***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[spunkychickenmomma]

Good morning everyone!

Seems like sometime back I remember seeing that Muskogee was thinking about having a monthly auction after the first of the year. Does anybody have any info on this?

Thanks!

 

[Ksane]

Quote:
I know the exact feeling you're talking about, I love that feeling. All that's familiar is as close as a computer no matter where you are.
I read further down that your friend is going to be ok, wonderful news and I'm glad for everyone involved.

 

[Ksane]

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You're getting Serama girls??? I can't wait to see picutres! Does little Jethro/Joe get some girls?

 

[Allbreeds]

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They had it twice last year. There are currently no plans for it to start back up.

 

[jcatblum]

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I honestly don't know if I would do CX or something that is processed around 10-12 wks. I processed my first roos back in October, only help was DD who caught the roos for me. Wasn't too challenging. I have cleaned fish since I was old enough to use a knife, pretty sure that helped! DH doesn't like to fish, so sad to say I haven't cleaned a fish in at least 12 yrs now!

Would you mind sharing info on raising meat birds? We've always just ordered CXs. Do you do your own processing? I think if I ever raise birds to butcher again, I'm going to either make or invest in a automatic plucker. Or.... pay someone else to do it.

No meat bird expert, just got tired of raising roos that didn't serve a purpose. So dinner is now a good purpose. The meat board here has lots of good info. I personally find CX kinda gross. I would prefer raise pekin ducks that will get to the same size as the cx in the same amount of time while providing much more entertainment for my family. At least the pekins won't lay around in their own poo all day. I don't mind using DP birds for meat, but for the time spent processing if I could get a bird with twice the meat then that appeals to me more. The last DP roos I did weighed about 3 lbs finished, we are only a family of 4 but I prefer to have enough chicken leftover to repurpose into another meal & can't do that with a 3 lb bird. If I stick to DP birds I would need to raise at least 100 a yr to feed my family chicken 2-3 times a wk. Using a larger bird I could raise half that amount, which mean half as many to feed care for & butcher. For me I would prefer to only butcher a couple times of yr, just set aside a whole day or weekend & fill the freezer. Not sure why it is such a hard decision picking a good table bird for my family! I have looked at tub style pluckers & these seem to be the best deal I have found http://cconly.com/processing/feather_plucker - I have heard some extension offices rent pluckers, so I need to ask the next time I am there. DARP will process your birds I believe, it is too far of a drive to make it worth my time. Plus it would be cheaper just to buy finished birds from them, than to feed out your own & pay them to process them (or at least with the numbers I was looking at).

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
Would you mind sharing info on raising meat birds? We've always just ordered CXs. Do you do your own processing? I think if I ever raise birds to butcher again, I'm going to either make or invest in a automatic plucker. Or.... pay someone else to do it.

No meat bird expert, just got tired of raising roos that didn't serve a purpose. So dinner is now a good purpose. The meat board here has lots of good info. I personally find CX kinda gross. I would prefer raise pekin ducks that will get to the same size as the cx in the same amount of time while providing much more entertainment for my family. At least the pekins won't lay around in their own poo all day. I don't mind using DP birds for meat, but for the time spent processing if I could get a bird with twice the meat then that appeals to me more. The last DP roos I did weighed about 3 lbs finished, we are only a family of 4 but I prefer to have enough chicken leftover to repurpose into another meal & can't do that with a 3 lb bird. If I stick to DP birds I would need to raise at least 100 a yr to feed my family chicken 2-3 times a wk. Using a larger bird I could raise half that amount, which mean half as many to feed care for & butcher. For me I would prefer to only butcher a couple times of yr, just set aside a whole day or weekend & fill the freezer. Not sure why it is such a hard decision picking a good table bird for my family! I have looked at tub style pluckers & these seem to be the best deal I have found http://cconly.com/processing/feather_plucker - I have heard some extension offices rent pluckers, so I need to ask the next time I am there. DARP will process your birds I believe, it is too far of a drive to make it worth my time. Plus it would be cheaper just to buy finished birds from them, than to feed out your own & pay them to process them (or at least with the numbers I was looking at).

they offer a slow broiler, 10 week processing bird. It has been bred to grow fast be a good forager and much more active. They reach the same weight but are breed for free range growth to 7 lbs in 10 weeks rather than 7 lbs in 6 weeks like the fast (nasty) white broiler.

