NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lapeerian]

One thing I noticed at TSC is they've got the chicks so you can't get close enough for the kids to see them. What's up with that? I have far to much self control and no room for more so I don't get the heebie jeebies to buy chicks.

I was out to buy chick starter grower and pellets.

Now I have to tell you this. When I was in CM last time I ask for Egg Producer pellets which are 21% and got that, but paid for "layer pellets which are 16% protein. So I tried to explain it to the girl and man what a drag it was trying to explain I owed THEM money. Well I ended up saying forget it in hopes of settling it up next time. My point being sometimes trying to do the right thing is perceived as "you're crazy". I'll try again next time I go in and if I get the same hassle I'll just forget it.

In good news I may have a job! I hope so.

In other news I typed up some recipes from the "Out Here" magazine that TSC gives away free. One is for "White Chili" made with chicken. Point being another excuse to process chickens. Only thing is the magazine doesn't come out often enough. I've got the newest and can't wait to read it.

Does anyone here have some Ameraucana eggs for sale or trade? I just want to add a couple of hens to my EE/Amer line. With just the one roo it's won't be long before everyone is related to closely. I won't need them for a while though. Perhaps next month. I'm going to be getting some more CR eggs from GA. Not sure when. Though I do have a couple of broody hens who could do them for me now if I had them.

Our TSC also has the corral panel setup around the water tanks for chicks last year. But we hold little girl up on the panel to look in. If it was quiet in the store when we stopped in, one of the workers would ask if we want to pet one (duh, of course!) Harder part was getting a 1.5 year old child to not choke-hold the chick. And to leave. So the gates really are useful in keeping chicks safe from kids. And any health hazards from people not washing hands after handling poultry.
Good luck in the potential job!
Central Ave Deli/Central in Cortland has wonderful White Chili. So spicy and good.

 

[java girl 2]

How old are the silkies? If they are younger I might like 1 0r 2 of the blue or black.

Quote:

Quote: I am by albany.

 

[ChickPrincess]

Princess,
I'm sort of in that boat with you. But I kind of thought that if there were a few who all went for a ride together and were picked up and without their feathers I wouldn't recognize them,...it might work for me?

This is what I was thinking. Dh would bring them down and we'd get them back in packages. It might help not knowing who's who.

It's the idea of eating an animal you raised. It's not something most people do nowadays, and there's a huge "they're my pets" element to it, so it's definitely odd to contemplate at first. It helps to look at it like this - you know how they were raised, you know they were treated well, and they'll only have one bad day. That, and they taste great.

The "they'll only have one bad day" part cracked me up! That's one way to look at it. And I know how poorly mass-produced chickens can be treated.

Suggestions on best breeds for dual purpose? I'm thinking of keeping some hens for reproduction, processing the roos, combo of processing hens and using extras for egg laying. Brown eggs would be nice. Something large and not too flighty. I suppose I don't care if they are "nice" birds or not, as they will be kept separate from my "pet" flock.

 

[Lapeerian]

OK, chicken friends, I need a kick in the tush...
I have always had this funny thing about "if I see it alive, I can't eat it", even including fish I catch. Can not eat venison, would have a hard time picking out a cow to be slaughtered... you get the picture. I read an article on AOL about the additives the U.S. allows in our foods when other countries have banned them long ago and it's really got me thinking.
I am the only one in the family with any issue with it. My kids and dh would RATHER eat our own. I think I'm ready to start a separate flock just for that purpose but need that extra push from you guys. We even have Mennonites near us who will process them complete for $2.50 a bird.
So why do I still have the heebie-jeebies?

I was raised on a dairy farm. Whenever the freezer was getting empty, one of the dairy cows would be picked out. Usually one that would not breed back and was dropping in milk production. She had lived her productive life and would be taken directly to the butcher. It tastes soooo much better than store-bought beef even though it is only an old dairy cow. Just how we always got beef, never thought much about it otherwise. Of course this last one was an Angus born out of a Holstien that was raised up for the intention of beef. Her expiration date was moved up when she decided that attacking humans was ok. Revenge beef is even tastier. (Kinda like that mean roo everyone eats). I would have a harder time with my current roos, just because they are my first flock and pets... somewhat. Growing something with the known intention of eating it, like meat birds, may be easier. I wouldn't interact to make them friendly pets, just enough to feed and care for them to keep myself emotionally withdrawn. Just a thought.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Chickprincess---I like my rir as a dual purpose bird. The roos we ate were tasty and they have been laying machines since they started this past fall. I have 19 hens in that coop of which 5 are barred rocks and 5 are red sexlinks and the rest are rir. At the lowest point of production this winter I was getting 10 eggs a day. Not bad considering that we dont supplement light and use no heat. My father told me that he had rir on the farm when he was growing up and they were good eating and good layers. Barred rocks are also supposed to be good dual purpose. Egg laying is okay. Probably will eat the older girls later this spring. I do know from all the reading of old chicken books that barrred rocks were the prefered table chicken in america during the 1800's. Just some thoughts.

Going to go look up some canning recipes for chicken. I would like to put some up so I can grab a can when I need a quick meal. Maybe make some soup and can it too. With the economy the way it is, its cheaper to make your own and at least mine wont have all that weird stuff in it to preserve it for like forever. Going to try canning basics too, like flour and sugar when it goes on sale. Found a recipe in my countryside magazine. I love that magazine almost as much as backyard chickens.

