Michigan

[Opa]

Some time back I posted about the Welsummer hen that was knocked silly by the "found" rooster. She was unable to stand and for several days I had to feed and water her by hand for over a week. She spent so long with her legs splayed out in front of her that her tail feathers were completely worn off so she now looks like one of those bob tailed Araucanas.

She eventually was able to stand and I placed her in the Welsummer flock where she laying well and acting like a normal chicken. One interesting side effect possibly resulting from her injury is that she is much more vocal than any of my other Welsummer hens. What is really strange is that she doesn't cluck. She make a sound that is best described as sounding like a crow with plugged sinuses.

 

[sarah92480]

She make a sound that is best described as sounding like a crow with plugged sinuses.

Too funny!! Chickens amaze me more every day, haha

 

[sarah92480]

Wow everyone is quiet this morning! Must be the nice weather. Wish I was outside enjoying it rather than sitting in this stupid office. But it's my last day, so woohoo!

 

[1muttsfan]

So far one chick and one pip. Shipped eggs so not sure how well this hatch is going to go. Chick is yellow with little dark splotches - maybe a splash?

 

[SillyChicken]

good morning!

and

What is the best material to make a hen apron out of? Would old blue jeans work? and do they need to be paded or doubled up with material? I have a few hens that are looking a bit rough.... time to cull some roosters I guess! Has anyone ever tried skinning a rooster? I've got a few fly fisherman that want feathers, but they get so messed up if you have to scald the bird to get the feathers off.

Hopefully this rain will hold out today. I'm hoping to get the new coop moved to it's new spot so we can put up fencing to give the silkies/uggos their own section of yard and put the door on the coop. I want to move the younger chicks out there, to make room for the birds I'm getting from 1mutt on Saturday. I took the silkies outside for a few minutes after work, sat them in the grass and they all decided that trying to hide under me was a far better place to be. It was so cute. I tried finding bugs and encouraging them to look around a bit.... one had a dandy lion stem it was trying to carry around, long ways of course. They weren't quite sure what to do with the small worms, but they knew they had to keep it away from each other. Watching them play keep away always cracks me up.. silly chickens! How can you sex silkies? does the comb look wider as it develops on a roo? If so, I will probably have some white silkie roos available at chicken stock. I think I may only have one or two hens at most. I'd like to get a different colored hen for some variety too.... maybe i'll just wait and see how the uggos turn out.

Raz. glad to see you're putting up a good fence. Hopefully, it'll help shut the DB up! PS... you're a softie, but I mean that in a good way.

Looks like we're going to be moving our rabbit huts back outside. We'll build an open covered shed that will allow more air flow and will be much cooler for them in the summer. The shed got too hot this summer and we almost lost one of the rabbits to the heat. It will be good to get the shed back for storage too cause we need the space!

I think we're celebrating cinco de mayo at work today - so free lunch is always good!

 

[ladyfeather]

Sillychicken: Yay free lunch! Will you post pictures of the open air shed when you are done? We are thinking of rabbits and wouldn't mind more ideas on how to house the meat portion of the brood.

Welcome Sarahjane! The coop plans available here on the website are amazing so check them out. My sister in law bought a beautiful premade one from Family Farm and Home though so at least there are a lot of different options. My daughter did a hatch in her classroom too but unfortunately it happened at night while they were all gone (Kinder) so they just found the chicks. Too bad.

Opa: Glad to hear she's better! Did you ever find a home for those other chickens you were looking to unload to make room?

Sarah9: Woot! Last day! Congrats. The sky above my house is trying to make up its mind on whether to be sunny or overcast but it feels great.

I finally got my oldest off to school and had to break out the shorts for the day. Going to read my books to see if it is too soon to let the ducks out into their own little house because they are getting a bit big for that tub I have and my family is complaining about the smell. Today they all get play time outside- even the chickens. Hopefully they will be able to help dig up the unused garden.

 

[Opa]

Has anyone ever tried skinning a rooster? I've got a few fly fisherman that want feathers, but they get so messed up if you have to scald the bird to get the feathers off.

I skin a lot of birds. With many wild game birds it isn't worth the effort to pluck them since the breast and thighs are the only meat. The same is true with most laying varieties of chickens. Chickens skin quite easily and the neck hackle and the saddle feathers of many breeds a valued by fly tiers.

To keep the feathers as clean as possible I recommend placing bird in killing cone, pithing bird, then incising jugular very close to the head. One the bird is totally bled out proceed to skinning. With the bird lying on its back make an incision through the skin at the breast keel bone. Insert your fingers through opening and down towards back between wing and thigh. You will find the you will have quickly loosened all the skin.

Return to your original cut and extend it to the head. Cut with the cutting edge of the blade up so you are cutting from the inside. This is much easier as you are not cutting through feathers. Pull skin away from bird and cut below hackle feathers. You now have removed the cape. Next cut through skin on each side of the saddle feathers and at base of tail.

Gentle smooth the feathers and tack saddle and neck cape to cardboard with straight pins. Sprinkle with powdered Borax and allow to dry. The only takes a couple of days.

 

[SillyChicken]

Sillychicken: Yay free lunch! Will you post pictures of the open air shed when you are done? We are thinking of rabbits and wouldn't mind more ideas on how to house the meat portion of the brood.

Welcome Sarahjane! The coop plans available here on the website are amazing so check them out. My sister in law bought a beautiful premade one from Family Farm and Home though so at least there are a lot of different options. My daughter did a hatch in her classroom too but unfortunately it happened at night while they were all gone (Kinder) so they just found the chicks. Too bad.

Opa: Glad to hear she's better! Did you ever find a home for those other chickens you were looking to unload to make room?

Sarah9: Woot! Last day! Congrats. The sky above my house is trying to make up its mind on whether to be sunny or overcast but it feels great.

I finally got my oldest off to school and had to break out the shorts for the day. Going to read my books to see if it is too soon to let the ducks out into their own little house because they are getting a bit big for that tub I have and my family is complaining about the smell. Today they all get play time outside- even the chickens. Hopefully they will be able to help dig up the unused garden.

Funny you should mention it...I just tossed this together to give the DH an idea of what I was thinking about. We'd set the sides up to wrap with tarps in winter if needed. I also think we'll make it longer so the end cages will be well covered. (This is only a sketch, there's other structural wood that isn't on here) Once we start building it, I'll take picts and post them.

 

[Opa]

Opa: Glad to hear she's better! Did you ever find a home for those other chickens you were looking to unload to make room?

They are still available.

 

[SillyChicken]

I skin a lot of birds. With many wild game birds it isn't worth the effort to pluck them since the breast and thighs are the only meat. The same is true with most laying varieties of chickens. Chickens skin quite easily and the neck hackle and the saddle feathers of many breeds a valued by fly tiers.

To keep the feathers as clean as possible I recommend placing bird in killing cone, pithing bird, then incising jugular very close to the head. One the bird is totally bled out proceed to skinning. With the bird lying on its back make an incision through the skin at the breast keel bone. Insert your fingers through opening and down towards back between wing and thigh. You will find the you will have quickly loosened all the skin.

Return to your original cut and extend it to the head. Cut with the cutting edge of the blade up so you are cutting from the inside. This is much easier as you are not cutting through feathers. Pull skin away from bird and cut below hackle feathers. You now have removed the cape. Next cut through skin on each side of the saddle feathers and at base of tail.

Gentle smooth the feathers and tack saddle and neck cape to cardboard with straight pins. Sprinkle with powdered Borax and allow to dry. The only takes a couple of days.

Thanks Sam! What about the wings and tail, do you generally just cut n toss them? And would sea salt work in place of the borax?