my first meaties raising experience-with pictures now 1st post:-)

[jaku]

Quote:
I've never weighed mine before butchering, so I can't say for sure, but that actually sounds a little light for 6 week olds (if you're raising Cornish X's,) although they do put a ton of weight on in the last couple of weeks. I get a lot with a live weight of 7.5-9 pounds at 8 weeks, and I'd be shocked if they gained THAT much weight in the last two weeks, but like I said, I don't weight them until butchering day, so I'm just guessing.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
I've never weighed mine before butchering, so I can't say for sure, but that actually sounds a little light for 6 week olds (if you're raising Cornish X's,) although they do put a ton of weight on in the last couple of weeks. I get a lot with a live weight of 7.5-9 pounds at 8 weeks, and I'd be shocked if they gained THAT much weight in the last two weeks, but like I said, I don't weight them until butchering day, so I'm just guessing.

They are all girls..so I was told they would be about 5-6 lbs prior to processing??

 

[jaku]

Oh, ok- there's the difference. I always get straight run. Sounds fine then!

 

[sonew123]

welll I processed one today-it was 4 lbs prior and 2 1/2 processed. I grabbed the biggest one to try my hands out on it-wouldnt you know that my chicken plucker wouldnt work! I had to flipping hand pluck

I also had a roo to do hand plucked that sucker too--what should have been 20 minutes took me over and hour-

Oh and I cut jugulars this time not chopping heads-I have to say it was easy with a sharp knife-I did it and walked away for a good 5-10 minutes and came back and they were bled out...not really any legs flailing or wings trying the flap-I put them in my cone and did the deed. I would have done 4-5 more roos but I was not going to pluck by hand so Ill wait until DH puts together the bigger size plucker were making...

 

[willheveland]

Wow! What a woman.

Will

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
LOL thanks Will! I also processed 2 geese-My BIL has been asking me to try it for him since he is a huge hunter. SO he brought me two fresh -still warm- geese. Yah umm never again-I plucked for 45 minutes on the first one and decided to breast it out and then I immediately breasted the 2nd one out-

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Stuff them with stovetop and call it good

 

[jellybean]

I read part of this thread, but not all of it.

I finally got a video to load of a big wizzbang plucker, like in a tub. Way cool, never even seen them before! Can I ask a couple of dumb questions?? How does yours work? Do you hold the bird up to it and turn it to get all the feathers? And what is it made of? The white plastic piece and the "fingers"? I might need to try it if I can find the right pieces. I have some ducks to process, and planned on skinning them. But it that plucker works well, I'll make one. I definitely can't spend $400 on one. Thanks so much! Raised ducks for years, but always had someone else process them. Now I gotta figure it out!

 

[LALASD4]

I would really love to see weekly pictures of this group of chickens.

That way I can see how much they grow per week as compare to the more slower growing breeds. Does anyone know where I can find pictures like that?

 

[jellybean]

Ok, never mind. Found a video that shows one being used. My husband saw the video of the drum type plucker, and wants to make me one. Yayy!