start of my first meat bird experience

[lauranickerson]

PS We are just starting out with meat rabbits I'm doubtful I can Finnish them

... Told Hubby I will raise them and care for them.. Then on D-day I will take my daughter and make a long day shopping .... When I get back I understand that the rabbits will be gone.. but he need understand that the mess from the day also should be gone

Thanks Again for sharing

That's how I feel about rabbits. I think I wouldn't have a problem eating them, but after having one as a pet for the last couple years, I don't think I could bring myself to kill one, even if it was one that I've never cared for before. They're just so adorable and innocent.

I would have to take them to get processed or something, because I definitely couldn't do it.

 

[Jo Anne]

Did you move the Cx to this from the tractor as they got older?
I got 15 CX today June 6 , I' ll figure I will keep them inside for about 2-3 weeks depending on how they feather out.
What I need to know as a newbie is can they free range I have 2 hens that we built a tractor for and they free range and at night go back into their tractor. do i need to keep them separate.
I have a big fenced yard with lots of grass

 

[3acres]

I just finished reading and looking at this entire thread. You have done a wonderful job showing your experience time line Also as a hobby shutter bug. I have to say your photos are very very good I really enjoyed the read.

Your set up is fantastic!! I started doing Cornish X 2 years ago.. I love them. They are just a simple creature. Like you I like to give all my critters a happy enriched existence. I think it adds to the quality and health.


For what its worth information wise... I started fermenting my Cornish X feed the second year I raised them so after 2 batches. At first I was just not seeing the difference vs the work.. Then I got the process down to a science that worked for me Now I wouldn't raise them any other way. Health, Weight, Smell, all improved. Also I raise/ feed them out for several folks. One of which is an older man that had raised his own for years.. He swears that the the ones we raise taste so much better than any bird before At first he thought I was a little goofy ( lol , little did he know

) for fermenting and allowing the birds to free range. Then he saw them on processing day and ate them and he has praised me several times Everyone comments on the size of the birds and the taste. But to me the real praise came from the older farmer and his wife. It made me feel like I had really done something right when I got kuddos from the "Experienced folks "

FF also decreased my feed cost... since the fermentation releases or allows for the birds to digest the feed better they retain the protein rather than it ending up on the ground This year I have 5 new families that want me to raise meat birds for them, all from word of mouth (or maybe taste

Anyways its defiantly doable and like you I have a blast working the whole process from chick to table

PS We are just starting out with meat rabbits I'm doubtful I can Finnish them

... Told Hubby I will raise them and care for them.. Then on D-day I will take my daughter and make a long day shopping .... When I get back I understand that the rabbits will be gone.. but he need understand that the mess from the day also should be gone

Thanks Again for sharing

Thank you very much! I appreciate you taking the time to read my thread! Probably the last thread anybody that hasn't had any before should read...lol. You bet....It's time for me to start eating chicken that has ran and played in the grass, watched the sun come up, watched the sun go down, maybe brought along a little slower than they should, has chased a bug all over falling down because they still aren't the most graceful critters, wasn't handled by someone on a Monday that hates working on Monday....haha...

. I very much am enjoying this and am most certainly going to keep doing it! I was wondering if I could raise CX like the rangers andI know I can now.

Thanks for your experiences on the fermented feed! I almost did go that route. The only reason I didn't is because I haven't ate a bird raised on it and was worried about it maybe making the meat taste funny. I knew I would like the taste doing what I did, or am doing. I appreciate you commenting on it. If it doesn't effect the taste in a bad way, then I won't mind try it at all.

I think it would be neat to breed my own meatbirds and I think I will start in on that. I won't be starting with these things though...lol....but hope I can come up with chicks like them....

. Raising meaties for other people also interests me like you are doing. Maybe down the road I'll be doing that too.

