da&^ed if I can find the nest. I will be building a run off my coop that is covered to keep the birds in, she is moving whether she likes it or not! I need to get all the chickens into one coop and the guinea hens out.. My night was terrible.


After reading this whine I do not think you should drive Linda as you Blood Alcohol level will be twice the legal limit! It was such an emotional night.....Whine over!

Poor baby!!!! Bahahahaha I totally understand your angst. Yes, I never get behind the wheel after a drink. I don't even drive after dark anymore. In fact, I hate to go out at all. I do have a wedding to go to tomorrow so I will make the effort. I'm not a hermit, I just don't like to get out. I worked a lot of years for the public in a District Attorney's office. Where everybody is in a bad mood. Misdemeanor dept, traffic tickets, wildlife tickets, simple possession etc. They always left feeling better after I talked to them. But going home, I didn't want to pacify or uplift anybody.

I retired almost 4 years ago and I love it. I live with my DD and her family who understands that I like to be with my chickens, read, play with the computer and enjoy myself.

Ralph, you do seriously need to enlarge the doors for the CX's just for your nerves. And put a leg chain on your EE. Like the gamebirds.

 

[Double Kindness]

Leg chain?? What did I miss?