Homesteaders

[Raech]

I have a "clueless" question because I have never done it. But when you do all of your meat birds up how do you package them? Do you leave some as whole fryers, take parts off and package like the stores do? Im sorry to ask a seemingly simple question but I really have no clue, and all I can picture is piles of fryer chickens in your freezers.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have a "clueless" question because I have never done it. But when you do all of your meat birds up how do you package them? Do you leave some as whole fryers, take parts off and package like the stores do? Im sorry to ask a seemingly simple question but I really have no clue, and all I can picture is piles of fryer chickens in your freezers.

I do several ways.

I leave some whole. I liked roasted chicken and I like to smoke them.

We also cut some up. I save the backs and necks and make soup or broth from them..

I use shrink bags on my chickens I keep whole. I use the small turkey size. I grow my CX's for 13 weeks. I end up with hens around 9 lbs and roosters around 12 pounds. Dressed without giblets.

It is just my wife and I so we package 1/2 breast in each package and 2 rear quarters in each package, We vacuum pack that stuff. I package the livers and gizzards separately, I have a glorious meal when I deep fry them! I give the hearts to back to the chickens. I do not care for them.

Also this year I will be saving the fat. I want to make chicken sausage and use it for cooking, It is suppose to be great tasting.

 

[KlopKlop]

I have a "clueless" question because I have never done it. But when you do all of your meat birds up how do you package them? Do you leave some as whole fryers, take parts off and package like the stores do? Im sorry to ask a seemingly simple question but I really have no clue, and all I can picture is piles of fryer chickens in your freezers.

I do several ways.

I leave some whole. I liked roasted chicken and I like to smoke them.

We also cut some up.  I save the backs and necks and make soup or broth from them..

I use shrink bags on my chickens I keep whole.  I use the small turkey size.  I grow my CX's for 13 weeks. I end up with hens around 9 lbs and roosters around 12 pounds. Dressed without giblets.

It is just my wife and I so we package 1/2 breast in each package and 2 rear quarters in each package, We vacuum pack that stuff.   I package the livers and gizzards separately, I have a glorious meal when I deep fry them!  I give the hearts to back to the chickens. I do not care for them.

Also this year I will be saving the fat.  I want to make chicken sausage and use it for cooking, It is suppose to be great tasting.

I do almost the exact same thing. Some whole some cut up.

When I cut them up I save the backs, necks, and other bits and make broth/stock from it.

It was my intention to cook those bones down into bone meal last year for my dogs but things got too busy at that time. Maybe this year.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

I'm a tad late to speak on it but here goes anyhow.

Any grandparents who are too busy to be grandparents don't deserve the privilege. . My grandparents raised me and I love them all the more for it. My kids see them every possible time. Sadly they live in NC and I'm in NY. HOWEVER the husbands parents are here and wouldn't babysit to save their life. Heck they don't even call and see how the kids are. I think grandparents fall in 2 catagory.

End rant sorry.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Now to the meat birds.. I am going to do several batches this year. Should I start with a mixed order of rangers and cx or try one at a time? They will have free range time daily as well as monitoring of the feed and housing seperated from the layers. Which breed makes for better fried chicken? My kids are obsessed with fried chicken.

I have a stand up freezer to fill by fall as well as keep us fed throughout the summer. So 40 at a time, every 3 weeks? Or 20 at a time every week or 2? There are 8 of us so keep that in mind, a few at a time just won't cut it.

Also yall opinion on the best grilling breed, I will just split them in half not quarters, unless that's a bad idea.

Never done meat birds before, any help is great.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I'm a tad late to speak on it but here goes anyhow.

Any grandparents who are too busy to be grandparents don't deserve the privilege. . My grandparents raised me and I love them all the more for it. My kids see them every possible time. Sadly they live in NC and I'm in NY. HOWEVER the husbands parents are here and wouldn't babysit to save their life. Heck they don't even call and see how the kids are. I think grandparents fall in 2 catagory.

