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

[aoxa]

Sorry you lost those, aoxa.

I think wet feed does make a difference especially with cornish x birds. I was filling up the water every 5-6 days then had to do regular dry feed for 4 days. I was filling up the waterer every other day then.

I have to admit I was a bit slow figuring out why the were drinking so much more!

I think it helped their heat tolerance too. There wasn't a lit of panting even with temps in the 90's.

I had only ordered a few because I wasn't sure I'd like them, you hear so many bad things. But I'm sold! I'll be ordering a larger batch to harvest this fall.

Love to hear how your experience goes!

I already ordered 20 more for August 20th. These ones will be almost 8 weeks by that time. Wonder how long it will take to process 40 Cornish X. Think 3 people can do it in one day? Remember this would only be my second time processing. We processed 8 dual purpose roosters around new years.

I am looking forward to trying my own meaties. It took me quite a few tries of the dual purpose birds to realize you just can not roast them. They need to be slooooow cooked.

My gosh they drink a lot of water on dry feed! Crazy amounts!!

This evening I came home to 1/2 a thing of water left. Yesterday they nearly drowned themselves trying to quench their thirst after I arrived home from work and they were bone dry. Not feeding dry again, that's for sure.

Wetting it down: One big scoop of starter. 1/5th a scoop of whole grains (barley, oats, wheat and corn) with a small handful of BOSS - for colour - I like the look of the feed like that. I'm weird. They don't really like the BOSS much. There was a tiny bit left at the bottom of the troughs when I got home from work. With dry they were going through 2 big scoops of starter a day and two gallons of water. Now one scoop of starter and 1 gallon a day.

I like that improvement!!

They are big enough for my trough feeders, which I am in LOVE with. The little layer chicks can get through the bars, but the meaties are too big already.



Here are the feeders (in need of a cleaning here). What I love about them even more, is all it takes is a garden hose and they are clean as a whistle.

We soak once a month with these.



Love our new barn's pens.



How long do you think a meatie could fit through this slot? LOL The goats get in and go to town on the feed if I open it further. The fat duck Sweet Brown can barely squeeze through, but makes it.

 

[wlhtx]

By the way, Aoxa, I love your duck's name... Did it come from a certain YouTube video?

 

[LemonMeringue]

I already ordered 20 more for August 20th. These ones will be almost 8 weeks by that time. Wonder how long it will take to process 40 Cornish X. Think 3 people can do it in one day? Remember this would only be my second time processing. We processed 8 dual purpose roosters around new years.

I am looking forward to trying my own meaties. It took me quite a few tries of the dual purpose birds to realize you just can not roast them. They need to be slooooow cooked.

My gosh they drink a lot of water on dry feed! Crazy amounts!!

This evening I came home to 1/2 a thing of water left. Yesterday they nearly drowned themselves trying to quench their thirst after I arrived home from work and they were bone dry. Not feeding dry again, that's for sure.

Wetting it down: One big scoop of starter. 1/5th a scoop of whole grains (barley, oats, wheat and corn) with a small handful of BOSS - for colour - I like the look of the feed like that. I'm weird. They don't really like the BOSS much. There was a tiny bit left at the bottom of the troughs when I got home from work. With dry they were going through 2 big scoops of starter a day and two gallons of water. Now one scoop of starter and 1 gallon a day.

I like that improvement!!

They are big enough for my trough feeders, which I am in LOVE with. The little layer chicks can get through the bars, but the meaties are too big already.



Here are the feeders (in need of a cleaning here). What I love about them even more, is all it takes is a garden hose and they are clean as a whistle.

We soak once a month with these.



Love our new barn's pens.



How long do you think a meatie could fit through this slot? LOL The goats get in and go to town on the feed if I open it further. The fat duck Sweet Brown can barely squeeze through, but makes it.

I already ordered 20 more for August 20th. These ones will be almost 8 weeks by that time. Wonder how long it will take to process 40 Cornish X. Think 3 people can do it in one day? Remember this would only be my second time processing. We processed 8 dual purpose roosters around new years.

I am looking forward to trying my own meaties. It took me quite a few tries of the dual purpose birds to realize you just can not roast them. They need to be slooooow cooked.

My gosh they drink a lot of water on dry feed! Crazy amounts!!

This evening I came home to 1/2 a thing of water left. Yesterday they nearly drowned themselves trying to quench their thirst after I arrived home from work and they were bone dry. Not feeding dry again, that's for sure.

Wetting it down: One big scoop of starter. 1/5th a scoop of whole grains (barley, oats, wheat and corn) with a small handful of BOSS - for colour - I like the look of the feed like that. I'm weird. They don't really like the BOSS much. There was a tiny bit left at the bottom of the troughs when I got home from work. With dry they were going through 2 big scoops of starter a day and two gallons of water. Now one scoop of starter and 1 gallon a day.

I like that improvement!!

They are big enough for my trough feeders, which I am in LOVE with. The little layer chicks can get through the bars, but the meaties are too big already.



Here are the feeders (in need of a cleaning here). What I love about them even more, is all it takes is a garden hose and they are clean as a whistle.

We soak once a month with these.



Love our new barn's pens.



How long do you think a meatie could fit through this slot? LOL The goats get in and go to town on the feed if I open it further. The fat duck Sweet Brown can barely squeeze through, but makes it.

