Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[tmkuroda]

Just updating our meat bird pens since I know. Few were interested. I saw a neat wheel setup in the coops sub forum and used that for these. The 2x4 the wheel is attached to pivots on the center bolt so that it can either be upside down and the tractor sits on the ground, or the wheel can be bolted in the down position for moving it around.

OMG Glad now you did it... I have a ton of questions tee hee! How many meaties do you normally get and how many people are you planning to feed? How many times a year do you do this? Do you can any of the meat? I told you I had questions!

 

[RIRJen]

Here Nova...let me tease you with our show team for this weekend show in Alma

This is our white pullet...i love to stare at this picture...lol


Our splash hen


Here's a group shot of most of the silkies that are going with us this weekend for the show!


Another shot of our white pullet, she was talking up a storm being out in the grass instead of in the show cooping!



Our black rooster named Frank.

 

[gladahmae]

OMG Glad now you did it... I have a ton of questions tee hee! How many meaties do you normally get and how many people are you planning to feed? How many times a year do you do this? Do you can any of the meat? I told you I had questions!

This is my first year with meat birds (starting my 2nd year with chickens PERIOD) so I'm just kind of trying stuff out based on what I've read. I'm planning on ending up with 35 birds per tractor, which should give them a little under 2sqft per bird which from what I've READ should get the best weight gain per feed used. But we'll see. If this batch (70) goes well, I'll probably get another batch in August so we can be done with them before deer season (bow) starts. Right now the plan is to freeze everything, but I know that you CAN can the meat. Uhhh....yeah.

I like this a-frame style better (on paper) because it seems like it'll stand up to all the snow we get in the winter. I would worry too much about the flat-top salatin-style pens getting crushed. Plus I can use these for my layers or as growout pens if I want and still stand up inside (and catch all those crazy birds to put them back into the coop at night!)

 

[gladahmae]

Jen, those silkies are B-E-A-utiful. WOW! Now I want some of those too.

 

[chickflick]

Beautiful chicks and OMG gorgeous hens and handsome roo!

Beautiful day out there....so go and enjoy!

 

[1muttsfan]

Jen your birds look great

 

[tmkuroda]

This is my first year with meat birds (starting my 2nd year with chickens PERIOD) so I'm just kind of trying stuff out based on what I've read. I'm planning on ending up with 35 birds per tractor, which should give them a little under 2sqft per bird which from what I've READ should get the best weight gain per feed used. But we'll see. If this batch (70) goes well, I'll probably get another batch in August so we can be done with them before deer season (bow) starts. Right now the plan is to freeze everything, but I know that you CAN can the meat. Uhhh....yeah.

I like this a-frame style better (on paper) because it seems like it'll stand up to all the snow we get in the winter. I would worry too much about the flat-top salatin-style pens getting crushed. Plus I can use these for my layers or as growout pens if I want and still stand up inside (and catch all those crazy birds to put them back into the coop at night!)

Dont forget to keep us (me?) updated on this! Canning the meat is VERY easy. Chop the meat into chunks pack into jars loosely add some salt and process them. Great for chicken salad and soup.

 

[NovaAman]

Well, you've got my vote for wins, Jen!

 

[RIRJen]

Thanks! I'm really excited to see how we do, I've been working on our birds since last spring show and we did pretty well then. Brought in some new birds from North Carolina when we went to see some family. Cause you know, no 16hr trip is complete without the back end of your van being filled with hatching eggs and live birds! LOL
I'm hatching like crazy right now and hope to have a batch to bring to chicken stock. My speckled sussex are finally laying really good and fertility rate has improved on them so I might have a handful of those as well.

 

[SillyChicken]

I candled my eggs and some seem watery is this normal?

Don't know....sorry! I'm still trying to figure out what I'm seeing half the time!