NY chicken lover!!!!

[marquisella]

When I process birds I cut a small hole in the corner of a feed bag. Put the bird in with the head sticking out of the hole. Hang the bag up and slit it's throat. The juggler veins run down each side of the neck. So if the bird struggles the bag holds the wings so it cannot flop around. It also keeps it from bruising the meat. Plastic feed bags work well. Start out with a hole just big enough for head to go through. Eventually the hole will get bigger if you do several birds so make another hole in the other corner. It also helps contain the blood. Nothing worse than splattered blood in your face.

 

[Cass]

When I process birds I cut a small hole in the corner of a feed bag. Put the bird in with the head sticking out of the hole. Hang the bag up and slit it's throat. The juggler veins run down each side of the neck. So if the bird struggles the bag holds the wings so it cannot flop around. It also keeps it from bruising the meat. Plastic feed bags work well. Start out with a hole just big enough for head to go through. Eventually the hole will get bigger if you do several birds so make another hole in the other corner. It also helps contain the blood. Nothing worse than splattered blood in your face.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! You are a genius.

We made a "killing cone" from spare parts left from wood stove install. It keeps coming apart. It makes me mad, because one of my jobs is to hold the legs while it expires. I always wind up covered in blood. (My other job is plucking...which I hate, cuz the feathers always find a way to stick to my face. But Ray does all the cutting, so I am never going to tell him I hate plucking, now am I? )

Feed bags I have plenty of. (They also make good outdoor fire starters cuz they are plastic and, therefore, petroleum)

Remind me I owe you a HUGE hug at the picnic.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: I usually start my seeds around the end of March. I start them inside, then put in greenhouse when it gets warmer around 3rd week in April. I use to heat the greenhouse for 2 weeks early April, but don't anymore. Cost too much for propane. I even started squash & pumpkins.

There is such a thing as "winter sowing". It works best with perennials. Too late for this year, but its easy and kinda fun.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: OK

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Rancher - I think that it what is happening. The water in one of the duck tubs was green and I wondered what it was from..Then I saw some blood on a food tub and I went looking for the source. I'm sure that is what happened. He was drinking and they got wet and froze. I brought him in and put him in front of he heater (but not to close) He is thawed out and is quiet. As soon as the kids go to be I will take and wipe it off to see how bad it really is. What else should I do? This is the worse side.His other side is bleeding too, but not as bad. His comb looks like hell too.

He is such a great guy.I'd hate to lose him.

 

[horsekeeper]

I found a way to cull (or process) that is easy on me and the birds. I hold the chicken upside down by the legs (like Marquisella's bag idea even better) and tap them behind the head with a 2-foot length of re-rod to stun them. They go limp and there is no flapping around. Then use the re-rod to put over the neck and pull up with a steady pull until you feel the neck give way. Very quiet and not too distressing. I had to cull several this year for injury or other health issues. If you are going to eat, immediately cut the throat or take the head off to bleed out.

With that little tap at the back of the skull they are not looking at you and starting to panic. If you want you can skip separating the spine and just use an axe to behead with a chicken that is not struggling. Planning on putting my turkeys in a bag and doing it that way so I don't get all beat up from those big old wings.

And don't think about it too much! Just do it without hesitation and it is easier on both of you. If you have a bucket close by you can shove the head in immediately and there isn't much mess. Also controls the movements as you are holding the legs with one hand and pressing down on the shoulder area to hold them in the bucket.

Just my two cents because I like to do it with as little drama and fear as I can. After all that effort to give them a happy chicken life I don't want it to end in trauma for the bird.

 

[ke5hde]

A Jumbo egg is only 2.5 oz.    This egg is weighed as OMG! 

What's more it's been very cold.  

FYI, I switched my Orp/CR coop that wasn't laying over to Purina and got an egg today.  I haven't gotten an egg from that coop in months.  It will be curious to see if there will be anymore. I will keep them strictly on Purina and see what happens.  Purina is $3 more a bag though.  

Thats my plan too. I've used the feed store brand for 3 years and didn't give it a thought until recently. Seeing Lindsays eggs made me think about mine. I see the same thing here. Dull and porous eggs.
As for putting chickens down, it's something that has to be done from time to time. A sick or injured bird has no place here. Occasionally there's an exception like the cochin pullet in the last cold snap. I have a friend that buys all my culls. I have a stump out back and we make quick work of them. One good whack with a sharp ax always gets the job done.

 

[JLaw]

Rancher - I think that it what is happening. The water in one of the duck tubs was green and I wondered what it was from..Then I saw some blood on a food tub and I went looking for the source. I'm sure that is what happened. He was drinking and they got wet and froze. I brought him in and put him in front of he heater (but not to close) He is thawed out and is quiet. As soon as the kids go to be I will take and wipe it off to see how bad it really is. What else should I do? This is the worse side.His other side is bleeding too, but not as bad. His comb looks like hell too.

He is such a great guy.I'd hate to lose him.

Highly doubt you will loose him over some bleeding wattles and a little frostbite on comb. First off I don't have a bird with wattles that big at all. But I would let it dry some and then put Neosporin on the bleeding parts you can do the blackish parts also. Maybe see that he don't have access to a drinker where he can put his wattles in the water?? Main things are don't rub hard just smear the Neosporin on. If you get blisters don't pop them it's how they heal from frost bite. And don't pick at any black or scabs.

Here are some pics of the frost bite I'm dealing with on one girl. I have her inside and I put Neosporin on each day or every other day. I thought she was going to loose the toe but so far the toe nail is falling off but the rest is healing. The toe nail had fresh red blood coming out the other day so figured that was a good sign of blood still flowing. This little girl was out side 3 nights in a row sleeping eather on the water bowl or on the pallet next to it where the pallet was freezing water on it. I need to get new pics of how she's doing now. I have some chickens with slight frost bite on combs I'm letting them alone though it's from water and FF nothing past the tips and I don't show them so if they loose tips wont really be a problem its mainly my daughters one chicken.

 

[ke5hde]

Rancher - I think that it what is happening. The water in one of the duck tubs was green and I wondered what it was from..Then I saw some blood on a food tub and I went looking for the source. I'm sure that is what happened. He was drinking and they got wet and froze. I brought him in and put him in front of he heater (but not to close) He is thawed out and is quiet. As soon as the kids go to be I will take and wipe it off to see how bad it really is. What else should I do? This is the worse side.His other side is bleeding too, but not as bad. His comb looks like hell too. He is such a great guy.I'd hate to lose him.

You won't lose him over frostbite. Clean him up and put some bacitracin or neosporin WITHOUT pain reliever on him. He'll probably lose some wattle but he'll be ok I think. This is our first year with straight combs and it's been a little different than the pea and rose combs I'm used to.

 

[stonykill]

You won't lose him over frostbite. Clean him up and put some bacitracin or neosporin WITHOUT pain reliever on him. He'll probably lose some wattle but he'll be ok I think. This is our first year with straight combs and it's been a little different than the pea and rose combs I'm used to.

True you will not lose him over frostbite. AND if you treat or you do not treat it simply will not make a difference. The frost bitten part will fall off and he will not know the difference. Been there done that. Waste of time treating for frost bitten combs.