Trials And Tribulations Of Suburban Meat Bird Production

[Sunshine Flock]

I finally clicked through to your discussion and am so glad I did. I have a lot of reading to do here, but gradually I'll work my way through everything.

I'm a few hours from Modesto Milling. It was quite the surprise when I discovered that my local feed store carries organic feed, especially a company milled locally. The price is good for a 50 pound bag. The company that owns Nutrena Organic Layer Feed: not good. I thought Nutrena was my only option in my area. I've been very happy with Modesto, and I love the paper feed bags.

As for raising meat birds, my philosophy (somewhat reluctantly, I must confess) is that if I can't raise or hunt it myself, I shouldn't be eating it. I don't hunt, but this is definitely the lifestyle I'm hoping to pursue.

Thanks for maintaining this discussion. I have loads to learn!

 

[Lookin4GoodLife]

I got a flyer from Tractor Supply today and that Yardbird plucker is on sale for $349. Definitely a good deal! I looked at the web page and it does not show it.... looked back at my flyer and it says "in stores only", so maybe it's just certain participating stores, but if you're in the market for a Yardbird, you might check your local TSC and pull the trigger on one.

 

[Birdinhand]

I got a flyer from Tractor Supply today and that Yardbird plucker is on sale for $349. Definitely a good deal! I looked at the web page and it does not show it.... looked back at my flyer and it says "in stores only", so maybe it's just certain participating stores, but if you're in the market for a Yardbird, you might check your local TSC and pull the trigger on one.

just now seeing this, and wow, that is a deal on a yardbird! you can not build a better plucker yourself for that kind of money, a steal!

 

[Birdinhand]

well, the earth is coming around the sun again, it's going to be spring here in the pacific northwest any minute now and that means it's time to order more CX chicks and ready the brooder and dust off the mother heating pad! Got on Jenk's web site and got my order in for a last day of February hatch, arriving first of March. over the short and mild winter here I had hard wood wood chips laying out under the fruit trees composting and soaking up the good earth probiotics and drawing in the worms and other inverts that chicks love so much. I've raked up a good layer of the chips and dirt and mixed it with a pile of leaves I got from the neighbors. I have no idea why making my own litter makes me so happy, but it does, I guess it's all part of the dovetailing of efforts where the waste from one project becomes the fuel for another project in the turning of the wheel of life. I realized that the making of this "forest floor frenzy" mix is simply the first step in preparing a garden mulch mix. the mix partially pre-composts under the fruit trees so it doesn't lock up the nitrogen for the plants it will eventually feed, then it dries a bit in the coop, gets a good dose of droppings added during it's time as litter which then fuels it up for the insulated joraform tumbler composter which turns it into a rich garden amendment for the veggie beds and fruit trees in about three weeks time.

As i'm preparing the soil and planting garlic and getting the other beds ready I am reminded about the ultimate aim here, the creation of soil that is ideal for the pro-biotic microbes that help plants and animals stay healthy, capable of ideal nutrient absorption whether it be in the micro villi of small intestines of the CX chicks or the fine root branches of plants. somewhere in this A1 layer of soil is a marriage of miracle and science, a veritable alchemy of lowly substances into life giving molecules occurs. a good soil is full of positive microbes, symbiotic to the plants that depend on the soil, they facilitate the transport of nutrients from the soil to the surface of the plant roots where they can be absorbed. just like how good nutrition boosts one's immune system, good absorption of nutrients assures a plant can be strong enough to ward off disease, pests and grow with vigor. humus is where the magic happens, it's the organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms. the result will hopefully be friable soil, a soil that has the crumbly texture ideal for the underground activity that is the foundation of vigorous, tasty plant growth, a texture that is ideal for holding onto water during droughts.

the reason I tend to stay away from chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers is that they can disrupt the balance of good microorganisms, interrupting the role that, for instance, the mycorrhizae perform in the soil. there is concern that residues of these chemicals can even interrupt the balance of lactobacillus in one's gut, effecting nutrient absorption further. I'm happy to use these things when truly needed, but for the most part, I have been able to minimize their use by encouraging symbiosis.

below is a photo of the CX litter I've been preparing over the winter. I'm excited to see how well it works for the chicks and ultimately the garden. It's kind of fun to think how elements of what are pictured here will combine with the sun's energy and turn into the spirals of romanesco broccoli or add glint and flavor to the flesh of the plums and peaches. I remember my father and mother in these ponderings, they planted these seeds.

 

[ChickenManVa.]

Interesting threads . Like you I grew up on a farm , looking for another now . But four years ago in suburbia I ordered 25 of the cornish X from Murray . I definately overfed them . The more I fed them the more they wanted . They were monstrous in size . I had two or three that got so big so fast they couldn't walk . I had to dispatch those early . Most I processed at eight weeks and they were huge . I didn't take a weight on these . But at twelve weeks I processed the last three . The biggest I weighed just the breasts . The two breasts from the one bird were almost seven pounds.......incredible . I wouldn't raise this type again though . They were definately franken birds and it was just to sad to see .

 

[Birdinhand]

Interesting threads . Like you I grew up on a farm , looking for another now . But four years ago in suburbia I ordered 25 of the cornish X from Murray . I definately overfed them . The more I fed them the more they wanted . They were monstrous in size . I had two or three that got so big so fast they couldn't walk . I had to dispatch those early . Most I processed at eight weeks and they were huge . I didn't take a weight on these . But at twelve weeks I processed the last three . The biggest I weighed just the breasts . The two breasts from the one bird were almost seven pounds.......incredible . I wouldn't raise this type again though . They were definately franken birds and it was just to sad to see .

you might want to give the cobb 500 strain of CX a try. having one or two bad goes with CX may not be indicative of what is possible. there are lots of variations and some subtle tweaks can make a big difference.

 

[Sky Hen]

Birdinhand, when you order your chicks do you order them with the additional coccidiosis and salmonella enteritidis vaccines? Thank you so much for all your information on the thread. Your journey makes it easier for us just starting.

 

[Kiki]

Birdinhand, when you order your chicks do you order them with the additional coccidiosis and salmonella enteritidis vaccines? Thank you so much for all your information on the thread. Your journey makes it easier for us just starting.

Just know that there have been many reports right here on BYC of flocks still getting Coccidiosis even with the vaccine. It is not 100% effective.

 

[Birdinhand]

Birdinhand, when you order your chicks do you order them with the additional coccidiosis and salmonella enteritidis vaccines? Thank you so much for all your information on the thread. Your journey makes it easier for us just starting.

I think I went with both on this last order. It's important to find a hatchery that you can trust and so far, I've found Jenks in OR to be high quality and great customer service. while I tend to stay away from GMO's and tend to do things organically, I do not have issue with vaccinating chicks, even if it doesn't eliminate 100% of the risk.

 

[biophiliac]

Hi BIH! I found this while reading about paratyphoid/salmonella on the melbournebirdvet site and immediately thought of you and CSF @Sunshine Flock and Henry. I know it's off topic to this thread but thought you would be interested.

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Birds, however, (unlike mammals) have stem cells in their central nervous system, which gives them the ability to actually regrow damaged areas of brain. When in the joint, the infec
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