Maine

[lazy gardener]

A question for my fellow Mainers...from a new kid on the block.

I am super excited about my hens and my future eggs (any week now I hope) and I have certainly caught the bug...I am "achickted" in a bad way. I have the egg situation well in hand, in fact I will be bringing them to work I am sure, but I do want meat in the freezer as well.

I have been working on a plan with a few of the guys at work (All fantastic EMS providers by the way

) to raise some meat birds. I am not going to coop them up, instead I am going to make a tractor out of one of these...



by running some 2X4 framing under it, adding some wheels, and some poultry fence. We are looking at trying between 25 and 50 birds this first time through, between us we have 10 kids...

Has anyone done this before? Is it as cost effective as it seems or is it all smoke and mirrors? Is there an actual cost analysis I can look at to see how much it is going to cost me in the course of 8-12 weeks? Do any of you guys have any recommendations? Ideas? I want to process them before the end of summer so we can enjoy some of our fresh pasture raised meat and still have enough to make it through winter. If this works out, we will repeat it again next spring early, and again before winter hits. This is not to make any money, hopefully to just save some in the end and get away from the man in the supermarket.

Long winded I know, but nobody has the answers like you all!

Much appreciated!

Bob

Looks like that frame was designed to be a chicken tractor. I'm guessing that the back portion is 4 x 8, and the front U shaped rails are designed to go over the cab of the PU? as far as cost efficiency goes, I don't have a clue, but if you process the birds yourself, you'll save quite a bit. It's a messy job, but doable, especially if you share the process with your co-worker's. I did a similar venture on 2 occasions with neighbors many years ago. If you brood in the warmer months of the summer, that should make it a lot easier, then you can process when the weather is cooler. As I recall, hornets and yellow jackets can be a problem when processing birds in warm weather. I haven't had home grown chicken in MANY years, but it is wonderful, and worth the work.

 

[pellepeterson]

That is great information...and the flying stinging things give me another excuse to chase Mumma out of the house for the day. One of my partners in crime is a butcher with tons of experience, the other is another paramedic and we love anatomy!

I am tossing around building a processing table that would tuck away under the porch when not in use, maybe even fold down. I would like to have a sink with running water and everything...I am one of those over-engineerers...my hobby is fast becoming more than a hobby! I LOVE IT!

Thank you for the input gang, I will keep you posted, and will take pics of my little design as it unfolds, decision has to be made by next week to get the May 21 hatch from http://www.schlechthatchery.com they have the best prices by far in my search.

Thank you!

Bob

 

[MustardTiger]

First BCM here, hatched here last night. Gosh. That one hen (who is my primary/best type breeder) always playing at Houdini did a real number on fertility. The second best hen kept following her!



Pomeranian Goslings due soon! Please, someone else decide that they want to help preserve these critically endangered species. Beautiful blue eyes, reasonable size, pretty darn quiet, gentle and friendly ESP when people raised, and a good dual purpose bird if you can make yourself eat them. They are good guardians in the yard. If there is a scuffle or an invader or even a person out there they don't know they honk. Of course, these ones are so quiet I couldn't find them the other day, but they did babble when my neighbor came over. My daughter and I hand fed them the other day. Hardy too. They don't need weatherization and half of the year they can go without or with very little grain because they eat grass and dandelions etc.= cheap. Just think about it folks. I know this isn't the 'goose thread' but they really are so smart-- a cross between duck silliness and dog smarts.

So Cute!

 

[blueseal]

Sorry to hear about your chicken.

I found my missing pullet she got out of the run somehow I found her in the shed tonight she been in there for 2 days the door was open. guess she didn't know the way back to the coop. I saw 3 more hawks tonight and 3 ospreys flying back and forth. im keeping the pullets in during the day and let them out in the evening when im out there to watch for hawks. have to get a owl to put up in the run to keep the predators away. I think that's what I was told keeps them away. what does everyone else use for scare tactics.

