I DID IT!!!!!

[Chicky Tocks]

Nuuuuuuuuuuuuu.....

I commend you. I'm not anti cull and eat at all, I just don't know where I could ever find the stomach to actually off the bird.
But now that I am hatching chicks and preparing to start a chicken ranch, I'm sure this day will come. DH will have to do the offing and the plucking. I think I can manage the rest.

 

[Judy]

I can manage to do the deed and have no trouble doing the butchering. But then I can't eat the meat. Silly.

So son and family will eat the meat after helping with the butchering, and I get to play with chickens. And we all get good eggs, of course. Works out fine....

 

[cassie]

Quote:
You asked how much my chickens weigh at 11 weeks. I dunno for sure. Probably between ten and thirteen pounds. The last batch we started butchering them at nine weeks, and we finished when they were just under 12 weeks. We butchered them a couple every day or so as we had time. The smallest one weighed eight and a half pounds and the largest one we weighed was just over 13 1/2 pounds. There may have been some a little bigger. We didn't weigh them all. That is DRESSED weight, by the way, not live weight. We didn't weigh them live. As for your five weekers not wanting to walk, keep in mind that these are not the most active creatures in the world. As the guy at the big commercial broiler operation down the road told me, they are busy "converting". He meant converting feed into chicken. Also, are you giving yours a vitamin supplement made for meat chickens? We use Broiler Booster sold by Murray McMurray. There are others. It really seems to help.

 

[Big George]

Thanks for the information. I am giving them a supplement in the water. I'm very excited about these birds. Last year I dressed male rhode island reds and they just looked a little skimpy. Not this year Charlie Brown!

 

[farmgirljen]

Can you putthe meat bird supplement in the water if they are out wiht the regular flock- or do you nee to keep them seperate. Thanks- Jen

 

[cassie]

Quote:
The supplement is essentially extra vitamins. It won't hurt any chickens. You don't use much either. A quarter teaspoon per gallon.

 

[lisahaschickens]

I think it's awesome that you pull it off. I really want to do my own meat birds and I feel like I would be a huge wimp when it came time to actually butcher. It's cool that you got into a "do or die" situation that forced you to be brave. That would probably help me step up to the plate and do it too. Congrats and thanks for sharing! It gives me courage!

 

[obsessed]

Congratulations. It is amazing the strength required to kill an animal.

 

[ssledoux]

That's inspiring! Maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to actually do it. At first I thought my hubby would have to do it, and have my son help. Then, the little roosters started to get mean and I figured I could probably help. Now, they fight and act so ugly (this is my barred silvers, not the cornish), that I don't know if I won't start killing them before their time.

Of course, I say that now - let's just see if I can really do it when the time comes.

Now, the rabbits dh will have to kill and skin. I'll clean them afterwards. Those are gonna be MUCH more difficult...

 

[amarook]

My main purpose is egg layers. My sister and Brother in law are raising Cornish rocks.

My birds are straight run. I did tell my Bf that the plan was to butcher any extra Roos that can't live with the other birds.

I've been enjoying watching them grow up though...
I am afraid I won't be able to watch something I raised go to the chopping block.


I guess we'll see what happens.

I bet your hubby was proud of you!