OHio ~ Come on Buckeyes, let me know your out there!

[loveourbirds]

Very good!!!

I think the monthly goods swap would work. That way we could all meet, bring our "goods" that we would swap, and everyone could get everything they were needing. Are there any regulations on co-ops, or is just a collective agreement?

i am not sure, but if its our own private one; i think we just write the rules ourselves. i do know some co-ops offer a prepay type deal. for instance, i would pay someone to plant $100 in corn. with that type of agreement, if the crop fails you are both out. but neither person is out as much.

here is a pdf on starting a co-op
http://www.cgin.coop/files/manual.pdf

 

[OHhappychicks]

There is an Amish family close to me that you can buy shares in their milk cows. For $50 a month you can get milk, butter, yogurt, cheese ect. It seems I remember you can choose different items, but not sure if it is every week or monthly. I know some folks do that with goats also. It's like a state law, that you are NOT allowed to sell raw milk, but if you "OWN" the animal, it is ok to drink it!!?? Albeit the selling of shares in the animal. Go figure!! So that is an option for this type of service. If several wanted to go in together to buy beef cattle, meat chickens, or pork and share the cost. We did this a couple of years ago with our son and 2 other families. We bought the hog for $80 - $90. The amish butchered it for us and my son and his in-laws processed, cut-up and wrapped it. I can't remember how much it cost us each, but I can ask my son if any one wants to know. That was for a quarter of a hog. I'm just throwing some ideas out there. So many possibilities!!!

 

[mrdazed85]

well i got a question for you guys...i have just started getting into chickens this summer and my flock has tripled in size since i started.but now that all the chicks have grown up i now see i have three roosters,1 barred rock,1 easteregger,and 1 red,so now i will be killing my first chicken ever

.ofcourse im not killing it just to kill it but i want to use every part of the bird that i can.soooo my question is how do i kill,clean prep the bird,and besides the meat is there anything else on the bird i can use for anything? i hate to do this but i know this comes with owning chickens and will have to just get over it.,and has anyone else felt guilty for doin this? im hoping this feeling goes away after i do this a few times.

 

[OHhappychicks]

well i got a question for you guys...i have just started getting into chickens this summer and my flock has tripled in size since i started.but now that all the chicks have grown up i now see i have three roosters,1 barred rock,1 easteregger,and 1 red,so now i will be killing my first chicken ever

.ofcourse im not killing it just to kill it but i want to use every part of the bird that i can.soooo my question is how do i kill,clean prep the bird,and besides the meat is there anything else on the bird i can use for anything? i hate to do this but i know this comes with owning chickens and will have to just get over it.,and has anyone else felt guilty for doin this? im hoping this feeling goes away after i do this a few times.

I can't do it either. I take my roos to the amish. The first one I took them to, charged $2.50 each, but didn't wrap it or anything. The other place I took it to Charged $3 per bird, and it was shrink-wrapped. But If you want to learn to do it yourself, just put in "how to process a chicken" in the search at the top of the page and I'm quite sure there is a thread on here that will explain it very well, and probably very graphically!!

 

[mrdazed85]

thank you ill search that right now

 

[loveourbirds]

well i got a question for you guys...i have just started getting into chickens this summer and my flock has tripled in size since i started.but now that all the chicks have grown up i now see i have three roosters,1 barred rock,1 easteregger,and 1 red,so now i will be killing my first chicken ever

.ofcourse im not killing it just to kill it but i want to use every part of the bird that i can.soooo my question is how do i kill,clean prep the bird,and besides the meat is there anything else on the bird i can use for anything? i hate to do this but i know this comes with owning chickens and will have to just get over it.,and has anyone else felt guilty for doin this? im hoping this feeling goes away after i do this a few times.

feathers, skin, blood, and innards are all high in nitrogen. i have buried them around non-food plants for fertilizer and it works pretty well. i know native Americans buried fish under their plants for fertilizer, its the same idea. use your own discretion on using it for plants you tend to consume.

as far as processing it, its pretty simple but everyone has their on methods. i skin mine for instance, just like a rabbit or squirrel.
here is a link that may help you along.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI0701.html

 

[mlaff]

There is an Amish family close to me that you can buy shares in their milk cows.  For $50 a month you can get milk, butter, yogurt, cheese ect.  It seems I remember you can choose different items, but not sure if it is every week or monthly.  I know some folks do that with goats also.  It's like a state law, that you are NOT allowed to sell raw milk, but if you "OWN" the animal, it is ok to drink it!!?? Albeit the selling of shares in the animal.  Go figure!! So that is an option for this type of service. If several wanted to go in together to buy beef cattle, meat chickens, or pork and share the cost.  We did this a couple of years ago with our son and 2 other families.  We bought the hog for $80 - $90.  The amish butchered it for us and my son and his in-laws processed, cut-up and wrapped it.  I can't remember how much it cost us each, but I can ask my son if any one wants to know. That was for a quarter of a hog.  I'm just throwing some ideas out there.  So many possibilities!!!

I love both of those ideas. Do you know, or can find out, how much you get of the dairy products from the amish? I'd be interested in finding out about the beef and pork too. I have no idea where hillsboro is butt I would definitely find out in order to feed my babies fresh food.

 

[mlaff]

I would love to help with the co op. I can't keep anything growing in my yard thanks to my beat pack and animals, but am willing to help someone else with there's.I did see something on tv today about growing food all year round in your house. I'm sure I could do garlic, chives, and other root plants.

 

[mlaff]

Oh, if I can get a new set up I would be willing to do meat chickens.My husband and famy friends are ok with butchering and processing. My girls do the plucking. I'm still a big baby who is scared of anything dead. Lol I would do eggs too but my layers won't stay in the run so I have no clue if they are even laying yet. They should be but I haven't been able to find any eggs. I need to clip their wings so I can figure it out but right now I have no extra time.

 

[minihorse927]

I love the idea of the monthly co op swap. I can do meaties. I remember the last batch thundering at me for the morning feeding. Fat little boogers. I'm not much for gardening and the gardening area we had is now horse pasture so my assistance woulda be strictly eggs, chicks, chickens, meat.


On a side note, my calls are a hit on Facebook! I've got orders already for 2014 and I found out my odd ball color pullet I bought is a dusky mallard color. I've got 2 grey drakes as a grey hen sold as soon as my NPIP is caught up.