Thinking of trying an experiment.

[Mrs. K]

best wishes for your family wedding!

 

[bobbi-j]

Thank you! Once this one is over, we'll have them all married off. (3 sons)

So, I may have changed my plans for butchering already. I hefted all the cockerels tonight, and they just really don't have much to them. From what I can tell, I have two Australorps, two Buff Rocks, one White Giant, one SLW, one NN, one generic red one, and one meat-type. Of course, the meat-type has some meat on him, but the rest just feel... scrawny. Granted, they've been free ranging since they were about 6 weeks old, but they've also had feed available. So, I may separate them out tomorrow and put them in a bachelor/grow-out pen for a few weeks and feed them a good grower. I hope they'll put on a little more meat in that time. If not, then next time I know - lock them up sooner.

 

[Folly's place]

Best wishes! my cockrels are also getting 'busy' and offending the pullets, but have learned to avoid the hens. It is funny to see the little bantam boys chasing the big cockrels who aren't very 'manly' yet!

 

[aart]

Good idea to fatten them up some.

I have no cockerel issues this year, gave them all away weeks ago...nice....
BUT, I still have too many birds, pullets are maturing(17wks and a couple are reddening up) and am seeing some posturing amongst them all.
Pullets are squabbling, checking out nests and annoying the hens, Woody seems to be turned down by hens, lots of hormones flowing out there.

Happy Wedding Day!

 

[bobbi-j]

Good idea to fatten them up some.

I have no cockerel issues this year, gave them all away weeks ago...nice....
BUT, I still have too many birds, pullets are maturing(17wks and a couple are reddening up) and am seeing some posturing amongst them all.
Pullets are squabbling, checking out nests and annoying the hens, Woody seems to be turned down by hens, lots of hormones flowing out there.

Happy Wedding Day!

Sounds like a house full of teenagers...

 

[aart]

Quote: Indeed.... I call the pullets the Punks.....always cavorting around, mock (maybe) battle skirmishes, that crouched zooming or flying in mad dashes.

 

[bobbi-j]

Got my cockerels moved tonight. Turns out I have 10 of them, 3 of them being Buff Rocks. I carried them one by one from one coop to the other - about 100' or so. As I was carrying them, I had a better chance to gauge their weight, feel around keel bones and feel drumsticks. If I were to go by weight alone, not worrying about personality, I'd keep the White Giant and the largest of the Buff Rocks. Their keel bones weren't quite to prominent and it felt like there was a bit of meat there. Drumsticks are all puny, but that's to be expected. If I wanted a small turkey, I'd have gotten Cornish X. The meat-type rooster was obviously the heaviest and meatiest, but I just can't make myself keep him. Being bred as a meat bird, I don't think he'd be long-lived anyway. Too bad, as I think he's the prettiest. He will definitely be processed as a freezer bird. The rest will likely be canned, as I have a few whole chickens left in the freezer from last time we processed. While I like grilled or roasted chicken, I prefer to just grab a jar out of the pantry and use that.

Other observation from the coop: Looks like mama hen has decided that it's time for her baby to learn some independence. She was roosting in the rafters while he (pretty sure it's a boy) was on the floor with the rest of the floor-sleepers.

 

[aart]

Ahh.... and peace will reign.....or at least more peaceful.

I wish I had your meat canning abilities and equipment.

 

[bobbi-j]

Ahh.... and peace will reign.....or at least more peaceful.

I wish I had your meat canning abilities and equipment.

If you can get the equipment, you certainly can do it. It doesn't take much for ability - just read the directions that come with the canner.

 

[bobbi-j]

So tonight I was out and about around 8:20, so I decided to check on the birds to see if they were getting close to going in for the night. Lo and behold! My hens and pullets had gone in the coop a full hour before they normally do! Could this be because they don't have a bunch of cockerels chasing them around in there, making their lives miserable? It was so quiet on the farm today, too. No upset females squawking and begawking, and no crowing contests out of the males. No crowing at all. (I kind of miss it. I love to hear them crow!) Also, when locking them up tonight, I saw that Mama hen had her baby roosting with her in the rafters! I have no idea how he got up there - that would have been fun to see.