How to make my own meat birds?

[U_Stormcrow]

It seems odd to me that everybody assumes that after the world "takes a turn for the worst" we'll all still be living comfortably in our homesteads with our animals and appliances, merrily cooking just as we are now. Doesn't anybody watch the news? Imagine how you would survive if "after" looks like the Gaza strip or any of those war-torn towns in Ukraine. Or west North Carolina or Florida after the hurricanes.

Human nature - like the people at home watching "Alone" or "Naked & Afraid" thinking "I can do that" from the comfort of their climate controlled residences, relaxing after an 8-10 day of work and a good meal - likely at least partially prepackaged - prepared with a heat source that comes on with a switch, is reliable, and predictable.

Speaking only for myself - if the world suddenly went dark ages overnight, I'd last longer than most (not a high bar, truly - there's millions of people in various MSAs who would go first) - but I wouldn't survive long, and I certainly wouldn't thrive.

Though I have acres, varied livestock, numerous crops, and a forgiving climate. What I can't produce still greatly exceeds what I can produce.

 

[Molpet]

Most years I can't even grow enough food to feed myself year around.
Grandparents had draft horses, milk cows and pigs. Chickens followed around after the livestock and didn't get fed until winter. They also didn't lay more than 100 eggs a year and chicken was Sunday dinner. Not every sunday either.
All these predators and nuisance animals were eliminated and eaten for dinner or by some farm animal.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@U_Stormcrow : MSAs?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

MetroStandardAreas

Tampa/St Pete
Atlanta
Chicago
Minneapolis/St Paul
New York
Chicago
Dallas/Ft Worth
San Fran

Other multi-million population cities which have grown to swallow surrounding cities.


Places dependent on modern supply lines to constantly resupply in huge, almost unimaginable, volumes. Modern power, water, sanitation - where breakdown of those systems will quickly overwhelm any individual effort to counter.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why not reach back to older breeds that used to be raised for meat. I am raising Dorkings (there are many others) for this purpose - they go broody reliably so they will resupply you without much work on your part.

You would not need "breeds". You would need chickens that can mostly feed themselves during the good weather months. And to an extent in the bad winter months depending on how rough your winters are. People all over the world still do that. My parents and grandparents did but that was a long time ago. They raised a landrace chicken, fairly small, could fly pretty well, went broody and raised their own replacements, and were well-suited to survive in that climate and in those conditions. And they knew how to cook them so a small chicken could feed a large family.

I'm not arguing with you about Dorkings or any other breed. As long as they meet your requirements they are a great place to start. But the traits I'd be breeding for would be the traits that would make them suitable to survive rather than the traits that make them a breed. In my opinion breeds developed when people were affluent enough to develop them. Until then, people were breeding chickens to meet the human's needs.

Basically in case the world goes to heck we can produce our own. We know we can eat regular ones but it's just easier.

I'd disagree that Cornish Cross would be easier, not if you have to pamper them and you would. What could be easier than having a chicken that can feed itself and take cares of itself. All you have to do is feed it if the weather is that rough for an extended period of time and protect it from predators. That's why for thousands of years farmers and peasants have been raising the landrace chickens that can take care of themselves. They have enough other things to do to survive than spend time taking care of chickens.

I'd argue that the eggs would be more important than the meat from chickens. Eggs have great nutrition. Even if your chickens only lay 80 to 100 eggs a year, since they feed themselves keep more chickens so you have enough eggs. Besides, once Cornish Cross reach butcher age you have to butcher them, otherwise they die on you. How are you going to preserve the meat for later? With dual purpose type landrace chickens butcher then when you are going to eat them. You just have to know how to cook them.

It can be fun to fanaticize about an end-of-the-world scenario. I know I can be a killjoy sometimes. If I've upset your fantasy world by interjecting a little realism I apologize.

Modern power, water, sanitation - where breakdown of those systems will quickly overwhelm any individual effort to counter.

In that scenario my first efforts would include securing a safe water supply. Without safe water you are unlikely to survive long.

