The Broiler Chronicles ~ Week 7 : The execution cometh......

[awesomefowl]

He rested overnight...I have him in the oven now with butter, salt and pepper, paprika, and carrots. Mmm.
It sure feels weird to eat an animal you raised from a chick...I am not squeamish nor do I have vegetarian tendencies, but it is a very meaningful experience, especially to a girl who has only lived in the country for less than three years and has only raised chickens for one year!
I did enjoy processing him though. My suburban friends think I am nuts, and my mom thinks its gross, but it was sort of fun.

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

Having read the capon thread, I've been looking over the processed birds differently. After a three month old cockeral played Hide and Seek at bedtime and didn't get put in the house, he froze to death. That'll learn him! I waited until he defrosted in my kitchen and then processed him. Noted Lima Bean sized testicles.

I processed one of his hatchmates last week. This group is now seven months old. Obviously this guy had more meat, but good Lord, the golfballs! I thought I had completely gutted him and went to rinse his insides. Both testicles floated up. Just wow.

Hopefully this gave you a smile. I lost a chicken to a badly placed sheet of plywood one windy day. All I can say is don't make that same mistake again. A vet tech said some place on BYC "Necroposies are your friend." Examine the already dead bird and try to learn something. Forgive yourself for your mistake and do better next time for your remaining birds.

Did the feed store take back the layer feed?

 

[awesomefowl]

I made an A-frame chicken tractor out of some scrap wood, covered it with think plastic to make a sort of chicken greenhouse. It is yucky and wet out side and they spent the night in it.

 

[awesomefowl]

I butchered a limping one on Saturday. Dressed he was about 2.5 lbs, nice and meaty. Can't wait to eat him.
So that brings us down to 12 broilers. I'd imagine they weigh about 5 lbs. I'm thinking to butcher the rest at about 10 weeks since i want large chickens.

 

[NonnasBabies]

We just processed ours Sat. They were 8 weeks old. The largest dressed at 6 lbs 11.1 oz and the smallest 5 lbs 2.2 oz. Good luck with yours!!

 

[awesomefowl]

I'm going to process them next week while my mom is away (she gets grossed out).

 

[homestead tim]

Mine will be 2 weeks old on Monday. Cant believe they grow so fast! I have lost only 1 so far. Had to make a new brooder in their coop because i got 50 for my first time, and they are growing so fast, they out grew my brooders.... i'm not real bright but i will make it work. They are only visiting!

 

[awesomefowl]

Yeah, they do grow fast! I am getting quite sick of them! I have made many mistakes with this batch.