I bet those meaties could get through there for quite awhile. We had our brooder designed with an area they would have to squat down a bit to get through one little doorway and we put different things on each side.....to encourage them to go back and forth. I actually think that it helped their legs stay nice and strong with that exercise. Chicken squats And I love your pens too!

 

[aoxa]

I bet those meaties could get through there for quite awhile. We had our brooder designed with an area they would have to squat down a bit to get through one little doorway and we put different things on each side.....to encourage them to go back and forth. I actually think that it helped their legs stay nice and strong with that exercise. Chicken squats And I love your pens too!

Thank you!!

By the way, Aoxa, I love your duck's name... Did it come from a certain YouTube video?

Yes, cause everybody's got time for that

 

[jajeanpierre]

I've been able to dress silkies which I believe are comparable? I've never used a tool so not sure if the length and angle would match.

How big were your Silkies? I weighed the three birds that really need to go to freezer camp, two bantam Cochin cockerels and a Silkie. The Cochin is the smallest at 715 grams (just over 1.5 pounds). If I were to process him at that weight, how much meat would there be? I really can't find any when I go over him with my hands. I think if they are going to give up their lives, I should make sure I get something off them. I think at this point, they are just too small to use. Thoughts?

As you all know, I am really agonizing over this. I talked to another backyard chicken keeper yesterday and she gave me a suggestion that I found just unbelievable. She said that many chicken keepers just let their rooster out of the pens when they become problematic. They just disappear after awhile, problem solved. I couldn't believe it! A chicken lover would prefer to just let their chicken loose to be torn apart by wild animals just because they don't have the courage to slaughter humanely. Wow! If that isn't a disconnect from life.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
That's what they call "attrition"......

If you read many of the threads on this forum you will see the same thing..."I'm going to let my birds die naturally of old age" which translates into letting them sicken, die of reproductive issues, etc. without helping them to avoid these painful and debilitating things because they are too cowardly to keep them from suffering.

Or..free ranging without any safety measures in place because "you can expect losses on free range", so why even try to keep it from happening?

My own sisters will obtain more birds than they have room for because they are counting on "attrition" to thin their flock. Which means they've not taken any measures to predator proof their coops/runs or free range and are actually EXPECTING birds to die to predators and illness before they ever get new chicks!!!! And...of course...they get exactly what they expect. Huge losses from predators, maiming, illness, suffering..and eventually death after they've poured antibiotics down their gullet for a few months.

It's heartrending and especially so when these same people act like I'm a monster when I kill my birds for food. The one sister calls me a murderer...true story. More animals have died on her place to neglect and poor husbandry than any place I've even heard of and she calls me a murderer for killing and eating chickens. We call her farm the "Death Farm" and "The Island of Misfit Toys" because she regularly turns out deformed animals from poor incubation and breeding practices. And she keeps the deformed, crippled, sick and dying until the bitter end and watches them die in horrible, horrible ways.

And calls me a murderer....yes, there is a serious disconnect in this world in people's minds as to what constitutes love and humanity.

 

[fisherlady]

How big were your Silkies? I weighed the three birds that really need to go to freezer camp, two bantam Cochin cockerels and a Silkie. The Cochin is the smallest at 715 grams (just over 1.5 pounds). If I were to process him at that weight, how much meat would there be? I really can't find any when I go over him with my hands. I think if they are going to give up their lives, I should make sure I get something off them. I think at this point, they are just too small to use. Thoughts?

As you all know, I am really agonizing over this. I talked to another backyard chicken keeper yesterday and she gave me a suggestion that I found just unbelievable. She said that many chicken keepers just let their rooster out of the pens when they become problematic. They just disappear after awhile, problem solved. I couldn't believe it! A chicken lover would prefer to just let their chicken loose to be torn apart by wild animals just because they don't have the courage to slaughter humanely. Wow! If that isn't a disconnect from life.

If you are worried about the amount of meat on smaller birds then process them with the intent of using them directly as soup birds. Even small framed birds would produce enough broth and meat for a nice pot of soup to enjoy. I've found very littel goes to waste when you use them for soup.

 

[jajeanpierre]

If you are worried about the amount of meat on smaller birds then process them with the intent of using them directly as soup birds. Even small framed birds would produce enough broth and meat for a nice pot of soup to enjoy. I've found very littel goes to waste when you use them for soup.

So, slaughter them as soon as I have myself mentally prepared and must make soup if there isn't enough meat? I should process them the same way as if they were big birds, correct? The concept of killing them and not using them is abhorrent to me. I'm thinking of paying my vet's tech to come and teach me. He has chickens and we've talked about slaughtering. Would $100 to teach me be enough do you think?

 

[LemonMeringue]

So, slaughter them as soon as I have myself mentally prepared and must make soup if there isn't enough meat? I should process them the same way as if they were big birds, correct? The concept of killing them and not using them is abhorrent to me. I'm thinking of paying my vet's tech to come and teach me. He has chickens and we've talked about slaughtering. Would $100 to teach me be enough do you think?

Maybe I am just cheap.......but I think that is plenty!!!

 

[Beekissed]

So, slaughter them as soon as I have myself mentally prepared and must make soup if there isn't enough meat? I should process them the same way as if they were big birds, correct? The concept of killing them and not using them is abhorrent to me. I'm thinking of paying my vet's tech to come and teach me. He has chickens and we've talked about slaughtering. Would $100 to teach me be enough do you think?

I wish people would pay ME that much! I've been doin' it for free...and supplying tables, knives, and food for afterward..and driving clear across the state!