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[chicknovice123]

I’m afraid re homing can be hard. There are always more boys that are wanted I’m afraid. What I do is advertise them free to good home as soon as I know their sex and hope someone comes along. I won’t take them to the fur and feather auctions as they may end up in unscrupulous hands and I wouldn’t want that for them. If they have not got new homes within 2-3 weeks I cull them. I know it may sound harsh especially after you have spent all that time hatching and rearing them but I know they have had a good home and been well cared for. Then end is quick for them, they don’t end up being used for illegal purposes or have a long slow painful death.
I hope you are able to find homes for your boys

Oh gosh...sorry to be naive but what kind of things do unscrupulous types get up to? Doesn't sound good but it's something I hadn't thought of...

I did think about having to cull before we hatched and realise it might have to be an option. Not keen though!

I hope you don't mind me asking but am wondering - Would I be crazy to think about processing the marans boys for food? I know there wouldn't be a great deal to them but wondering if it might make good use of them? I say this as a vegetarian so this is a difficult topic for me! Just wondering if this is possible if we have to cull. Sorry this is not a great topic but it's something I've been wondering about.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi Kim

Zak is off the bute now thanks for asking and has remained almost completely sound so far although haven't seen him today yet and the bute will just about be out of his system, so tonight might be tell tale. I'm now giving it salt and sugar treatment. Mild saline (using sea salt) flush, pat dry and then a good dollop of my own bees' honey on advice of veterinary nurse. Wound is still very open when he comes in on a night but it was noticeably itchy last night when I was cleaning it up, so that is a good sign.

I'm afraid I have no experience of alfalfa hay but it should be good for Harry as it has more protein than normal grass hay/haylage, so might help build up that top line a bit. Wow, isn't he really gleaming after his bath! I know I said this last year too, but I am so jealous you have access to a wash bay. I couldn't build one even if I had the funds because I have no drains and the surface water already makes the field boggy without adding to it!
My instructor says the side saddle I was looking at on ebay is no good for me or any of my horses..... she thinks it was probably built for a post first world war amputee man and a "monster of a horse" to carry him judging by the length of it! I've found a local lady who hires them, so I'll look at that option again and having spoken to her, she might be able to bring some saddles out to see what will fit..... At least that means I still have my savings to spend on concreting my yard.... just need to find someone who won't charge an arm and a leg to do it!

Anyway, I must crack on and get some more work done. Hope you had a restful weekend.

Best wishes

Barbara

Hi Barabara,

The itching sounds good Hope he stays sounds once the bute is totally out of his system.

I have done a bit more research on the Alfa haylage and as you say it should do Harry some good as long as he will eat it! He’s such a fussy thing with food so who knows. I have given him a little bit in his net tonight mixed in with hay so his gut can adjust. The big reveal will be the morning if it has all gone

Yes I guess we are lucky to have what we have down the yard and it is handy having a washroom with hot water. The farm is actually and old World War Two camp so all drains are in due to most of the buildings being billets with loos in them.

That’s a shame on that saddle not being any good but a good find on the lady who hires I do hope she can fix you up with so you can get more practice in. Speaking of saddles I had the back/Physiotherapy lady out to Harry today and she has recommended a higher wither saddle for him. He was not saddle sore as such but has general old age soreness. As I have such a thick wool numah on at the moment it does not look too bad but is obviously a bit different when I’m sat on him. She said she would recommend a thick numnah any way for shock absorption on his old back. Saddle fitter is coming at the beginning of November so may get them to have a look at him before I change anything. I have found a high wither synthetic Thorowgood at my local equestrian shop but I’m not sure I want to be spending £500 on a new saddle but I also don’t want to make things uncomfortable for Harry. I found one on eBay but it was well old and too wide even though it was high wither and you could not change the gullet in it.
Right now I’m just not sure what to do about it

Weekend was good thanks apart from the weather! It’s been awful here, especially yesterday

Catch you soon,

Kim xx

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Oh gosh...sorry to be naive but what kind of things do unscrupulous types get up to? Doesn't sound good but it's something I hadn't thought of...

I did think about having to cull before we hatched and realise it might have to be an option. Not keen though!

I hope you don't mind me asking but am wondering - Would I be crazy to think about processing the marans boys for food? I know there wouldn't be a great deal to them but wondering if it might make good use of them? I say this as a vegetarian so this is a difficult topic for me! Just wondering if this is possible if we have to cull. Sorry this is not a great topic but it's something I've been wondering about.

Don’t be sorry. I’m afraid some use them for fighting etc and I’m not keen how some people kill them prior to butchering. I’m afraid letting something bleed to death slowly is not for me. No it’s not something I’m keen on either and I have to say I’ve bottled it a few times and let Scott or Charlie shoot them. They have gone out as fox bait then. The day old male chicks from some sex linked that I hatched was the worst for me. To be quite honest I’ve not hatched any of those since.

