Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[uchytil]

So the family and I are discussing doing a type of chicken share. We'd be raising probably around 50 Cornish X. Anyone raising meat birds have any recommendations for feed? at $15 for 50lb feed from TSC would get real expensive real quick for 50 cornish.

In case anyone is interested in the plan There's 4 or 5 members (including myself) planning to participate in this project. I'll be the one raising the birds since I have the land and (minimal) experience. The others would be helping to pay for the birds and feed, then help when it comes time to send the birds the freezer camp. My initial thinking is that I'll build a couple chicken tractors for them to live in, and rotate them around the property to keep them from completely destroying one area (I only have about an acre). I would be absorbing the cost of the chicken tractors.

I don't make any profit from this, we just get to raise our own food and hopefully have one less expense at the grocery store. We wouldn't begin this until probably april, so I have a good bit of time to nail down details.

We raise them twice a year- spring and fall. For many years. Keeping the cost down is a challenge but half the fun. Start by not going to TSC for feed (IMO). You really need to do the math right down to gas for each trip for supplies, price per pound of feed, power consumption if lamps are used, bedding cost (if used), processing (if used), and price per chick. Any other incidental costs? Then you'll know how much those big breasted, melt in your mouth, birds cost you (minus labor). And the ones we sell get a 30% mark-up. I can't remember not having a chicken available in our freezer since we started.

 

[snowflake]

Is it noticeably different over grocery birds?

as others have said, yes it is much better. HAS FLAVOR

When my father was still living he and my mother lived near Kentucky Lake. When I would I go to visit in early spring I would take enough venison for their needs and well as enough for an aunt and uncle who would visit them often. One year we were holding a family reunion at a campground in the Missouri Ozarks. My aunt introduced me to the people in the next campsite as her "Deer" nephew explaining how I supplied them venison and since she always sent me home with lots of blackberries so she was my berry aunt. When the camper commented upon how nice that was my aunt started laughing and remarked that she hadn't given me any berries in a couple of years and had sent pecans instead which made her my "Nutty Aunt".

love the memories. what would we do with out them!

good luck hunting, and don't stop, using those muscles makes them stronger.

 

[aart]

Quote: I didn't realize the difference until after I ate my first home grown Cornish X, then got another grocery bird.
Grocery bird was soft and less flavorful.

Other homegrown birds, not CX, are way, way different.

 

[bishopofchaos]

Hey everyone! I just set a batch in the incubator, and I'm thinking I'd like to maybe trade hatching eggs with other local members or buy some for the next run. Is this the right thread/section for this??
We have two Ameraucana roosters in our flock, hens--> 6 RIR's
6 buff light brahmas
2 barred rocks
1 EE (teal eggs)
1 buff Orpington
1 black sex link
We're in woodland, by lake odessa. Would anyone like any hatching eggs of these crosses? We're looking for 2 cream leg bar hens, 4 blue or black copper moran hens, and 2 wellsummer hens. OR hatching eggs of any of those breeds. Trade/buy let me know.....Thank you!

 

[troyer]

A few of my Cubalaya cockerels, just for show.

 

[Folly's place]

Beautiful birds, troyer! Mary

 

[troyer]

Beautiful birds, troyer! Mary

Thanks.

 

[1muttsfan]

Lovely birds Troyer

Welcome Bishopofchaos, you can bring up just about anything on the Michigan thread

 

[Maah]

Hiya folks! I missed y'all & wanted to pop in to say I'm still alive & kicking.

We raised 25 meat birds this summer for DD's 4H fair project (that was canceled the same day the hatchery shipped our chicks). Since the poultry event at the fair was canceled, we decided to just raise them "simply". Not over stuff them & let them turn into super huge turkey sized chickens. June 1st - Sept 1st & they were only about a third to half the size they were in years passed. They were quite healthy & happy right up until freezer camp day. They could fly up on top of their coop to perch, or even fly out of their pen, etc (as much as any other chickens "fly"). They were not grounded by excessive weight. They also had such characters that we rarely see in our meat birds. They were SO FUNNY. Sneaking out of their pen & following us around while we did barn chores, etc. HOWEVER... As much as I preferred the happier character of the healthier, flightier, meat bird... the taste of them went down hill. Quite down hill. The meat is tougher & more dry. Not tender & juicy. All well, we still filled the freezer & will have a full winter/spring of healthy homegrown chicken. ...done in a crock pot, with added chicken broth. Live & learn. Next year, even if the fair projects are canceled, we will make them fat & lazy again.

We are LOOKING FOR HOMES for our 3 Nigerian goat wethers. And also looking for a good home for our 2 Holland Lop bunnies. It is with a heavy heart that we are downsizing the petting zoo here & have decided to stay with chickens only. We decided this months ago, but haven't really started looking for new homes for them yet just to be sure this is what we really want. Well, we haven't changed our mind, so I guess I'd better start looking. Please please... someone offer them a nice new home.

Later folks!!

 

[chickflick]

Hi Maah! Good to see you on again! Miss those who have gone on the wayside! Sorry, can't take any of your animals, tho. Just moved and not ready to take too much on! Don't be a stranger!