The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

The goats browsing this morning while I'm trying to take some photos of the birds. They love to show off lol

Just heard from our neighbours. They have been on their deck every morning. Oh geez...

But good news: They love them! They said they wanted to feed them apples and wanted to know if it was okay. I said you are asking for them to be over there all the time by feeding them, so as long as you know that...

 

[BlueMouse]

Well.... we butchered for the first time this morning. seven birds. one got a stay of exocution because it's so puny that I think it needs a few more weeks. It went pretty well. My DH did the killing, I helped with the first couple until he got it down, then he was killing and I was processing. Evidently he has a strong aversion to eviscerating things? Not me, I have no problem dealing with them once they're safely dead. We both plucked. I looked up older posts from Delisha and mumsy and followed their instructions for the dunking. I tell you what, you get them scalded right and the feathers really DO just wipe off. We started with the three guineas, and that made it easier, it was easier to judge the cut on them because they have no neck feathers. We still botched the first one. Felt terrible, but quickly made the second cut and I don't believe that it really suffered. It was very educational as a whole. I didn't like doing it, but, as my husband pointed out, we do eat meat, and these birds had a better life and death than any bird we can buy at the store. I will feel good about feeding my family this meat.

Now for the downside. I haven't weighed any of the birds yet. they're "resting" in the fridge, and I figure I will vacuum pack and weight them on monday before I freeze them. But they looked aweful puny. by heft they're all right about five pounds, which seems little for a broiler. and we waited until almost 12 weeks to butcher. Unfortunately I didn't keep exact track of how much these guys ate. They've been eating out of the same ferment bucket as the turkeys and guineas, so I'm not precisely sure who ate how much of what. They obviously weren't starving, they had some fat around their organs and some fat deposis under their skins. But it didn't seem excessive to me for a broiler. certainly less than half of the fat that you would see on a supermarket chicken. I think with this next batch I'm going to try feeding them more when they're younger, and then cutting back as they get older. I wish that I had enough range for all for them to just free range. That would make it so easy. I'd just treat these guys like my layers, they get a couple scoops at night to sweeten the pot coming in, and that's it. I guess in some ways this is a process of tril and error. In which case, this wasn't a 100% sucess, but neither was it a failure. Over all for a first time I'm fairly pleased. Just ordered a larger batch of meat chicks which should arrive early next week. I've frozen all the hearts/livers/gizzards from this batch to feed those chicks. we'll tweak our management some, and see how our results vary!

 

[aoxa]

Well.... we butchered for the first time this morning. seven birds. one got a stay of exocution because it's so puny that I think it needs a few more weeks. It went pretty well. My DH did the killing, I helped with the first couple until he got it down, then he was killing and I was processing. Evidently he has a strong aversion to eviscerating things? Not me, I have no problem dealing with them once they're safely dead. We both plucked. I looked up older posts from Delisha and mumsy and followed their instructions for the dunking. I tell you what, you get them scalded right and the feathers really DO just wipe off. We started with the three guineas, and that made it easier, it was easier to judge the cut on them because they have no neck feathers. We still botched the first one. Felt terrible, but quickly made the second cut and I don't believe that it really suffered. It was very educational as a whole. I didn't like doing it, but, as my husband pointed out, we do eat meat, and these birds had a better life and death than any bird we can buy at the store. I will feel good about feeding my family this meat.

Now for the downside. I haven't weighed any of the birds yet. they're "resting" in the fridge, and I figure I will vacuum pack and weight them on monday before I freeze them. But they looked aweful puny. by heft they're all right about five pounds, which seems little for a broiler. and we waited until almost 12 weeks to butcher. Unfortunately I didn't keep exact track of how much these guys ate. They've been eating out of the same ferment bucket as the turkeys and guineas, so I'm not precisely sure who ate how much of what. They obviously weren't starving, they had some fat around their organs and some fat deposis under their skins. But it didn't seem excessive to me for a broiler. certainly less than half of the fat that you would see on a supermarket chicken. I think with this next batch I'm going to try feeding them more when they're younger, and then cutting back as they get older. I wish that I had enough range for all for them to just free range. That would make it so easy. I'd just treat these guys like my layers, they get a couple scoops at night to sweeten the pot coming in, and that's it. I guess in some ways this is a process of tril and error. In which case, this wasn't a 100% sucess, but neither was it a failure. Over all for a first time I'm fairly pleased. Just ordered a larger batch of meat chicks which should arrive early next week. I've frozen all the hearts/livers/gizzards from this batch to feed those chicks. we'll tweak our management some, and see how our results vary!

Can we see some pictures of them alive? I would like to compare them to my own. Mine feel about 4 - 5 pounds now alive. Definitely. They are HEAVY. I'm going to cut off feed on Monday and have only whole grains like the adults. That will cut protein.

They are eating so fast when I put it down some are gasping for air. It's sad. I don't like watching them eat.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

DH and I put 12 roosters into our freezer today. Once we got into a grove it was not too bad. We had to stop for a late lunch around 3pm and decided it was over for the day. I'm hoping to get more done either tomorrow or next Sat.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

The goats browsing this morning while I'm trying to take some photos of the birds. They love to show off lol

Just heard from our neighbours. They have been on their deck every morning. Oh geez...

But good news: They love them! They said they wanted to feed them apples and wanted to know if it was okay. I said you are asking for them to be over there all the time by feeding them, so as long as you know that...

I love them!

 

[Leahs Mom]

DH and I put 12 roosters into our freezer today. Once we got into a grove it was not too bad. We had to stop for a late lunch around 3pm and decided it was over for the day. I'm hoping to get more done either tomorrow or next Sat.

That's a lot of roosters! How old were they?

 

[aoxa]

Meet Ostrich. Our very slowest to feather out BPR. He cracks me up. I'm hoping this means his barring will be to die for. I have my doubts. I think he will be naked when he is full grown

He's 5 weeks old. Not kidding. Actually 5 weeks, 2 days old to be exact.

 

[delisha]

Quote:

Meet Ostrich. Our very slowest to feather out BPR. He cracks me up. I'm hoping this means his barring will be to die for. I have my doubts. I think he will be naked when he is full grown

He's 5 weeks old. Not kidding. Actually 5 weeks, 2 days old to be exact.

He is going to be spectacular. Those slow feathering heritage breeds have he best patetrns and lacing when they stay naked for a long time.

 

[aoxa]

He is going to be spectacular. Those slow feathering heritage breeds have he best patetrns and lacing when they stay naked for a long time.

I'm counting on it!! He will crack me up with laughter until he finally grows some feathers.





Some of his brothers are much more feathered, though not much still for 5 weeks. They were born right around the same time as the meaties.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I HAVE A BROODY!