Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Sally Sunshine]

I have 11 meaties in the freezer. They are 9 weeks old now. We did 7 last Tuesday. DH took care of killing 6 of them, and I told him I wanted to try the last one. It did not go as well as I had hoped.

I didn't swing right (I'm a bad swing with a hammer too) and I didn't get all the way through. I quickly repositioned it's head and got a clean hit the 2nd time. DH dispatched 4 last night and I got them processed. We have 11 still left to do. (lost one with a bum leg)

They plucked fairly easily with the right temperature of the water. I was shocked at how large their hearts were. And things are a bit more "gushy" in there, compared to a 6 month old rooster. I was also shocked by how big some of them were when done. Some looked like small turkeys. They didn't look that big alive.

I am looking forward to trying them soon!

 

[fisherlady]

I agree-- they are all meat and few feathers.

Nice job on the effort Happy Chooks!! We never do anything perfectly the first time--practice will improve your skills. Congrats on getting the job done.

x3!

biggest thing I have noticed on CX vs 18 or 20 week Dual Purpose cockerels and Freedom Rangers is the bone length and amount. It is obvious after butchering a few that the CX have evolved into a bird with a frame barely big enough to carry it's own bulk.... the disparity can be reduced a bit with free ranging and very careful feed controls, but overall they just don't get the frame size you would expect for their weight. So bone to meat ratio also seems very good on them. I'm sure that can vary some with hatchery source though. Their short stature (in both height and length) is very deceptive, it isn't till you pick them up that you realize just how heavy the buggers are!

 

[fisherlady]

Now on the opposite end of the spectrum are the Leghorns, which I will be doing a group of 8 today.... a friend with a small flock had his hens quit laying regular and they began showing signs of troubles (they are 4 years old) so he asked if we would dispatch them for him. He doesn't want to see them die one by one with medical issues (he has found 2 dead on the roost in the past month already)... for hatchery stock I think he did pretty well with them, from his place to ours last night though DH found they had laid 2 soft shelled eggs in the crates.
We aren't planning to make table fare out of them but will use them for chicken balls (as I have described earlier in the thread) so they don't go to waste.
It is always hard to butcher older laying hens for me.. I know it needs done when they are having trouble, but still just not so easy to get done.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Their bone size definitely reflects the young age of less than 8 weeks. A very good bone to meat ratio too. I kept a few pullets for laying, and surprizingly the bones do lengthen and are just as meaty at 4 months or 9 months.

THe flavor is richer on the older birds too.

If, ok I"ll get real, lol, when I do cornishx again I will do 25 and start culling at 8-9 weeks. At 9 months they were a very large bowling ball.

Now on the opposite end of the spectrum are the Leghorns, which I will be doing a group of 8 today.... a friend with a small flock had his hens quit laying regular and they began showing signs of troubles (they are 4 years old) so he asked if we would dispatch them for him. He doesn't want to see them die one by one with medical issues (he has found 2 dead on the roost in the past month already)... for hatchery stock I think he did pretty well with them, from his place to ours last night though DH found they had laid 2 soft shelled eggs in the crates.
We aren't planning to make table fare out of them but will use them for chicken balls (as I have described earlier in the thread) so they don't go to waste.
It is always hard to butcher older laying hens for me.. I know it needs done when they are having trouble, but still just not so easy to get done.

I feel your pain. My first hens are definitely slowing down as they are very heavy ( eating lots and laying fewer)-- at three years old. THey have been my special girls introducing me to the wonders of chickens and I am struggling with culling.

 

[Angelicisi]

We ordered industrial size zip ties (looks same but huge and uber strong (one inch wide by 3 feet long and secured a PVC hoop house to a few mounted boards we screwed into the base leaving a quarter inch to slip tie under. It's held up through hurricane Isaac and a multitude of storms just a thought.

You all are smart and creative folks. So here's a "what should I do" question.

I have a layer flock of nine that have two 10'x 14' stalls of a three sided horse shed. The fronts are screened in with hardware cloth and the two stalls are divided by chicken wire in which there is a pop door. One stall has a framed in coop in the back third. The pop door opens into the stall not outside.

