Need help convincing hubby in buying meat birds.

Nicole01

Crowing
8 Years
Mar 28, 2011
5,492
120
268
MN
It will take all year, but I've brought it up since this past spring. I don't want a whole flock, but maybe 2-3 birds next spring. Hubby would be processing the birds to cut costs. I've heard they are very tasty. It will be worth it if I can find cheap ones next spring. I'd have to keep them separate from the layer flock.

How long before culling a meat bird? I'd like Cornish or Cornish mix.

Hubby thinks we'd get too attached, especially the kids. He also thinks it's not worth it due to feed costs. I can free range part of the day. All in all, feed is fairly cheap.

Do any of you or your children get emotionally attached to your meat birds?
 
I have no experience in this area, but my comment would be, if you do not want your children to get attached, then I would get 30 not 3. If there are only 3 their separate personalities would stand out and they will likely get named.
 
There are quite a few posts in here on cost estimations for raising meaties. Cornish cross give the biggest bang for the buck on feed conversion, and you can have cornish game hens (not a breed) from them in 3-4 weeks (look for posts by bossroo on this). In 7-8 weeks, you have 5lb broilers, and if you go a few weeks longer, you can hit the 7+lb mark.

Thee do eat a lot and poop a lot - more than laying hens.

You might not hit the price of a discount grocery chicken, but $1.50/lb isn't bad for home raised chicken. A 5lb home chicken is bigger than a store one though - you won't be paying for half a pound or more of "added solution" and sodium.

Agree with getting more than less. You can order chicks for under $1 each for 25 of them from some hatcheries. Most places won't ship less than 25. I did get a dozen from the feed store this spring for $1.25 each or so though.
 
Thank you.
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I'd buy them locally. There is a farm store near by that sells a lit of different breeds and is willing to order what you want or need from hatcheries. I may buy a few/couple more then 3, but hubby has to process them and I'm sure it's not easy. I don't mind the mess. I clean up several times a day in the coop and run. We are going to have the BEST garden next year!
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$1.25 per bird is not bad at all!
 
I don't know about you - but my husband will come round a lot faster when it's something I tell him I'm going to do and take care of, instead of telling him I'm getting him something else he's going to have to do.

He warmed up a lot faster to "I'm going to get 20 meat birds and process them in about eight weeks. You'll be around to light the scalder and bring me glasses of water, right?" Of course, then the time comes, and, as expected, he's too good a guy to let me go it alone. As scared (childhood rooster runin, PTSD, don't ask) of chickens as he is, he won't catch and kill, but he stays right there by me helping with the rest once they can't get him.
 
It's actually not too difficult to process at home. I have a blog post on it, if you dig through some of my posts, there is a link (I'm typing on my phone, no computer access here LOL). It's geared to folk processing just a few with minimal equipment. Otherwise, Google "rambling redneck mommy how to process chickens" and my blog should be on of the first hits returned.
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Oh yeah - forgot. I do 100% of meatie work, including processing. Hubby just eats them and compliments the taste
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We are both hunters too, but I do all the game processing. It's a good skill to have, man or woman.
 
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Oh yeah - forgot. I do 100% of meatie work, including processing. Hubby just eats them and compliments the taste
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We are both hunters too, but I do all the game processing. It's a good skill to have, man or woman.

I'm pretty limited in the activities I'm able to do since I broke my neck. I can care for them and keep them clean, I don't think I'm able to process on my own. My dh hunts, so he's use to processing birds. We have duck in the freezer every season.
 
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Oh yeah - forgot. I do 100% of meatie work, including processing. Hubby just eats them and compliments the taste
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We are both hunters too, but I do all the game processing. It's a good skill to have, man or woman.

I'm pretty limited in the activities I'm able to do since I broke my neck. I can care for them and keep them clean, I don't think I'm able to process on my own. My dh hunts, so he's use to processing birds. We have duck in the freezer every season.

Eek! That puts a kink in things, doesn't it? Well, then your husband is probably more accustomed to doing this sort of thing than my softie is. We don't hunt. The only killing that goes on here is fleas and chickens. I even had him relocate a brown water snake to five miles away on Friday - the dogs had it pinned down in the back yard, I got it in a bucket and left it for him, and when he got home he got to be a manly man and drive it way far away. I was tempted to cut it up for the chickens, though!
 
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I'm pretty limited in the activities I'm able to do since I broke my neck. I can care for them and keep them clean, I don't think I'm able to process on my own. My dh hunts, so he's use to processing birds. We have duck in the freezer every season.

Eek! That puts a kink in things, doesn't it? Well, then your husband is probably more accustomed to doing this sort of thing than my softie is. We don't hunt. The only killing that goes on here is fleas and chickens. I even had him relocate a brown water snake to five miles away on Friday - the dogs had it pinned down in the back yard, I got it in a bucket and left it for him, and when he got home he got to be a manly man and drive it way far away. I was tempted to cut it up for the chickens, though!

Yikes! That is one lucky snake.
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Luckily, hubby only hunts for food. He doesn't catch more then what we can eat. I much prefer chicken over duck any day. I hope I can convince him by next spring. At least his best friend/cousin is on my side. He prefers home grown chicken vs store bought.

I'll bring up the fact that store bought is injected with sodium and other things. He's very health conscious, so this may work after all.
 

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