I have set the date... Wed, June 9th is the day... I'm going to butcher my first chickens...
I have 12 Cornish cross chickens which will be 8 weeks old next week. I have Wed off of work, so that's the day. I have a few people lined up to help, all 3 of my kids (16, 12, & 10) want to help. I have a friend who has butchered before, and another friend who has helped with her father's chickens. She is even going to borrow his plucker for me!!
This is our first time raising chickens, and we have 12 layers and their rooster as well. We have tried not to get attatched to these guys, but it's been hard. They will actually follow me if I let them out of their coop. My layers are pretty flighty... I think the meatys just know I'm the one who brings the food... That seems to be about the only thing they care much about. I just can't get over how HUGE they have grown in 8 weeks! I'm afraid if I try to keep them around much longer, they are going to start having issues... They have been remarkably healthy and easy to raise... If "B" day goes ok for us, I'm going to get another dozen or so raise before fall...
I'd appreciate any words of wisdom from those of you that have been there, or even other frist-timers like me... Wish me luck!!!
I have 12 Cornish cross chickens which will be 8 weeks old next week. I have Wed off of work, so that's the day. I have a few people lined up to help, all 3 of my kids (16, 12, & 10) want to help. I have a friend who has butchered before, and another friend who has helped with her father's chickens. She is even going to borrow his plucker for me!!
This is our first time raising chickens, and we have 12 layers and their rooster as well. We have tried not to get attatched to these guys, but it's been hard. They will actually follow me if I let them out of their coop. My layers are pretty flighty... I think the meatys just know I'm the one who brings the food... That seems to be about the only thing they care much about. I just can't get over how HUGE they have grown in 8 weeks! I'm afraid if I try to keep them around much longer, they are going to start having issues... They have been remarkably healthy and easy to raise... If "B" day goes ok for us, I'm going to get another dozen or so raise before fall...
I'd appreciate any words of wisdom from those of you that have been there, or even other frist-timers like me... Wish me luck!!!