The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[loanwizard]

For those of you that "call" your birds.... Do you think that would work with 150 12 week old meat birds? That is a lot of time coddling them

 

[Mumsy]

I call the birds and reach down and pick them up. I do this often, because, I examine my birds often. Some more than others. I have a harder time with catching cockerels. I never chase my birds. If I want them somewhere I just go there and call, they all come. They are trained from early on to come when called. Sometimes I leave for the day and if predators have been spotted recently, they get locked up when I leave. My birds are weird and nosy too. If they are in the woods and I go into the barn to clean.. they come running home to bother me.

I have the same technique and my small flock behaves in the same way. If they hear me in a closed off part of the yards or gardens, they come running to the gate and act like begging dogs. I can call them no matter where I am and they come running. I start when they are hatching in the incubator that my voice is the voice of God. (no disrespect or implied reference to religion).

I use a huge salmon net for emergencies. This is rarely but sometimes I need to grab a bird in a big hurry and I have become very adept with that net. Swing, swoop, up, done. Warning with this method: The net can and has caused injury to the large combs of roosters. And a full grown large rooster is heavy at the end of a net. That's why for me it's only when there is no time to waste.

 

[delisha]

For those of you that "call" your birds.... Do you think that would work with 150 12 week old meat birds? That is a lot of time coddling them

yup..do it with my meaties too. they are worse than the layers. I have a hard time walking in the meatie fence. They are ridicules. They do not forage very far. They are afraid they might miss a meal. They just have to have a view of the back door just in case someone might be bringing them some food.

 

[delisha]

I think the biggest thing is that I do not free feed. When I do bring feed, I always call even if they are waiting right at the food area, I still talk and call. When they see that bucket coming they are like a kid in a candy store. They can have full crops from forging but they love routine. During this time of year it is easy for me. I do not have meaties. My meatie house is empty. I like it. I will be setting up the incubator and starting hatch probably in March for my first batch. April I need the bator for my show stock.I will probably do 5 batches early this year and see how it goes by July to see how many I need to do for late year.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I think the biggest thing is that I do not free feed. When I do bring feed, I always call even if they are waiting right at the food area, I still talk and call. When they see that bucket coming they are like a kid in a candy store. They can have full crops from forging but they love routine. During this time of year it is easy for me. I do not have meaties. My meatie house is empty. I like it. I will be setting up the incubator and starting hatch probably in March for my first batch. April I need the bator for my show stock.I will probably do 5 batches early this year and see how it goes by July to see how many I need to do for late year.

Do you sell meat or do them just for your own family?

 

[Marengoite]

I have never before eaten a bird that just dropped dead. I'm going to run it by my wife 1st. I know he was perfectly healthy yesterday. Still a little torn an what do do. Butcher or just incinerate him. I don't know. I'll think on it and see if anyone here has any feedback.

Personally, I'd never eat a bird that dies on it's own. But that's just me.

However, not one to waste it, it does go into dog and cat food.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I sell them at 7 mile fair

 

[Ashdoes]

Since the first day my chicks arrived I said "chick chick chick" anytime I walked anywhere near them. now if I need them to go into the run I just yell that, and every one of them come running. I also say it anytime I have a treat for them. It takes me less then two minutes to get them all in one place.

 

[Marengoite]

Stony, my dead birds go to the hogs.... I guess in my world it is good enough for them. Might be wrong, but I have done a lot of wrong in my life, this is just minor. I have also been castigated for tossing old food with a little mold out to the chickens/hogs......

OK.... We've discussed everything else, how about how you catch chickens? I was praised for being quick..... I thank you, but I don't necessarily think I am fast, just that when I am catching Rangers, I am usually running late to get to the processors farm, although why I worry about that is beyond me as we usually talk for literally hours after we unload.

1st thing I do is grab my loincloth..... Ooops, wrong conversation..... I have seen those broomstick with a hooked wire things and have wandered if they would be faster or slower than by hand.

I first shut off the electric. Then I get in with them and sternly announce that I am going to get them, it is just a matter of time and the ones I get first are promised better seating. Hey, I'm a car salesman. I usually get the fat ones by the feeder first because.... well because they remind me of kids sitting around playing video games eating chips and would rather reward the ones running around getting exercise.

The technical part of catching them in full daylight is to move withe a purpose and to shoo a certain group to a certain area. We will use fence corners as an example. I can only carry about 8 at a time but when they are moving I am aiming at 2- 4, most often 3 per trip to the trailer. I shoo them to where it is less likely they get away then as I slow down, my hand shoots out grabbing for legs. You have to be quick, sure, and purposeful. The grab doesn't have to be perfect, you just have to control one foot, you can add the other one as you are carrying. I think the reason a lot of people may be a little slower, through observance of the kids is they are deathly afraid those fat birds are going to peck them and hurt them. After catching nearly 1000 birds, I have never had one peck me and draw blood or even cause pain. That said, I am a fisherman and regularly put my hands in the mouth of catfish up to 70 lbs, and when they clamp down, they CAN hurt. Some of these fish crush clamshells to eat. I have also noodled or handfished, so the fear of that is gone. Besides, as I stated before I am usually behind and that makes me irritable which stifles the emotions and feelings of pain, sadness melancholy.... It is a job that needs to be done quickly and efficiently.

I think the fear of the pecker causes people to hesitate, which slows them and they miss the bird.

How do YOU catch your birds?

Shawn
aka Loanwizard/Lionwizard/Loinwizard

Shawn,

First off, to your quote. Here's the version I taught my son before turning him loose with his own rubber worms for bass fishing: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day." Since you're a handfisherman, the revised revised version is, "Teach a man to fish and he'll tell lies all day."

So about that 70# cat you claim to have caught....

Oh, wait, this is "OT welcome" and it doesn't stand for "off topic" welcome....

I concur - slow herd to the corner, quick snatch and grab for the legs. I have a Barred rock cockerel who likes to chase the neighbor children and spur them when he can. The upside is that I don't have to worry about children wanting to get in the chicken pen. Interestingly, he NEVER makes a charge at me. Won't even raise his hackles. I taught my 13 year old (at the time) why this was. Whenever the bird would make a threat gesture, I told him to make a grab for the legs, heave him up, and carry him around for a while. The other thing was, the bird was running away, to grab for the base of the neck and hold him down, maybe pinch the comb a bit (and don't be gentle about it either). Both of these are chicken dominance behaviors and the message really sinks in.

Glad you mentioned turn off the fence first. If anyone turns if off second the first time they try this, they'll definitely turn it off first the next time they try it. Experience is the best teacher and fools learn by no other.

rick

 

[chickencowranch]

Quote:
Wow. They look horrible. I feel sorry for them all.