First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[duluthralphie]

I am thinking if I do not enlarge the doors it will motivate me to process the little meatballs...

A leg chain is a great Idea!

 

[LindaB220]

Leg chain?? What did I miss?

Joking, sort of, it's a chain that they put on the legs of fighting cocks to allow them to be outside but keep away from each other without fighting to the death. Maybe 20 feet apart.

 

[Morrigan]

Little guys are back outside in the sun today. No problem getting out of the carrier this time -- as soon as I put food in their outside feeder they came pouring out. A few of them are pecking around and giving themselves dustbaths. It's good to see more normal chicken behavior. It's supposed to be cold and rainy over the weekend, so this is probably their last chance to be outside for awhile.

Linda -- Your post reminded me so much of myself! I retired 4 years ago from the legal profession as well and I couldn't be happier. Living closer to nature is what makes me happiest.

 

[LindaB220]

Little guys are back outside in the sun today. No problem getting out of the carrier this time -- as soon as I put food in their outside feeder they came pouring out. A few of them are pecking around and giving themselves dustbaths. It's good to see more normal chicken behavior. It's supposed to be cold and rainy over the weekend, so this is probably their last chance to be outside for awhile.

Linda -- Your post reminded me so much of myself! I retired 4 years ago from the legal profession as well and I couldn't be happier. Living closer to nature is what makes me happiest.

And to top it all, I didn't know I loved the outdoors until I decided to get healthier and wanted a garden. Changed it to chickens this year but next year I'm going with the garden. I'm doing the Larry Hall method from youtube. Gro bags in a kiddle pool or a raised bed with a pond liner. A lot less work on me than trying to do it in the dirt. My neighbor Freida had a nice garden that she wasn't using, (before the nursing home) and said I could use it. It backs up to my yard and I paid a fellow $60 to till it and he left without spreading it out. Waaaay to much work for old me so I did a tiny 4' x 6' area and the rest went to waste. Now, her grandson has moved in and said don't touch the garden, he wants grass. Fine. I have a much better place for my 4' x 4' raised beds still in the box. Five of them. I'll be working on them all winter and in spring, I'll be ready. I really want to plant a few mulberriy bushes. They are so beloved by chickens and the leaves are a good protein source in their feed.

 

[duluthralphie]

And to top it all, I didn't know I loved the outdoors until I decided to get healthier and wanted a garden. Changed it to chickens this year but next year I'm going with the garden. I'm doing the Larry Hall method from youtube. Gro bags in a kiddle pool or a raised bed with a pond liner. A lot less work on me than trying to do it in the dirt. My neighbor Freida had a nice garden that she wasn't using, (before the nursing home) and said I could use it. It backs up to my yard and I paid a fellow $60 to till it and he left without spreading it out. Waaaay to much work for old me so I did a tiny 4' x 6' area and the rest went to waste. Now, her grandson has moved in and said don't touch the garden, he wants grass. Fine. I have a much better place for my 4' x 4' raised beds still in the box. Five of them. I'll be working on them all winter and in spring, I'll be ready. I really want to plant a few mulberriy bushes. They are so beloved by chickens and the leaves are a good protein source in their feed.

If I tried working on my garden in the winter, I would be committed, and not in a good way....

I guess the dang rooster that escaped on camp day will survive for a while longer. I named him today. His name is Lucky, but could change to Frosty if he bothers the hens, so far he has been on his best behavior.

You would not think a white chicken sitting on a nest in a leafless brown woods would be that hard to find. Again today I did not find her nest..

My wife is giving me crap about my CX's. She says they look like turkeys and waddle like ducks. She told me, I have to butcher them soon. Why?

I made the door larger today so there should be no more stuck babies in the near future.

 

[Double Kindness]

Oh ralphie lol. I have some news you may like, that 7.3 lbs rooster we processed last week has huge legs and thighs and was a white star. FWIW

My hands are stained with red wine, which is also stained half my kitchen floor. My bf had to help me cut up that rooster to marinade him in wine, and the dutch oven filled with Rex - Goliath free range red wine in the 1.5 liter bottle dumped out onto us, the floor, our shoes. It's a good thing I picked up another 1.5 liter bottle of their cabernet sauvignon, so all was not lost.

I haven't seen thigh meat that color on a chicken before anywhere. I will start the coq au vin in the morning.

We got hopefully our last store bought chicken last night, a prebaked deli chicken. It was mushy, soft, flavorless, unappealing. I didn't eat much of it. It might go to the ducks and pullets/capon tomorrow.

The roos are on their fast again, we are attempting caponizing again this weekend. I hope we are more successful at this attempt. I have had to stand all week in the backyard throwing scratch to stop the crowing contest. My neighbors are starting to give me dirty looks.

 

[LindaB220]

If I tried working on my garden in the winter, I would be committed, and not in a good way....

I guess the dang rooster that escaped on camp day will survive for a while longer. I named him today. His name is Lucky, but could change to Frosty if he bothers the hens, so far he has been on his best behavior.

You would not think a white chicken sitting on a nest in a leafless brown woods would be that hard to find. Again today I did not find her nest..

My wife is giving me crap about my CX's. She says they look like turkeys and waddle like ducks. She told me, I have to butcher them soon. Why?

I made the door larger today so there should be no more stuck babies in the near future.

Bahahaha, your wife has it going on. Remember why you bought them. Chuckle. My winter temps in the daytime are anywhere from 40-70. I've worn shorts on Christmas. But when it gets cold, it's cold. 15 or so. Once every year or three.

 

[duluthralphie]

Bahahaha, your wife has it going on. Remember why you bought them. Chuckle. My winter temps in the daytime are anywhere from 40-70. I've worn shorts on Christmas. But when it gets cold, it's cold. 15 or so. Once every year or three.

I know what you mean....


I have a house in South Florida. I would prefer to be there in the winter, BUT my wife insisted we move north and raise chickens. So here I am. I use to get a charge out of the people wearing parkas during the winter down there when it would hit 40 degrees. My banana plants would freeze once every few years. I would garden in the winter, because I only know how to raise cold weather stuff, of course, the bugs done there appreciated my efforts to garden.

I should mention our moving north to raise chickens coincided with the birth of our grand daughters. So if anyone wants a house on the gulf let me know.



BTW You cannot raise chickens in said house. The city is rather anal and does not allow them. They would not even let me clean fish on my own dock, or put a cover on my boat........I so like the country better than the city!

 

[holm25]

Hello!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Hello!!

Hello!!!