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

[Wax Myrtle]

Well, I can get neither quote nor search to work, regardless of whether I use mobile version or regular desktop. Is it just me and my two-cans-and-a-string internet? I seem to recall it was an article on The Backwoodsman magazine site... Sally, did you post that?

 

[BCMaraniac]

Thanks! Actually, after you mentioned canning the meat I started thinking how often I use chunked chicken... in soups, salads, stir fry, etc... would be a good way to salvage the small pieces we always seem to come up with during processing. Or just a great alternative to using freezer space, since I can chunk it, can it and stick it on a shelf for later use instead of freezing it whole and just having to chunk it for use later.

Good info to keep on hand!

When I can meat, I add 1/2tsp non-iodized salt per pint if I use water to cover, no salt if I used seasoned broth. I think meats taste better if the salt is added before cooking, whether it be a regular pot or the pressure cooker.

 

[Wax Myrtle]

Fisherlady, yes, having canned chicken is soooo convenient. Couple hours of work a couple times a year, then it just needs to be opened. And I have only a little half-sized freezer to go with the one over the fridge, so being able to stick it in the pantry is nice. And I like being able to just whip up a white sauce, add some veggies and taters and a can of chicken (or roasted turkey left over from Thanksgiving) and serve that on toast. Having that tonight, actually.

 

[BCMaraniac]

yes.... I have canned numerous things over the years, but not broth or meat products. Just vegetable products and sauces. I hadn't seen anything newer than 20 yrs old or so for canning recommendations. Thanks for the heads up on the pressure canning for meats. Feel free to post the times, even if I'm not canning the meats I'm sure there are plenty of folks reading these meat bird threads who might be interested in doing so. I may do it myself sometime in the future too.

Canned meats are very good and very convenient. I primarily can chunked chicken and boneless pork loin.

 

[Elke Beck]

Lol

colon + somad. Gotcha. I use the mobile version almost exclusively, so I have to memorize or write down the codes.

Stanley the Turd is behaving very meekly today - and watching carefully to be sure he stays out of range of everyone, four year old included. I certainly have my eye on him. Shame, really, he had been acting like he would turn into a really good fellow. My main man for the layer girls, Walter (in my avvie) is ageing, and I need an understudy. I do have an approx 7wk 'Lorp coming up...

Stanley the Turd - I like that.

I strongly believe that it is part of the contract that they do not attack people. We feed them and care for them, and in return they cannot attack. I feel the same way about dogs. Maybe he has seen the light because he tried it and it did not work out well for him, but also keep in mind that there are lots of well-mannered roosters going into the freezer every day because there is just not enough room for them, so there is no reason to keep an aggressive bird.

I have one Red Ranger that keeps pecking me. He has broken the skin more than once. If he were not already heading for freezer camp, I would still be putting him on the bus for his aggression. He does not have to like me picking him up, but he cannot be aggressive about it. I believe that if I let him grow up, he would probably be one mean rooster.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Stanley the Turd - I like that.

I strongly believe that it is part of the contract that they do not attack people. We feed them and care for them, and in return they cannot attack. I feel the same way about dogs. Maybe he has seen the light because he tried it and it did not work out well for him, but also keep in mind that there are lots of well-mannered roosters going into the freezer every day because there is just not enough room for them, so there is no reason to keep an aggressive bird.

I have one Red Ranger that keeps pecking me. He has broken the skin more than once. If he were not already heading for freezer camp, I would still be putting him on the bus for his aggression. He does not have to like me picking him up, but he cannot be aggressive about it. I believe that if I let him grow up, he would probably be one mean rooster.

How old is this Red Ranger? I have 3 young FBCM's about 14 weeks old, and am going to keep one of them. All three of them are really sweet....for now. I can't decide if I am going to put the other two in the freezer or sell them. If they were mean, I wouldn't hesitate to send them to camp. I guess I can wait another week or two to decide.

I have Red Rangers coming next week, so I will get to experience their dispositions first hand.....maybe they will all be pullets

 

[Elke Beck]

How old is this Red Ranger? I have 3 young FBCM's about 14 weeks old, and am going to keep one of them. All three of them are really sweet....for now. I can't decide if I am going to put the other two in the freezer or sell them. If they were mean, I wouldn't hesitate to send them to camp. I guess I can wait another week or two to decide.

I have Red Rangers coming next week, so I will get to experience their dispositions first hand.....maybe they will all be pullets

My Red Rangers are 11 weeks today. My experience has been that Red Rangers are not nice birds. Last year I raised 3 DP cockerels, and they had the sweetest, most gentlemanly dispositions. I processed them at about 16 weeks, and they were friendly and gentle the whole time. These Red Rangers are a whole different story. They fight with each other constantly, and the boys pick on the girls ruthlessly. Fortunately, they are all scared to death of my layers, so when they get feeling like they are king of the world I put them in the layer coop. Right now I am putting them in every night because they do not crow around the layers. They know that those tough old biddies will jump on them at the first show of cockiness.

My mother tells me that I am cruel for letting the layers beat up the Red Rangers, but she isn't woken up at 5:30 in the morning by the crowing.

 

[ronott1]

My Red Rangers are 11 weeks today. My experience has been that Red Rangers are not nice birds. Last year I raised 3 DP cockerels, and they had the sweetest, most gentlemanly dispositions. I processed them at about 16 weeks, and they were friendly and gentle the whole time. These Red Rangers are a whole different story. They fight with each other constantly, and the boys pick on the girls ruthlessly. Fortunately, they are all scared to death of my layers, so when they get feeling like they are king of the world I put them in the layer coop. Right now I am putting them in every night because they do not crow around the layers. They know that those tough old biddies will jump on them at the first show of cockiness.

My mother tells me that I am cruel for letting the layers beat up the Red Rangers, but she isn't woken up at 5:30 in the morning by the crowing.

That is so funny!

 

[tadpole98]

Well, I can get neither quote nor search to work, regardless of whether I use mobile version or regular desktop. Is it just me and my two-cans-and-a-string internet? I seem to recall it was an article on The Backwoodsman magazine site... Sally, did you post that?

Its not that.. We dont want to eat a sick chicken lol

 

[kacklinkelly]

OHHH SHOOT they are dying!! originally bought 12 and we are down to 10!! Might be 9 by now since one was looking pretty bad this morning. Saturday is processing day, hopefully we will have some left!

Hey Tadpole - am not sure what "looking pretty bad" means. I originally had 4 cornish x and one just never grew at the same rate the others did.
She then began displaying leg issues but was still getting around. My process date is scheduled for next weekend. I noticed earlier this week
that she just couldn't walk anymore and had to flap and roll to get anywhere. She was getting stepped on by the others and had to wait to
get to the food and water. I felt it was her time and did the deed early with her. She didn't display any illness per say, just the leg issue. I will be frying her up tomorrow.
This is my first time with meaties and I hope she is not considered "sick" by any standards. Otherwise I will not eat her. Didn't get much
meat off her anyway. Please let me know if I need to be concerned about her meat. Thanks, KJ