 

[lazy gardener]

I found my missing pullet she got out of the run somehow I found her in the shed tonight she been in there for 2 days the door was open. guess she didn't know the way back to the coop. I saw 3 more hawks tonight and 3 ospreys flying back and forth. im keeping the pullets in during the day and let them out in the evening when im out there to watch for hawks. have to get a owl to put up in the run to keep the predators away. I think that's what I was told keeps them away. what does everyone else use for scare tactics.

So glad you found her. Hawks are a nuisance. They're always circling my property. One of my sweetest birds (they're all sweet) is a black sex link. She's pure black, not a brown or red feather on her. She was the ugly duckling when hatched. Her back had no down, just little fuzzy prickles. And her comb was black. Now she's a beauty, when the sun shines on her feathers they're iridescent with purple/green hues. She's the most likely to try new foods (after the Doms)

 

[Mainechick168]

Looks like I've got a rooster free to a good home here- he is a good roo- not rough on the ladies, fine with people, non agressive- he is a bit of a chicken ( haha) but he is a good protector- always on alert..... but I found out he is the reason why they have been wandering so much! I'd also trade him towards 3 or so pullets/hens.....

 

[buckabucka]

Blueseal, so glad you found your pullet! I think the fake owl is a good idea. I've also heard of using shiny stuff strung back and forth, even old CDs

Bob, the tractor idea looks good! I'm not sure there's any saving money when chicken is so cheap, but you will be eating a much better product. Even if taste were identical, I think it is worth avoiding the antibiotics, hormones, antidepressants, and whatever else they fill those chickens with at the factory farm.

 

[hoppy]

I saw this post and I thought, that's what a woman would say- distressed that hubby wanted a mud flap door. a mud flap will not stop a predator but it might stop the chickens from going out.

So the woman of my dreams, the love of my life, says to me this morning "why do we need a door on the coop for the chickens? Everyone else around here has a mud flap"...I must have looked astonished, bewildered and even shocked...a mudflap to keep the enemy at bay? Really?

I am somewhat distressed by this, have any of you tried this? In Lieu of an automatic door I suppose there are options, but I do not like the idea of a mud flap protecting my ladies not to mention my breakfast...HELP! LOL

 

[CoopChick719]

Now if i can train her to stop rolling in and gobbling chicken poop i will truly celebrate!

MustardTiger, Please let me know when you figure this out because you will be my hero!!

So not the best pics but was wondering if anyone can enlighten me as to what these little cuties are. I can tell you they are bantam and have no feathers on their feet if that helps. In the last picture I was wondering about the all yellow chick.... Thanks all!!

Pretty colors...love #3.

Wow Bob. Neat idea. SO thought I was crazy when I suggested using an old truck cab. I wanted it to be rain proof with windows and protection and options for venting and this had it all... except beauty apparently. Can't wait to see how this works.

I saw a truck cab coop someplace else. They had reversed the windows so they could be opened from the outside for easy ventilation.

I found my missing pullet she got out of the run somehow I found her in the shed tonight she been in there for 2 days the door was open. guess she didn't know the way back to the coop. I saw 3 more hawks tonight and 3 ospreys flying back and forth. im keeping the pullets in during the day and let them out in the evening when im out there to watch for hawks. have to get a owl to put up in the run to keep the predators away. I think that's what I was told keeps them away. what does everyone else use for scare tactics.

Glad to hear you found your missing pullet!!

Looks like I've got a rooster free to a good home here- he is a good roo- not rough on the ladies, fine with people, non agressive- he is a bit of a chicken ( haha) but he is a good protector- always on alert..... but I found out he is the reason why they have been wandering so much! I'd also trade him towards 3 or so pullets/hens.....

That's too bad, MC! He's so beautiful!!

 

[Mainechick168]

He is a beautiful rooster! I'd be likely to keep him and try to work things out, but J made the final decision- it's stressing him out to much to have to go round them up when they are 2 houses away..and I guess I don't blame him!