 

[Allbreeds]

You guys are full of useful information. Keep going, I am learning lots

 

[jcatblum]

Quote:
No meat bird expert, just got tired of raising roos that didn't serve a purpose. So dinner is now a good purpose. The meat board here has lots of good info. I personally find CX kinda gross. I would prefer raise pekin ducks that will get to the same size as the cx in the same amount of time while providing much more entertainment for my family. At least the pekins won't lay around in their own poo all day. I don't mind using DP birds for meat, but for the time spent processing if I could get a bird with twice the meat then that appeals to me more. The last DP roos I did weighed about 3 lbs finished, we are only a family of 4 but I prefer to have enough chicken leftover to repurpose into another meal & can't do that with a 3 lb bird. If I stick to DP birds I would need to raise at least 100 a yr to feed my family chicken 2-3 times a wk. Using a larger bird I could raise half that amount, which mean half as many to feed care for & butcher. For me I would prefer to only butcher a couple times of yr, just set aside a whole day or weekend & fill the freezer. Not sure why it is such a hard decision picking a good table bird for my family! I have looked at tub style pluckers & these seem to be the best deal I have found http://cconly.com/processing/feather_plucker - I have heard some extension offices rent pluckers, so I need to ask the next time I am there. DARP will process your birds I believe, it is too far of a drive to make it worth my time. Plus it would be cheaper just to buy finished birds from them, than to feed out your own & pay them to process them (or at least with the numbers I was looking at).

they offer a slow broiler, 10 week processing bird. It has been bred to grow fast be a good forager and much more active. They reach the same weight but are breed for free range growth to 7 lbs in 10 weeks rather than 7 lbs in 6 weeks like the fast (nasty) white broiler.

Jarvis do you mean Freedom Rangers or Red Rangers? DD was eyeballing some Dixie Rainbows, the hatchery states 12 wks for them, but didn't state a size. She says the dixie rainbows are the prettiest meat bird. I had considered freedom rangers, just never can make up my mind! For me it is important that they are fast growing so I don't have to try to keep them in the heat of summer. Thinking I would like to get birds about Mid March then have them all done in the freezer before it hits 100 out, at least that is what I would like to do.

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
they offer a slow broiler, 10 week processing bird. It has been bred to grow fast be a good forager and much more active. They reach the same weight but are breed for free range growth to 7 lbs in 10 weeks rather than 7 lbs in 6 weeks like the fast (nasty) white broiler.

Jarvis do you mean Freedom Rangers or Red Rangers? DD was eyeballing some Dixie Rainbows, the hatchery states 12 wks for them, but didn't state a size. She says the dixie rainbows are the prettiest meat bird. I had considered freedom rangers, just never can make up my mind! For me it is important that they are fast growing so I don't have to try to keep them in the heat of summer. Thinking I would like to get birds about Mid March then have them all done in the freezer before it hits 100 out, at least that is what I would like to do.

McMurray offers a "slow broiler" which is the 10 week bird. the Dixies are a dual purpose bird with males dressing at 4-41/2 lbs at 12 weeks. they are two different birds as you will want to retain the females for laying. the Freedom Rangers are yet another developed broiler type bird bred with RIR and are yet aagian a bit slower to grow than the "Slow Broiler" but faster than most dual purpose birds.
Long story short there are several female line broiler crosses available based on growth rates. These female birds are used by the hatcheries in different ways and using different lines to create each type of broiler. My last investigation into this there were about 8-9 types of females and choices of 6 different broiler breeder males that can be purchased for production plants. the hatcheries are using the females from broiler lines with RIRx males or Barred Rock x males that they develop themselves to provide these other types of broilers. each hatchery will be a different experience but still better than buying dual purpose males and feeding out for 20-26 weeks for half the bird.

 

[Ksane]

I forgot to post a picture of the little Dun colored OEGB I got from GotGame! How could you all let me forget?

She's a sweetie. And it wasn't easy but I got all 7 Silkie bachelors in their yard. I'm really surprised they get along as well as they do with all that teenaged chicken testosterone. They make the food noise and feed each other. I guess when you're in a yard with no women ya gotta' make do lol It's sure nice that I can keep all 7 together, I hope it lasts. Although with the talk of butchering extra roos this probably isn't the right time to post the Bachelors I couldn't part with cuz I felt sorry for them