 

[vmdanielsen]

I've heard of someone looking for 2 black hens, but how far from Canandaigua are you?

So, let me get this straight... she's got you wrapped right around her little finger, huh?

OK, chicken friends, I need a kick in the tush...
I have always had this funny thing about "if I see it alive, I can't eat it", even including fish I catch. Can not eat venison, would have a hard time picking out a cow to be slaughtered... you get the picture. I read an article on AOL about the additives the U.S. allows in our foods when other countries have banned them long ago and it's really got me thinking.
I am the only one in the family with any issue with it. My kids and dh would RATHER eat our own. I think I'm ready to start a separate flock just for that purpose but need that extra push from you guys. We even have Mennonites near us who will process them complete for $2.50 a bird.
So why do I still have the heebie-jeebies?

I can not kill mine either, However, I figure, if I can eat a poor animal that has been raised in a small cage, never seen the light of day, i should , in theory, eat what I have raised. They have been as happy as a chicken can be. My husband and family eat them readily enough. The trick for me is to raise many, so I do not know who I am eating. And I put them all in the freezer and wait awhile. Hope that helps!! Eating what you grow is a good thing!!!!

 

[vmdanielsen]

This is what I was thinking. Dh would bring them down and we'd get them back in packages. It might help not knowing who's who.
The "they'll only have one bad day" part cracked me up! That's one way to look at it. And I know how poorly mass-produced chickens can be treated.

Suggestions on best breeds for dual purpose? I'm thinking of keeping some hens for reproduction, processing the roos, combo of processing hens and using extras for egg laying. Brown eggs would be nice. Something large and not too flighty. I suppose I don't care if they are "nice" birds or not, as they will be kept separate from my "pet" flock.

I raise buckeyes. They are "nice" birds. Until they go in to the "keeper" flock, they all look tasty. As Heni said, they only have "1" bad day.

 

[rancher hicks]

I thought the same thing last year when we were looking for our first chicks and saw them there. We didn't end up getting any cuz you need to buy 6 and we wanted to start off with just 3. But my kids could barely see them with those huge "fence" posts they put around them. Good Luck on possibly having a job! If I knew you were looking I would have given you mine! LOL I guess I'll keep twiddling my thumbs over here hoping they let me go in the next layoff so I can at least get a package for the 11 years I've been here.

I keep forgetting to mention to you, Rancher, I LOL'ed the other day when I got my mail out of the mailbox. All this talk that goes on here about letter carriers, how the post office handles your "fragile" packages, etc. I had gotten a flyer from Littman Jewelers and as I look at it I'm wondering why it's wrapped up in this plastic bag from the post office saying "We Care" on it. Well I turn it around and it was torn on the back. Glad they feel the need to package up my torn junk mail! LOL

I would not be so quick to give up a job. When you retire you'll have half as much money and the same or higher cost of living. Unless of course your mortgage is paid off. Folks make that your priority. It's your highest expense.

I have no doubt the PO has some very nice people and they do try hard.

 

[rancher hicks]

I've heard of someone looking for 2 black hens, but how far from Canandaigua are you?

So, let me get this straight... she's got you wrapped right around her little finger, huh?

OK, chicken friends, I need a kick in the tush...
I have always had this funny thing about "if I see it alive, I can't eat it", even including fish I catch. Can not eat venison, would have a hard time picking out a cow to be slaughtered... you get the picture. I read an article on AOL about the additives the U.S. allows in our foods when other countries have banned them long ago and it's really got me thinking.
I am the only one in the family with any issue with it. My kids and dh would RATHER eat our own. I think I'm ready to start a separate flock just for that purpose but need that extra push from you guys. We even have Mennonites near us who will process them complete for $2.50 a bird.
So why do I still have the heebie-jeebies?

Yes she does and Gramma too. She and Gramma made cookies after Gramma got home from work. They have a good time.

I tell myself that the people who process my chickens don't give me back mine but someone else's. It's really all just psychological.

 

[Cass]

I can not kill mine either, However, I figure, if I can eat a poor animal that has been raised in a small cage, never seen the light of day, i should , in theory, eat what I have raised. They have been as happy as a chicken can be. My husband and family eat them readily enough. The trick for me is to raise many, so I do not know who I am eating. And I put them all in the freezer and wait awhile. Hope that helps!! Eating what you grow is a good thing!!!!

I must be weird. Not only can I eat my own birds (and nasty roo tastes the best), I can hold their legs while they expire, pluck them, gut them, wash them all naked, bag them and put their name on the bag. I want to know who I am eating because I know WHAT it was....breed, age, etc. I am still trying to get a handle on the optimum age for processing extra roos. 16 weeks has them with lots of budding feathers which are hard to pluck out (actually wound up skinning a couple cuz plucking was darn hard at that age)

For those who are not fond of the thought of eating their "pet", don't freeze the bird whole. Take off the breasts, cut off the thighs with legs and package them as parts, like you get them from the store. Then you are not eating Mister Roo, you are eating chicken. Tasty, yummy chicken. (I do this instead of gutting now....gutting is tricky and I just don't seem to be able to get the hang of it. By taking the parts off I don't have to remove innards and I only lose the back....there isn't much meat on the back. Oh and I don't have to deal with scraping the lungs out. Why that grosses me out, I don't know, but it is my least fav part of gutting)