Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks guys, I know where my quality is down, I have been promising myself that compound saw for ages, makes a world of difference having the right gear. I am pretty well stocked for hand tools, but that is one thing I don't have.

Nova, I read that nodding lol. We call them Pallets here, but I have worked with a few people that call them skids. I have made tons of stuff with them, if you take the time to pull them apart nice, you get good consistent timber. A plane or sand brings them up nice too.

I read a big long thread on here about a couple that made a huge long line of breeding pens almost entirely from pallets (skids) When I have a bit of down time after the kids go to bed I will try dig it up.

I got a bit more done on the box this afternoon, ran out of rivets and 35mm capping though, so I will only be able to go so far this weekend. I took some more pics so I will load those later tonight.

I also ducked down to the coop and modified the roosts, moved two down lower, and one across to the droppings land in the sand better. (Most would, but if the bird was facing the other way it would miss!)

Talk soon team!

 

[Bens-Hens]

Dinner has been had, sprockets are tucked in. Time for some PICTURES!

Has been a pretty big day today, first thing we had a local community fun run, we have been a couple of times now and have enjoyed it. Alicia and I both set a new PB's today which is always a good way to end some exertion! Kept us busy up until pretty much late morning.

Got a couple of hours on the rooster box (below) and an hour moving the roosts. I just went down and checked on the coop and everyone seems happier spaced and all on roosts.

Also formed a bit of a plan for our first rooster process which is set for tomorrow. The boys will get weighed and some up to date photo's before it all happens, then weighed again to see what is effective post process. Not the best 'weekly birthday' for the fella's, but 'them's the breaks'.

So, the progress.

Picking up where I left off, I have had concerns about airflow. Temps should not be too bad, where it is going it will only see direct sun in the middle of the day, and it will be empty then. The rest of the time it will be dark or shaded. It will need decent airflow though. So, not having the right tools, I improvised. Not the pretties of jobs, but it will make the best airflow possible for those vents.

Drill lots of holes, and chop the guts out!






Secure with screws, drill the rivet holes


Bob's your uncle. Fitted these to each end, plus the pair in the roof. All holes have vents over them, so nothing sharp inside.


Roof vent


The doors, 35mm. I was planning to make it double skinned and also to have a foam sealing strip around it, but for now it is single skinned. And I have set the rivet head to form a spacer, so there can be a little extra airflow. If it's too noisy I will add the strip.

Here I have the capping on with screws, ready to rivet. I find that it takes a bit longer, but screws are easier to undo if something needs adjusting. Then, I go back and rivet it all down.


After looking at the inside, I decided to leave the divider out, this freed up some capping which I could use on a door frame.


I had some small hinges on to see the door work, but not very happy with them. I found some strap type ones in the shed. I will see if I can get them to work better tomorrow. I then ran out of capping, and had used my very last rivet.


As it is for the end of today. All the screws have been removed, replaced with permanent rivets, except the inner roof section. Which was bolstered with more screws, so if I ever need to take it off I can.


I have a pair of catches too, but I don't think they are the right sort, so I might get held up on those too.

Thanks for reading!

EDIT: Nova, here is the pallet link I mentioned earlier. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/594825/my-new-breeding-pens

 

[Bens-Hens]

For a rest day it got pretty busy!

I will kick off with a bit of work on the rooster box, and then write a bit about my first processing experience. If reading about that stuff is not your thing then don't finish this post.

I had a bit of time this morning, so I fiddled about with the spare set of hinges and found a way to get them on. One side is almost finished, the other has a door mounted, but I need to complete the capping on the door frame.

Other than that, I just have to put the roof vent back on, door latches, roost and test it out before setting it up.



With the change in hinge there is a bit more meat to it, and even though they are the wrong sort, putting them inside means the doors open past 90 degree. Not much left to go, but I do have to figure out what I am going to do for legs.


Now, if you don't want to know about my next experience, move on, if you do want to know about my first process to eat, then follow along.