End rant sorry.

Agreed! I got lucky and had fantastic Grandparents, my children got great Grandparents too (MIL has issues, but would love to see the kids as much as I let her, and I do try)

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Agreed! I got lucky and had fantastic Grandparents, my children got great Grandparents too (MIL has issues, but would love to see the kids as much as I let her, and I do try)

my MIL would be awesome if she weren't in Texas. She loves playing house. My mom not so good but would babysit daily if we'd let her, not a chance though, plus she's in Co. Its ok though my kids have 3 awesome uncles. They love spending time.

Family just isn't what it was in generations past. My kids will never understand the saying "it takes a village to raise a family " . That is so true but to lost. My neighborhood raised me not just my family. We were so much better behaved then.

Oh well, times have changed and some poor bleeding heart said we can't punish our kids the way we were punished. I wasn't beat nor belittled but I dang sure knew my place and how to give respect.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Now to the meat birds.. I am going to do several batches this year. Should I start with a mixed order of rangers and cx or try one at a time? They will have free range time daily as well as monitoring of the feed and housing seperated from the layers. Which breed makes for better fried chicken? My kids are obsessed with fried chicken.

I have a stand up freezer to fill by fall as well as keep us fed throughout the summer. So 40 at a time, every 3 weeks? Or 20 at a time every week or 2? There are 8 of us so keep that in mind, a few at a time just won't cut it.

Also yall opinion on the best grilling breed, I will just split them in half not quarters, unless that's a bad idea.

Never done meat birds before, any help is great.

My experience is limited, but my understanding is Cornish x make the best fryers. They are what you would find at the supermarket. However, they grow so fast and so big that they will not move willingly. They will not range, not willingly. You will need to kick them out of the coop, and unless they are starving, they will find some shelter or brush and lay down not move. Do not ever drop them, they cannot fly at all, will probably break a leg (this was the mistake I made, I often just drop my layers they fly to the ground, Cornish x drop like a brick)
I do not know how they will fair with another meat breed as coop mates. I know my layers hated them. My two Barr rock hens beat the cornish cross mercilessly.

 

[Beekissed]

I've had a much different experience with CX, with them ranging better than any breed I've ever had simply because they are very hungry. Here's a vid of the last large batch of CX...ranging and flying. This batch even roosted as high as 3 ft off the ground. They were fed once a day, fermented layer and whole grains, after they had ranged all day long. Pardon the very poor video skills...my very first such things and done on a still camera.

My first batch were raised by a broody hen and lived with the layer flock. They too ranged very well, all finished at good weights after only being fed once per day after foraging all day. Didn't lose any of either batch due to health issues or predators, though they ranged far and wide.

 

[duluthralphie]

My experience is limited, but my understanding is Cornish x make the best fryers. They are what you would find at the supermarket. However, they grow so fast and so big that they will not move willingly. They will not range, not willingly. You will need to kick them out of the coop, and unless they are starving, they will find some shelter or brush and lay down not move. Do not ever drop them, they cannot fly at all, will probably break a leg (this was the mistake I made, I often just drop my layers they fly to the ground, Cornish x drop like a brick)
I do not know how they will fair with another meat breed as coop mates. I know my layers hated them. My two Barr rock hens beat the cornish cross mercilessly.

I am going to slightly disagree.

Until they are about 10 weeks old they will jump up and roost on things up to about 3 ft high. I have not had one break a leg. I did have a 11 month old rooster get a bumble foot jumping from something though. ( he was around 20 pounds at that point)

If you want them to free range do not feed them in the morning. When mine are free ranging (which I start at about 3 weeks) I only feed them at night. Make sure you have lots of water for them and I mean LOTS!.

Mine ran all the time, they did not lay down anymore than any other chicken.

Just watch the feed and the protein, If you keep them t13 weeks you will have HUGE birds 1 bird will be as big as 2-3 store bought ones.

Here is last years birds. As you can see they are not lazy..