Yeah, the rabbits. "...a long day shopping"...lol. I had 2 extra roosters that I needed to butcher this last winter. I went out there many days in a row to do the deed and I didn't do it. I even hunt and fish. Finally I did it. Great tasting meat and brought harmony back to my flock. I dropped off a butcher pig also, that I raised up right before that. We played soccer together everyday and he was as tame as a great dog....lol. Best pork I have ever ate. Both things sucked, but I learned a lot from it and is just the way it is going to have to be here, since I want to get away from buying any meat from stores....and I do truly love taking care of all these critters! I have a pig breeding program in the works now. The rabbit thing is pushing how hungry will I actual be though....lol. If I like the meat and it works out, I will get to experience lots of baby bunnies and learn a lot on the care it takes to breed and raise them. I'll give them the best home I can while they are here, try to make them happy and see what happens. I feel it is another way to respectfully put meat on the table and add variety as of now, but like I said, is close to that borderline/gray area for me....

. Dang though, if a little is true about what all is happening to our food sources, that's enough for me to keep at what I'm getting going!!! I'm also getting a lionhead and lop breeding program going for pets only on a tiny scale. I will have to rely on people buying them though. That's the one really smooth thing about eating what you raise.

 

[3acres]

Did you move the Cx to this from the tractor as they got older?
I got 15 CX today June 6 , I' ll figure I will keep them inside for about 2-3 weeks depending on how they feather out.
What I need to know as a newbie is can they free range I have 2 hens that we built a tractor for and they free range and at night go back into their tractor. do i need to keep them separate.
I have a big fenced yard with lots of grass

My cx went from a cardboard box, which they weren't in long because my basement flooded and they were on the floor,

, to a 4' by 8' brooder I made them. Then I put 8 of them into another 4' by 8' brooder....so 10 in one and 8 in another. I split them up by size, biggest together. It stayed a lot cooler here than normal. As soon as I could move them outside, I put them all back together in an all pallet and hog panel pen with a roof on part of it thing I threw together for them. I move it as needed to keep them on fresh grass. ...and I let them just run around the place when I can watch them, especially now since they are so close to one of the gardens....but they have room in their pen to run and play. I am playing with fire as far as predators go. My Red Rangers got a little nicer actual tractor.

I think over the next few years, I'm going to get set up to where I can tractor stuff and also big pen free range the same stuff, all seperated, at any time or combo I want. The best of both worlds IMO as far as safety and then just letting them go as crazy as they want in more open areas.

I feel the cx most certainly could have the chance to free range if the owner wants!!! My laying hens are absolutely vicsious to other new chickens, no matter what the size, it's bad, bad, bad for a long time. I don't like that and it doesn't seem to matter to them how long they see the others through a fence before mixing. I keep mine seperated for that reason and the way I feed. My laying hens are on full feed and I feed my meaties small meals. My meaties are on higher protein too. I personally will always have my meatbirds and other birds seperated. .....but your situation could be different??....not sure??

 

[3acres]

CX from today out messing around...

 

[3acres]

one from a couple nights ago...the last whole chicken I did. I'm still messing up, but getting better.



Did the last one last night. The last few I just skinned with the feathers on and cut everything up.





I had one CX die a couple days after I brought it home from the feed store as a chick. The rest did fine with no problems at all. I had CX from McMurray, Cackle and whoever sends them to the Orscheln stores here in the midwest.

I've ate chicken everyday since I started in butchering them and it has been nice! It seems I even feel better and I was able to chase down a herd of deer and spank them all on the hiney the other day...lol. ...not sure I am going to be able to handle the side effects of eating clean....ha...

 

[BakinInAZ]

Great thread-you are learning lots quickly! I raised rabbits for awhile-didn't know if I could do the processing, but I did it-my breedng stock were the "pets", the babies were "dinner".

 

[3acres]

Great thread-you are learning lots quickly! I raised rabbits for awhile-didn't know if I could do the processing, but I did it-my breedng stock were the "pets", the babies were "dinner".

Thanks! I've slept 2 hours since Jan with researching, feeding, and just playing with everything...

. My rabbits will be the same as what you say yours was!

a small sample of what all I am learning about at the moment....(more coming)

 

[lauranickerson]

Thanks! I've slept 2 hours since Jan with researching, feeding, and just playing with everything...

. My rabbits will be the same as what you say yours was!

a small sample of what all I am learning about at the moment....(more coming)

You have my dream life!!!

 

[camo 75]

This has been the greatest of help to me the most informative yet love your work and pics I have raised most of the animals that you are doing but I did it the hard way wish I had this thread ten years ago keep up the good work bro cheers from Australia