I have a 12' x 12' hoop house that's separate from the shed. I'd like to use it to grow out some meat birds a couple times a year. But it would also be a way for my layer flock to get a little more sun if I attach it right to the existing shed.

Any thoughts on how I should fasten it to one of the outside walls (wood) of the shed? I am thinking I don't want to cut a hole in the wall that is the back of the coop. I'm afraid of setting up a winter draft.

What am I not thinking about that might be important?

I should add that I can't free range my birds. I have too many predators and need to be extra careful. In fact my existing shed is floored and aproned with hardware cloth.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Arielle]

We ordered industrial size zip ties (looks same but huge and uber strong (one inch wide by 3 feet long and secured a PVC hoop house to a few mounted boards we screwed into the base leaving a quarter inch to slip tie under. It's held up through hurricane Isaac and a multitude of storms

just a thought.

I've never seen such oversized zipties-- where did you discover them????

 

[fisherlady]

You all are smart and creative folks. So here's a "what should I do" question.

I have a layer flock of nine that have two 10'x 14' stalls of a three sided horse shed. The fronts are screened in with hardware cloth and the two stalls are divided by chicken wire in which there is a pop door. One stall has a framed in coop in the back third. The pop door opens into the stall not outside.

I have a 12' x 12' hoop house that's separate from the shed. I'd like to use it to grow out some meat birds a couple times a year. But it would also be a way for my layer flock to get a little more sun if I attach it right to the existing shed.

Any thoughts on how I should fasten it to one of the outside walls (wood) of the shed? I am thinking I don't want to cut a hole in the wall that is the back of the coop. I'm afraid of setting up a winter draft.

What am I not thinking about that might be important?

I should add that I can't free range my birds. I have too many predators and need to be extra careful. In fact my existing shed is floored and aproned with hardware cloth.

Thanks for your thoughts!

I would try to attach it at 90* to the front end of the stall where they normally get their 'outside time'... that will allow the middle portion (their existing run area) to be further protected in the winter and they can go out into the hoop house for truer 'outside' experience. If you are ambitious and want to do some cool training you can create a pipe tunnel from their existing run to the hoop house, it would allow you to move the hoop house around a bit for fresh ground and grass. (think of placing the hoop house in 3 different locations, all within 10 feet of the coop but at different angles)
I forget where I saw the video, but a fellow had his chickens tunneled this way through one part of his yard to another area farther from the coop. A few experiences with good treats at the other end and the birds were running around through the tunnels without any trouble. There is a type of piping (schedule 40) which would be pretty darned predator proof and would allow safe access from the current stall areas to the hoop house. (tunnels could even be suspended well above ground level if you want it to go over the stall gate, just ramp either end)

 

[Angelicisi]

I think Grainger sells them. Uline plastics may. I think home depot can order them too. They're awesome but pricey (think our 20 pack was 15 bucks - a lit in my book lol) so we only use them for important things lol I'm a ziptie fanatic I LOVE them more than I should but all sizes have been needed here at one time or another and saved the day more than once

I've never seen such oversized zipties-- where did you discover them????

Ahhh hubby says they are cable ties. I only have a medium size pack left but here is the label. The mediums are really strong too.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
I agree-- they are all meat and few feathers.

Nice job on the effort Happy Chooks!! We never do anything perfectly the first time--practice will improve your skills. Congrats on getting the job done.
All I can say is it was a good thing DH was holding the bird for me - I would have freaked out and let go, and then I would have had it running all over the place.

Quote: So very true! They are so heavy when you pick them up! They have great meat on them, I'll get a picture of the next ones we do.

 

[marktoo]

I think Grainger sells them. Uline plastics may. I think home depot can order them too. They're awesome but pricey (think our 20 pack was 15 bucks - a lit in my book lol) so we only use them for important things lol I'm a ziptie fanatic

I LOVE them more than I should but all sizes have been needed here at one time or another and saved the day more than once

Ahhh hubby says they are cable ties. I only have a medium size pack left but here is the label. The mediums are really strong too.

The HVAC industry uses zip ties as long as 48" for connecting duct work, if your house is less than 20 years old they were probably used in it.