Texas

[Kilsharion]

Sorry about the little bunny but his memory will live on.

I know about cantankerous old farts, my dad was one. He was mush on the inside, crying at funerals, etc. But he was hard as nails on the outside and I was scared to death of him until I got on my own. He once decided he wanted to raise meat rabbits and we did. Cutest little bunnies and we loved them dearly. When they got to be juveniles, into another big cage they'd go to fatten up. My uncle came to show him how to process them and we ate rabbit for a while. So time came for my dad to process his first rabbit. He took a hammer (who knows how hard that was for him) and struck at its head, didn't hit it in the right place or not hard enough, who knows (I couldn't watch). Well, that rabbit squealed so loudly the neighbors came running. He did finish the poor thing off but it was his first and last attempt to do so. In 3 days all the rabbits had been given away. Even in his older days, he still remembered that squeal and how he felt.

Ouch. Poor guy. That had to have worn on his conscience for the memory to be that well etched.

I get the feeling I'm going to be the one slicing necks. Mike swears he'll do it. But, I can tell you, that first cull in a couple of months is going to be more than he can handle. A grown chicken, not so much problem. But, culling chicks is going to be problematic for him - even if I do intend to use them for making things like broths and dog/cat food.

they can be put on straight from the hatcher

OMG, Yinepu...you should have heard Mike, last night. He saw the wingbands for the first time. He was all, "Is that right? There's no way that's where it belongs. Are you sure it's right?" I was all **deep sigh**, "Yes, honey, it's right." Mike, "That just looks wrong. Are you sure?" I warned him that if he kept it up I was going to kick him. He finally stopped; but, I swear - he's more of a mother hen than I ever am. It's the wonder they are ever let out of sight between my husband and me.

 

[Cockle-Dood]

are wing bands better to use than the leg bands, i would assume they are a more perminant option...

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
lol.. they do look really big on little chicks.. wonder what he would say if he saw them on day olds!

are wing bands better to use than the leg bands, i would assume they are a more perminant option...

yeah.. not much of a chance for them to be ripped out (though anything CAN happen).. there is less risk of the chick growing too big and having them cut off circulation like they can with a leg band

they CAN be removed.. but it's not recommended since it's a lot like a piercing.. and you would have to cut the band off.. which usually tears the hole where it goes through the wing webbing

I like the fact they are permanent.. and that I can choose my numbers.. so I can keep detailed records of each bird

 

[Cockle-Dood]

once i start breeding i am definately wanting to band them in some fashion. the ones i have now might get banded eventually, but they are my first flock...gonna be my layer flock at first so im not rushing that just yet. still need some dark browns to add to that group....ugh, DW is gonna kill me!!

@Little Wing - Let me know when you start working with BCM's again. would love some of those. not a huge fan of the Cukoos though....just look like dirty BR's IMO

 

[Kilsharion]

lol.. they do look really big on little chicks.. wonder what he would say if he saw them on day olds!


yeah.. not much of a chance for them to be ripped out (though anything CAN happen).. there is less risk of the chick growing too big and having them cut off circulation like they can with a leg band

they CAN be removed.. but it's not recommended since it's a lot like a piercing.. and you would have to cut the band off.. which usually tears the hole where it goes through the wing webbing

I like the fact they are permanent.. and that I can choose my numbers.. so I can keep detailed records of each bird

Exactly. You can take the numbers up to five digits. And, if you want, you can engrave them. So, if I didn't want to change out colours every year, I could just engrave the year number on one side and have the 00001-99999 on the other. But, I like the colouring per year thing.

The temporary leg spirals I am using are for "at a glance" identification. Single band tells me what line they are from (no band = hatchery stock). If they have a secondary band, it tells me they are keepers. No secondary band = eventually going to freezer camp. Makes it easy for Mike to know who I'm intending to keep and who I'm not. Of course, that's assuming the band doesn't come off

 

[Cockle-Dood]

i was imagining that same kinda system. left leg is going to be the year, and right legs were going to individuals...and no bands were doomed....just havent gotten around to all that yet. i just barely got them out side this weekend, so its all coming together! just gotta hammer out my system.


i have a question: a good foraging, but can handle confinement bantam....what are some options on that scale? i want these for a type of weedeater...will move their pen around my yard to help with ants, and to help spread the dogs waste and what not....does this idea seem feasable?

 

[adstoffels]

I

Please be careful.  My young ones loved roosting on the top of their run (a converted dog kennel).  I would go out and lift them down during the night because they tended to  wake up and jump down on the outside.  Unfortunately, they did it a few too many times and my dogs caught on.  I lost a beautiful rooster and two little pullets.  Stupid me.  I did it again the next year.  It's easy to forget how high they can get when they are little and they love to roost on the highest spot they can reach.  Maybe you can run some netting or screening from the top of the fence over the coop.  That way they can be safe and keep their cool roost.

I got her down right after the picture. This morning before sunrise I went to check on them and she was on the roosting bars IN the coop like a sweet hen. she scared me but hopefully she won't get up there again

 

[adstoffels]

I

I put them on while they're in the brooder.  Some, I hear, put them on at day one.  It is just a brief pinch and then that's it.  I haven't been able to bring myself to do it at day one.  Matter of fact, I have to spend some time chasing birds and finishing up banding the ones we just put in the outside coop.  I was lazy about it this time around


Awesome!! And, even better - mine are dark green, so not mistaking them At least, this year anyway.  Next year, you may need to start reading the engraving when we do swaps LOL





It is cute.  The Guineas especially keep an eye out.  They are always looking out over the window sills to see who/what is out there.  We were worried that the cheeping all night long might draw predators....never even considered the rabbits being the ones we'd be worried about this morning.


Mike tossed it in iced salt water.  It's how his mother has done it for years and how he's done it in the past.  Apparently, that's how she handled processing a ton of meat at once, back in the day.

Told him to pull it out in a bit and put it in the fridge for the rest of the day (I need to call and be sure he remembered to pull it out of the water).


Yeah - they dug out.  Tiny hole, too.  **shakes head**  Teaches you to never put off something you realize needs doing.  And, mini swamp coolers.  Want me to write up how to make one?  Not too difficult. Solar powered.

. I would love to know how to do that. Would come in handy this summer

 

[Kilsharion]

Ok - will write up a quick how to on a mini-swamp cooler.

And, I so wish google maps would keep treasure mode after April Fools is over...this rocks.

 

[Cockle-Dood]

Just had IT dept come by my desk and ask me about my internet usage...our stupid blocking software deems it important to block all the adds on BYC every time i go to a different page. so IT comes by asking me why i am consistantly attempting to go to pages that are blocked!! I laughed at him and told its my chicken website man! he seemed utterly and completely confused that anyone would be looking at a chicken website enough that the system notifed them to check me! I thought it was pretty funnny!!!