Our two big Roosters Milo (RIR) and Lucky (LS) were 15 weeks old today. One of the two had figured out the crowing thing. We had heard some strangled crows last weekend, but this morning they had seemed to get the hang of it. The time had come.

It took some long thinking to get set up. My oldest boy wanted to stay and see, which I was comfortable with, but Alicia was not so, and decided it was a good time to take the kids out. I planned my process, got set up and waited for the water to come to temp.

I 'did the deed' one at a time down the side of the house that is not visible to the other chickens. I used the method of inverted bird and bleed out. I did how ever forget to fit the cone I had made for the first bird (Milo) The action was swift, and although he flapped a bit, it was clean and swift. Lucky was second, and this time I fitted the cone to him (I did have anywhere to mount it to, so I secured it to his legs with a zip tie) Just as fast, less flapping.

I then took them around to the lawn area where the view was blocked by my mobile tractor. I had the BBQ going with a couple of pots of water. I didn't have one large pot, so I had to make do with two smaller ones, and a metal drinks tub. For the plucking and cleaning, I had an old double sink which I cleaned and screwed down to my saw horses, was perfect except for height. My back was killing me by the end of the job.

The rest of the job went well for my first time. Inexperience with butchery certainly shows on the finished product, but, the job was done. I did notice that both of them having bulging crops made it hard to pull through, I had to remove them from the head end, so I didn't get it all out in one piece. But nothing was ruptured so I got something else done right. It took a lot longer to pluck than I expected, but it was easier to pull than I expected too.

The approx specs.
Milo;
RIR, 15 weeks old,
Live weight, 2.5kg (5.5lb)
Processed, 1.3kg (2.9lb)

Lucky;
LS, 15 weeks old
Live weight, 2.9kg (6.4lb)
Processed, 1.7kg (3.7lb)

I expected more, given how big they looked, but given their age and breeds I think they are fair family of four sized.

A picture of the set up. Left to right, dunking, BBQ for heating water, waste (triple bagged after) clean and rinse. I put another large tub under the plug holes. Running water. Worked really well, except the height.


End product, from here straight into bags and in the fridge to rest. One will get frozen, the other will be roasted in a couple of days.


The kids were really good, although they loved our 'big boys' they were comfortable with it. We had been telling them for some time that was what was going to happen. They asked many questions, which I answered all as accurately as I could. They took an early death pretty hard in the past, but this time it was very business like, ending with, "I wonder what home grown chicken tastes like"

 

[Bens-Hens]

In all the excitement, I forget to give a flock update.

All are healthy, which is always a good start to an update.

The two flocks seemed to have settled in, not sure how the structure will work out now we have removed two larger roosters though.

Some nice flock pics.
Cleo, Milo and Lucky (not so)




Milo


Luna, getting oh so close to her first egg.


Barney the Barenvelder @ 10 weeks old


One of the Araucana males that we plan to keep.


Ryder, SPW @ 10 weeks


The Tea Gang, Mr Tea, Big Tea and Little Tea


From 18 down to 16 and two dinners, still zero eggs.

 

[NovaAman]

Well, Milo wouldn't have given a higher weight... He was production stock, not dual purpose. Rocky was the same and we ended up stewing him since there's not much meat o. A 3 pound bird for BBQ. Nice that you are doing them now though, they shouldn't get the strong flavor of an older bird, will cook more tender. Are you soaking in a salt bath for the first or just resting him?

I haven't got the balls to do my own yet. Think I'd ball like a baby, so, I'll pay the $2 process fee.

I don't know if ya'll celebrate fathers day their, but Happy Father's Day!

 

[Wrightsx4]

Your rooster box sure looks like it should do the job!
Nova - you're not alone - I admit I was teary eyed during the few minutes between handing Jeff our two roos to take their last trip to the garage and the time he came back to let me know it was time to do the butchering part. I was okay once I saw them - at that point they were already "gone". He got the worst job, but he's okay with it. It is really surprising how small a production bird is under all those feathers. We're already planning to do another rooster reduction the end of the summer. At what age do they start getting a strong flavor & tough? I'd like to not feed them all through the winter anyway so around 18 weeks...
Just wrapping up a lovely father's day here with my family. Happy father's day guys!!

