The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[RedRidge]

Guineas will have to wait. On the schedule this week is venison and cockerels. ;-)

 

[Leahs Mom]

@RedRidge
Are you able to roast the cockerels or do you have to use them as "stewing" birds?

 

[armorfirelady]

The one dilemma of brooding outside... stupid guineas!
And NO, they are not cold... it's almost 80 degrees here today.

Wow 80 degrees. We made it to 60 today which is warm for us. They are calling for snow for Halloween

 

[RedRidge]

I've roasted up to 11 months old and they are great. These are 7 months old. I have one in the group who is 18 months. I marked him separately - he'll go in the crock pot.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Guineas will have to wait. On the schedule this week is venison and cockerels. ;-)

Roosters are going to get it here soon too. Where do you get your bags? I have been using ziplock freezer bags but the larger roosters don't fit.

 

[RedRidge]

Shrink poultry bags. Love em. I use em for rabbits too.
http://poultryshrinkbags.blogspot.com/?m=1

 

[Turk Raphael]

Roosters are going to get it here soon too. Where do you get your bags? I have been using ziplock freezer bags but the larger roosters don't fit.

We use these. Keeps everything 'fresh for years!

http://www.mylarbags.com/2-gallon-mylar-bags/

 

[RedRidge]

The big birds won't fit in the 2 gal zip locks. A few years ago we used those for some birds that were smaller though and used a vacuum cleaner to vac them

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: Interesting, I'll admit I won't even try these. I am a visual person when it comes to picking food out of my freezer. I need to see it. Other than the beef I have in there, almost everything either has a picture on its packaging or is in clear packing.

The shrinking bags are quite fascinating though.

 

[CoopChick719]

I used the clear, heavy shower curtains from Lowes last year. I also purchased one of the tarps like you're describing but I wanted to be able to see in and them see out so that they could keep predator watch. Those things held up really well and they are rolled up out there still waiting to be used again. The problem I had was that I didn't have any kind of roof - just a "suncloth" type top and I had to keep knocking the snow off of it. It was a LOT of work! But I loved my clear shower curtains.

I zip-tied them to the top of the kennel panels right through the holes that were on the shower curtain for the hangers and bought clips to clip the sides in various intervals.
I'm amazed that they are still useable this year if I use the run. After summer came, I just rolled them up to the top and clipped them in place.

This is what they look like when in use:

I picked up a few shower curtains to try this this winter. Also snagged my sister's old clear shower curtain when she replaced it.

I know we've discussed the bucket mouse traps before here. Has anyone used them successfully?

Don't have a rodent problem, but I expect one when I move them to the barn since it is not as rodent-proof as the hen shed...so I want to preempt!

(Like these)

YES, we have used the bucket successfully at our cabin. ALWAYS have at least 4 mice in it everytime we put it out. I think our maximum was 5 mice. We use peanut butter on the can and water or RV antifreeze in bucket depending on the season. Temps in Northern Maine are often in the negative digits.