Surviving Minnesota!

[MNChickMom]

My handy thermometer stated 39 degrees at 6am this morning in central MN. I'm not ready yet......give me another 4 months of fall. It will take me that long to convince the DH to look at the honey do list.

As for the young cockerel question.....I am processing my PITA's at about 6 months. I have on a couple occasions done it earlier.....but I have been pleasured with the duty of pulling pin feathers. (Torch comes in handy)

 

[MNChickMom]

The question of when to process is also dependent on breeds. I have Buff Orpington and Buckeyes.....both are the slowest developing birds on the planet. Other breeds may be ready long before.

 

[jerryse]

Jerry that's the F word! stop saying it.

 

[duluthralphie]

I process them at whatever age I feel like.

I like Molpet think an older bird has better flavor.

If the bird is old it can be ground into chicken burger, or pressure cooked for hotdishes or soup etc. Also you get the broth that way.

 

[BantyChooks]

My handy thermometer stated 39 degrees at 6am this morning in central MN. I'm not ready yet......give me another 4 months of fall. It will take me that long to convince the DH to look at the honey do list.

As for the young cockerel question.....I am processing my PITA's at about 6 months. I have on a couple occasions done it earlier.....but I have been pleasured with the duty of pulling pin feathers. (Torch comes in handy)

I've really been enjoying the under-40 weather. I keep garnering pissed-off looks in the morning from family members that think windows should be closed once it hits 50, because I refuse to take the fans out of the window.

 

[BantyChooks]

Looking for opinions/guidance: What’s the best time to process extra roosters? I mean how old/developed should they be? TIA!

I often wait until they're fully filled out, which takes close to a year. Partly because I want to make sure I don't accidentally eat a keeper, and partly because I don't feel like going to all that effort just to get a quail sized bird. I'd rather max my effort-to-meat ratio even if it does take more feed.

 

[CindyinSD]

Thanks everyone! I’m doing my BBWs in a couple of days and was thinking maybe I should do extra roos then, too. I’m such a baby, though. I butchered 21 CXs last week and was so exhausted (and I took 2 days to do it)! Now every time I look at the empty tractor I feel kind of melancholy. But that’s what I had them for. I’ll get over it.

Hopefully the turkeys will be easier. They weigh (a LOT) more but their body cavities will be more capacious, so p’raps that will help.

I’m not too keen on doing the cockerels right away so I think I’ll just put the other meanie (to me) in the pen with Ruffio once I decide their tractor days are over for the year. Ruffio is with the BBWs and poults because he was defeathering my hens. Despite that he’s very sweet to me and so cute with his rakish comb... The other one who’s gonna have to go is a Buckeye who I’d process now if he weren’t so small. He’s fine with the ladies but becoming a tad aggressive with me.

I’ll have heritage Toms to process in maybe 2 1/2 months. I can do the surplus roos then. Thanks so much, everyone!

 

[Tfred1399]

Final tally is 6 chicks out of 8 eggs, with 2 that stalled. They seem to be doing ok. Fun to watch momma teach.

 

[CindyinSD]

Final tally is 6 chicks out of 8 eggs, with 2 that stalled. They seem to be doing ok. Fun to watch momma teach.

View attachment 1918763

Ohhhh, she’s such a pretty mommy! Congrats!

 

[I Love Layers]

Looking ahead at the forecast, and we have an inch of snow in the forecast on October 1....