No you are not mad to think about processing them for food. As you say there may not be much on them but they will be put to good use. @rebrascora does this with her boys and I’m sure she will be able to help you more on it.
Not sure how you would feel about it but there is always the meat bird section you could check out.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/meat-birds-etc.21/

 

[chicknovice123]

Don’t be sorry. I’m afraid some use them for fighting etc and I’m not keen how some people kill them prior to butchering. I’m afraid letting something bleed to death slowly is not for me. No it’s not something I’m keen on either and I have to say I’ve bottled it a few times and let Scott or Charlie shoot them. They have gone out as fox bait then. The day old male chicks from some sex linked that I hatched was the worst for me. To be quite honest I’ve not hatched any of those since.

No you are not mad to think about processing them for food. As you say there may not be much on them but they will be put to good use. @rebrascora does this with her boys and I’m sure she will be able to help you more on it.
Not sure how you would feel about it but there is always the meat bird section you could check out.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/meat-birds-etc.21/

Thanks for this info, it's really useful. I might message rebrascora in a few weeks then. I had a quick look at the meat birds threads but felt a bit too intimidated and clueless to know what to ask! think I'll put my head back in the sand for a couple more weeks

 

[boskelli1571]

Oh gosh...sorry to be naive but what kind of things do unscrupulous types get up to? Doesn't sound good but it's something I hadn't thought of...

I did think about having to cull before we hatched and realise it might have to be an option. Not keen though!

I hope you don't mind me asking but am wondering - Would I be crazy to think about processing the marans boys for food? I know there wouldn't be a great deal to them but wondering if it might make good use of them? I say this as a vegetarian so this is a difficult topic for me! Just wondering if this is possible if we have to cull. Sorry this is not a great topic but it's something I've been wondering about.

Here in the US cock-fighting is alive and well, despite being illegal. Folks who advertise their roosters as 'free to a good home' can unwittingly condemn the birds to fight bait..
How old are your Marans? If you are thinking of dog/cat food, it certainly is an excellent 'recycling' use. I know you are vegetarian, but if you are thinking people food, I would be inclined to wait until the bird weighs at least 4 lb - heavier is better. You probably don't care but roosters make great stew/soup after brining and a date with the pressure cooker....

 

[rebrascora]

Thanks for this info, it's really useful. I might message rebrascora in a few weeks then. I had a quick look at the meat birds threads but felt a bit too intimidated and clueless to know what to ask! think I'll put my head back in the sand for a couple more weeks

Feel free to ask away when you are ready. I am still not comfortable with the process.... it's the killing part that is so emotionally difficult.... but once they start terrorising my hens and pullets it's a little easier to make the decision to deal with them. I use the broom shank method. If you are culling for food, either human or pet, or even chicken food (an animal protein boost at this time of year when they are moulting is always welcome, gross as it seems) 15-20 weeks is the time. They take ages to put on much weight after that and the connective tissue becomes pretty tough. They will look very scrawny compared to supermarket chicken, but I refuse to waste their lives, so they get processed. Usually they go in the slow cooker until the meat drops off the bone. Livers get frozen until I have enough to make pate, other offal goes back to the chickens raw.... they love the lungs and spleen. I even catch as much blood as I can, not that there is much and mix some of their pellets into it. Heart, gizzard, feet and sometimes combs (I know ), go into the slow cooker with the carcass to make broth. I try not to waste anything and they all help make great stock. The chickens get to pick through the cooked carcass once the meat has been removed
It took me quite a while to get to this level of processing, so don't feel intimidated by it. It is about gaining experience and getting comfortable with it. We have lost so much of this knowledge of our previous generations due to modern life, but don't feel that it is a backward step in learning to do this. There are people in factories and abattoirs who do much of this stuff every day of their lives, so that we can eat meat and our pets have food. I think everyone could benefit from the experience, so they have a greater appreciation for their food and what is involved.

As you can probably tell, it is something I feel quite passionate about....Now stepping down off my soap box

 

[rebrascora]

@Yorkshire Coop

Morning Kim

What was the taste test result with Harry? Has he given the alfalfa his seal of approval?
Pleased to report that Zak seems to be continuing his recovery without the bute. The wound is really open and quite deep since the vet opened it up.... probably more just swollen on the outside making it appear deeper. I don't know if she didn't put enough stitches in or one of them has pulled through but it really is gaping. Ian is concerned that it is going to leave a significant scar but I'll just be happy that it heals. I will start using Camrosa on it once it gets a bit more healed to try to prevent too mcuh scar tissue but in the mean time my honey is hopefully doing the trick. I am going to have to raid my hives to get some more at the rate we are going through it! Bees will not be impressed!