To me, fire can be used to cook, heat you in winter, and provide light. That's what people did before electricity was common. I used an outhouse until I graduated high school. Our water came from a cistern but if it did not rain for a while we used water from a hand-dug well at the foot of the hill. Since the well water was cleaner we hand-carried well water for her when she needed to do laundry.

 

[GreenHaven]

You would not need "breeds". You would need chickens that can mostly feed themselves during the good weather months. And to an extent in the bad winter months depending on how rough your winters are. People all over the world still do that. My parents and grandparents did but that was a long time ago. They raised a landrace chicken, fairly small, could fly pretty well, went broody and raised their own replacements, and were well-suited to survive in that climate and in those conditions. And they knew how to cook them so a small chicken could feed a large family.

I'm not arguing with you about Dorkings or any other breed. As long as they meet your requirements they are a great place to start. But the traits I'd be breeding for would be the traits that would make them suitable to survive rather than the traits that make them a breed. In my opinion breeds developed when people were affluent enough to develop them. Until then, people were breeding chickens to meet the human's needs.


I'd disagree that Cornish Cross would be easier, not if you have to pamper them and you would. What could be easier than having a chicken that can feed itself and take cares of itself. All you have to do is feed it if the weather is that rough for an extended period of time and protect it from predators. That's why for thousands of years farmers and peasants have been raising the landrace chickens that can take care of themselves. They have enough other things to do to survive than spend time taking care of chickens.

I'd argue that the eggs would be more important than the meat from chickens. Eggs have great nutrition. Even if your chickens only lay 80 to 100 eggs a year, since they feed themselves keep more chickens so you have enough eggs. Besides, once Cornish Cross reach butcher age you have to butcher them, otherwise they die on you. How are you going to preserve the meat for later? With dual purpose type landrace chickens butcher then when you are going to eat them. You just have to know how to cook them.

It can be fun to fanaticize about an end-of-the-world scenario. I know I can be a killjoy sometimes. If I've upset your fantasy world by interjecting a little realism I apologize.


In that scenario my first efforts would include securing a safe water supply. Without safe water you are unlikely to survive long.

To me, fire can be used to cook, heat you in winter, and provide light. That's what people did before electricity was common. I used an outhouse until I graduated high school. Our water came from a cistern but if it did not rain for a while we used water from a hand-dug well at the foot of the hill. Since the well water was cleaner we hand-carried well water for her when she needed to do laundry.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

In that scenario my first efforts would include securing a safe water supply. Without safe water you are unlikely to survive long.

To me, fire can be used to cook, heat you in winter, and provide light. That's what people did before electricity was common. I used an outhouse until I graduated high school. Our water came from a cistern but if it did not rain for a while we used water from a hand-dug well at the foot of the hill. Since the well water was cleaner we hand-carried well water for her when she needed to do laundry.

I was referring to those effectively trapped in industrial megaplexes, not those of us residing in more rural environments. Think of the millions surrounded by hundreds of square miles of concrete, reliant on public transportation or what little they can carry in their current vehicle w/ its current fuel level. Most won't be able to bug out fast enough or far enough to be able to get ahead of their fellows and establish a place where they could focus on clean water, a heat source, and providing for their food needs while they are in competition with 10s or 100s of thousands of others trying to do the same.

Obviously, that math changes in a zombie apocalypse/fast moving highly lethal plague scenario by dramatically reducing competition for remaining resources.

 

[GreenHaven]

Breeds are a great place to start, in my opinion. Many modern breeds no longer possess the natural instinct to raise their own young. We've bred that out of them. The fun in breeding is to select for the traits you want, so it helps to choose a breed as a starting point. But there are MANY similar older breeds that one could choose - but I didn't want to do that research over again. I landed on Sussex and Dorking, and I am working from there. And honestly if and when the world goes to shit - I hope I am not here.

 

[Molpet]

Think of the millions surrounded by hundreds of square miles of concrete, reliant on public transportation or what little they can carry in their current vehicle w/ its current fuel level.

My folks were worried about the hordes coming out of the city and taking what we had .

 

[GreenHaven]

My folks were worried about the hordes coming out of the city and taking what we had .

That’s the likely scenario.