***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[artsyrobin]

Quote: thats what i am wondering- sheetmetal? she does have a small wound on her neck , no flap of skin though

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I am trying to get up the gumption to process extra roosters. They're the right age, but don't seem very meaty...I know they won't be huge like at grocery stores, but I just don't see how it's worth the time, and I don't want to lock them up to fatten them. I need to get it done so I can at least see what I'm dealing with. I've told myself I can't buy/hatch anymore until I know I can do it. (My goal is to hatch/breed dual purpose birds.) My husband and son have no problem processing animals they've hunted (and I don't mind being there). This somehow is different.

My opinion? Slaughter, skin, and part the carcasses then rest in the fridge for 2 days. They will make great pieced meat for cassaroles or soups. You're right if you want a roaster you will be disappointed. But if you minimize the work you will be pleased. Don't bother plucking.

 

[Kyzmette]

thats what i am wondering- sheetmetal? she does have a small wound on her neck , no flap of skin though

I've heard an aggressive mating can do that.

 

[NanaKat]

Quote: Now a days, the only time I pluck is when I want a slow roaster for a salt brine...usually an older hen or fat young cock. I skin them. Breasts in a bag, leg quarters in a bag and the backs, necks and wings go in a soup stock bag.

 

[HeyBigRhondaq]

My opinion? Slaughter, skin, and part the carcasses then rest in the fridge for 2 days. They will make great pieced meat for cassaroles or soups. You're right if you want a roaster you will be disappointed. But if you minimize the work you will be pleased. Don't bother plucking.

We think a lot alike!

 

[NanaKat]

We went to the 160 in Prague to pick up a calf and her mother because the calf had a huge knot on her jaw and wee have an appointment for her Monday with the vet. We decided yesterday to take two trailers and bring home 5 more pairs because the grass there has not gotten the rain we have here at home.
Now, wouldn't you know it, we got 16 of the 20 cows and 11 of the 19 calves and the bull into the pen...but not the pair we needed! We did go ahead and bring 6 pairs home. We will have to go back tomorrow morning to try again.

Yesterday, Roger came in to tell me that one of the Blue Cochin hens was hiding under the pull behind limb rake sitting next to his Daddy's old pick-up. "She won't move and isn't making a sound " were his descriptive words. When I go out to check, she is sitting tight on a clutch of 8 eggs. So I prepped a brood cage and then gathered her up with her eggs in a basket and took her inside the brood room. After 4 hours, she was not sitting on the eggs so out she came and in went a broody Wyandotte. This hen settled quickly pulling the eggs under her. First time I've ever had a Cochin hen decide she wasn't going to sit. She is still in the brood room and is clucking to the young chicks on the floor with their mothers. Since she has raised chicks before, I suspect she will skip right from sitting to nanny mode.

 

[SharkmanDan]

Now a days, the only time I pluck is when I want a slow roaster for a salt brine...usually an older hen or fat young cock.

[quote name="lonnyanddrinda"
You're right if you want a roaster you will be disappointed. But if you minimize the work you will be pleased. Don't bother plucking.[/quote]

Okay, this brings up a new question, it the area where this was morphing, for me, anyway. I mentioned having nearly zero experience, at processing. My wife won't cook, nor will I eat, a piece of chicken, that has had the skin removed. I presume when you say don't bother plucking, is because the act of peeling the skin, effectively does this, and if you do both, you are doing double duty? I don't relish the idea, of plucking, but I refuse to eat a bird, which lost all of it's flavor, and moisture, to skin removal. I've seen "plucking attachments", for drill motors, and $1500 elaborate machines, for automatic plucking. I've also heard that those machines can be made, fairly inexpensively.

Here's the question, that this all led up to, in this area.
Is there a known, suggested thread, giving a good, concise, yet complete, instruction, on processing birds?

The more I read about the "Heritage Breeds" of Barred Rocks and Dark Cornish, the more I like those choices, for meat birds. I need to read up, more, on the Dark Cornish, as I am left with the impression, (from what I've found, so far) that they are a nearly 100% dark meat bird! like a guinea or a pheasant. That very much appeals to me. I'm the a-hole, who would always grab up as many thighs as I could, at dinner time, as they are my favorite cut of the bird.

 

[SharkmanDan]

One more question. I want to get a jump start, on raising these meat birds. Much of what I read, says caponize early. Even with what I've done so far, I'm not certain I want to attempt this right away. If I were to buy an order of all males, how soon do the need to be canonized, before they start acting like a bunch of fighting cocks?
I have several straight run chicks, housed together, right now, which likely includes some males, they are all under 7 weeks old. I presume they ought to be safe from each others' aggressions, until at least this point?

@Kassaundra
Are you willing to help show a newbie, how to do what you've learned? I'm willing to drive your way, with some appropriately aged boys.

 

[MrsDickey]

A week ago I bought 5 week old rir from a local guy who hatched them out. Everything was going great until I woke up this morning to a dead one. There's another one in the corner all by itself, not moving much, but it looks like its trying to sleep so I'm not sure if its sick or just sleepy. They all looked just fine yesterday. Could the dead one been squashed by the others? Or are they sick and I just didn't know it because I'm so new to this?? This is the same guy that's hatching out some lavender orpingtons I'm planning on buying but I'm a little nervous now.. especially if this other one turns out to be sick and dies too. What do I do??

 

[ashtree]

Well my first eggs are in the incubator. Started with 12 but I broke one

Typical. Just seemed like there were 4 different sizes and I couldn't figure out how to line them up. Im excited tho. When does everyone recommend candling? I was thinking day 7, but want to make sure thats not too long to wait.