 

[chicknovice123]

Feel free to ask away when you are ready. I am still not comfortable with the process.... it's the killing part that is so emotionally difficult.... but once they start terrorising my hens and pullets it's a little easier to make the decision to deal with them. I use the broom shank method. If you are culling for food, either human or pet, or even chicken food (an animal protein boost at this time of year when they are moulting is always welcome, gross as it seems) 15-20 weeks is the time. They take ages to put on much weight after that and the connective tissue becomes pretty tough. They will look very scrawny compared to supermarket chicken, but I refuse to waste their lives, so they get processed. Usually they go in the slow cooker until the meat drops off the bone. Livers get frozen until I have enough to make pate, other offal goes back to the chickens raw.... they love the lungs and spleen. I even catch as much blood as I can, not that there is much and mix some of their pellets into it. Heart, gizzard, feet and sometimes combs (I know ), go into the slow cooker with the carcass to make broth. I try not to waste anything and they all help make great stock. The chickens get to pick through the cooked carcass once the meat has been removed
It took me quite a while to get to this level of processing, so don't feel intimidated by it. It is about gaining experience and getting comfortable with it. We have lost so much of this knowledge of our previous generations due to modern life, but don't feel that it is a backward step in learning to do this. There are people in factories and abattoirs who do much of this stuff every day of their lives, so that we can eat meat and our pets have food. I think everyone could benefit from the experience, so they have a greater appreciation for their food and what is involved.

As you can probably tell, it is something I feel quite passionate about....Now stepping down off my soap box

Wow, thanks for all this rebrascora, I'll definitely be in touch. Mine are just turned 14 weeks now. I was kind of thinking to wait until I see behaviour like you mention to make the decision a bit easier but I'll keep 20 weeks in mind.

I'm impressed with your level of usage! I'll be honest and say that in the first instance I won't be managing that extent - I'm used to chopping up whole supermarket chickens for the kids meals but I think I'll struggle with offal at the moment. Like you say, though, I think as you get more experience it's something that might follow. I'm in total agreement with what you say about these skills being lost in modern life. Tbh without wanting to bang on about veggieness, that was one of the reasons I gave up meat 20 odd years ago - being so far removed from the actual animals and processes of producing meat. Not sure this will change my diet now but you never know! Thanks so much for the info and I'll send you a message in a few weeks.

 

[rebrascora]

@chicknovice123

I'll be honest and say that in the first instance I won't be managing that extent -

Yes please don't feel like you have to go the whole hog first time. It has been a slow and steady process to get to the stage I am at now. Don't set yourself too daunting a task the first time. Make it as basic and easy as possible. I would recommend just doing one and give yourself at least a week to recover mentally/emotionally before the next one. I also prefer to distance myself from it a little by freezing it before I eat it. I appreciate that you will probably not be eating it yourself. Be aware that the flavour is a little different and the children may not like it. As with anything that does not taste quite as you expect it to, it can take time and the will to acquire a taste for it. Also, the texture will be tougher. Supermarket chicken is usually 8 weeks old 10 at most and they are fairly sedentary birds. Your surplus cockerels are twice that age and running around, so the meat and sinew is much stronger and slow cooking is the best option and they need to be left to rest in the fridge for a few days before freezing or cooking.

Portioning it up is easier than trying to dress it out whole and I bought some cheap garden secateurs that I keep specifically for butchering chickens rather than spend a fortune on proper poultry shears.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@rebrascora

Hi Barbara,

I’m pleased to report he has given it his seal of approval There was not a scrap left this morning when I went down first thing. I have to say that the alfalfa haylage looks totally horrible and I didn’t think he would eat it. Tracey did say to me though they tend to love it even though it looks totally unappealing to us. She was right and it’s all gone! So I’ve made him another net up of that and hay mixed together. I do so hope it helps him with some topline and I’m going to start a new work plan with him. I’m going to def ride twice per week and lunge twice per week with a Harbridge on. I’ve just ordered one, a new roller and a new lunge line. I’ve always borrowed from other folk so thought it time to sort myself out. I’m hoping with the Harbridge on loose it will just help that little bit to get his head down and working through his back and quarters. I know it seems a bit late in his life to start this or at least to be doing it more regular but I just don’t want him to drop off all together. Having read lots and spoke to a few folk with older horses I’m hoping I’m doing the right thing to keep him going. I’m not going to hammer him but some light more regular work should help those muscles and joints supple and moving. Well that’s what I’m hoping for but him getting old is bothering me a lot.

Oh your poor bee’s but the honey is going to a good cause to get Zak better. I too would be like you and think bananas to what it looks like as long as it heals up. I’m guessing Ian is thinking about scarring regarding showing him?

I’m glad I finally got this posted to you as it’s my third attempt since this morning!

Catch you soon

Kim xx