 

[ozexpat]

Great job on providing life lessons to your kids Ben.

Now I have a successful hatch underway, I have about 17 roosters that need reducing. They are all mutts from polish cross to barred rock to leghorn to rhode island but they will all make good soup. They will be 20 weeks when they fill the freezer.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Well, Milo wouldn't have given a higher weight... He was production stock, not dual purpose. Rocky was the same and we ended up stewing him since there's not much meat o. A 3 pound bird for BBQ. Nice that you are doing them now though, they shouldn't get the strong flavor of an older bird, will cook more tender. Are you soaking in a salt bath for the first or just resting him?

I haven't got the balls to do my own yet. Think I'd ball like a baby, so, I'll pay the $2 process fee.

I don't know if ya'll celebrate fathers day their, but Happy Father's Day!

Thanks Nova, I had not read about salt. We just bagged them up and resting them in the fridge. Some have said you can eat right away, but the meat is not as good. I really want to make sure the meal is the best. I find the hardest part was making sure it was done right, I didn't want to do it wrong and have the animal suffer. I understand your position though, Alicia did not want to see it either.

We have Fathers Day here, we celebrate on the first Sunday in September. One of my favourite days!

Your rooster box sure looks like it should do the job!
Nova - you're not alone - I admit I was teary eyed during the few minutes between handing Jeff our two roos to take their last trip to the garage and the time he came back to let me know it was time to do the butchering part. I was okay once I saw them - at that point they were already "gone". He got the worst job, but he's okay with it. It is really surprising how small a production bird is under all those feathers. We're already planning to do another rooster reduction the end of the summer. At what age do they start getting a strong flavor & tough? I'd like to not feed them all through the winter anyway so around 18 weeks...
Just wrapping up a lovely father's day here with my family. Happy father's day guys!!

Happy Father's Day to you all too! I think Alicia was a bit sad, but she said she was comfortable with where we are going with our flock, just sad to see two go. Hope you guys had a great day together with your family.

Great job on providing life lessons to your kids Ben.

Now I have a successful hatch underway, I have about 17 roosters that need reducing. They are all mutts from polish cross to barred rock to leghorn to rhode island but they will all make good soup. They will be 20 weeks when they fill the freezer.

I feel it's important, but so is delivery. I took my time explaining the food, before they joined the dots. One day, our youngest said to me "Dad, you know what's inside a chicken?" "What mate?" Chicken, the food is inside a chicken" Now they are comfortable with it, and understand where there food comes from. At the same time, I have tried to make sure they know it's not 'fun' or something to make light of.

I am about to head over to your thread to get the full update!

Happy Fathers Day to all you families celebrating today.

 

[NovaAman]

I don't like to leave it long past 18 weeks. 20 weeks tops.

 

[Bens-Hens]

I posted a pic on Facebook of Milo post process. Seems to have caused a bit of a stir lol. People are funny, seems fine to post a pic of the fish you caught, but 'weird' if it's a bird you kept for meat.

Us city people are just too used to 'buy and consume' products, we forget how it gets to us in the first place.

I have a bit more of an update on the rooster box. Not much but getting closer to being able to test it.

I can also safely say, I can fit inside this hahaha

Some little plated handles from the hardware, pack of two was $2.95



I scrounged these today for free, thinking I might put some rubber edging on it, a hinge and put one or two in the floor, more air flow and a 'drop hole' for easy cleaning.


Due to the way I made the doors, I had trouble making a door latch work, especially what I had laying around, but when I saw the handles, I saw these kitchen cupboard catches, pack of two $3.95 each. I put two on each door. One needs adjusting though as it is not locking very well.


Also grabbed my last pieces of capping for the second door, cut and fitted that up this afternoon.


So, now, I just have some trim work to do, fix some sharp edges, caulking, floor vent/s - drop hole, adjust the last latch I put on today and test it out. Oh, also need to make a timber roost. I thought I was nearly finished hahahaha