Washingtonians

[cheryl98117]

You know... If it wasnt for the news. I wouldn't know that alot of places are flooding... In the past 3 days I have personally seen a slight drizzle... Just enough to dampen the ground. So I keep asking, what rain?

lol Sorry to those of you who are flooded out. But oh so glad that I live where I do. We have our own little rain shadow here from the Olympics, and then Green Mt. to the south of us. Not bragging, just sayin. So if it gets to bad, you all can pack up and cram into my little home if needed!

And yes CL I do know that my house is HUGE compared to your little cozy barn!

 

[KMHunter]

I just drove out to Monroe, through Duvall and it was fine. No flooding yet. The rivers are pretty high, but not at flood stage yet. I think if it rained a lot more it could happen, but it has stopped for now.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Quote:
LOL! I know what you mean...trying to find females,.. but as a seller I'm sure you've seen the other side too... people wanting only females and no males. I get it all the time with silkies- people wanting 2, 3, 4, or more silkie pullets but NO males. I finally started charging almost the same amount for pairs as I do pullets (in pet and breeder quality birds) as I get sick of butchering and get sick of eating chicken, chicken, chicken! That, and butchering bantams is no fun... almost the same amount of work and not as much meat. That and I have a hard time getting my hands inside the cavity to pull the guts out, but I'm not as fast at deboning as I'd like. It takes me a bit to get the breast meat off.

I have ended up giving several cockerels away to 4-h kids who were showing birds that weren't as nice as the sale birds I had to choose from. Benefits me in two ways a) warm and fuzzy from happy kid with a stock upgrade b) find a good home for a cockerel.

I'm a seller too but also a buyer and I totally understand wanting only females from both sides. Males are a dime a dozen. I occasionally will be looking for a replacement breeding roo but really, how many roos does one person need? Certainly not in the same numbers as the females. Males are surplus. I either give them away to people who process or auction. It's their fate. We can always hope they'll be worth something to somebody but the chances are slim. It's only what the market will bear which ain't much. Ha, can't imagine processing a Bantam. It does hardly seem worth it.

 

[lobojoe]

I live in Covington in between Kent and Black Diamond and I raise chickens, pheasants, quail, and peacocks. I have two incubators that run 7 days a week year round so I allways have something hatching out. You can almost always find me at the Sales Pavilion on Saturdays selling and bying eggs and birds. I'm glad to see their is this thread for people of Washington to post comments and questions on. Before finding this thread I started a facebook site on raising ornamental pheasants, quail and peacocks to help share what I have learned as I could not find anyone or any good information on doing it. I hope all of you will be able to tutor me along as I will be more than willing to share what knowledge I know....look me up on face book under ornimental pheasants (I know its spelled wrong but its a inside joke...just say it slow and you will figure it out)

 

[DIYSeattle]

If you skin them bantams take only a minute to clean. Its not any more work than cleaning quail, and you get more mat than a quail. I guess its all about perspective. I dont mind cleaning quail or bantams. If you take shears on the quail and cut along the side of the backbone you can open them easily and remove the viscera. I ahvent tried it bantams yet though but theiur ribs might be too hard to cut with simple shears like used for quail.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Ooh, the shears is a great idea!! I always dread butchering bantams because it takes almost as long as a large fowl bird, due to how long it takes to gut them, but that would cut down on it alot!!!

 

[cheryl98117]

Quote:
Hello and

 

[cheryl98117]

So my little girl is trying to learn how to use chop sticks! lol Im eating a spicey dish, and I keep telling her its hot, will burn her mouth... And she keeps trying to pick pieces up to eat... Should I let her try it, or keep fighting her off? lol

 

[DIYSeattle]

Ooh, the shears is a great idea

You can use the shears to remove the neck low to the body, the end joint on the wings (unless you are going to fry them), and the feet. Cut the preachers nose off below th etips of the tailfeathers( and if you can cut the vent through at the same time it will help). Then from the opening at the neck witht he neck end pointing up take the shears and cut from the neck opeing to the openeing you cut ewhen taking the tail feathers off along the side of the spine you can open it up and just push the innards out with the tip of the shears and youa re done. I skin my birds, even if I fry them we remove the skin anyway ( its good eating but not so heart heathy). IT only takes a minute or two to do it like that. If you tie one foot from the ceiling or a branch you can make it so much easier to clean and also faster.​

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
You can use the shears to remove the neck low to the body, the end joint on the wings (unless you are going to fry them), and the feet. Cut the preachers nose off below th etips of the tailfeathers( and if you can cut the vent through at the same time it will help). Then from the opening at the neck witht he neck end pointing up take the shears and cut from the neck opeing to the openeing you cut ewhen taking the tail feathers off along the side of the spine you can open it up and just push the innards out with the tip of the shears and youa re done. I skin my birds, even if I fry them we remove the skin anyway ( its good eating but not so heart heathy). IT only takes a minute or two to do it like that. If you tie one foot from the ceiling or a branch you can make it so much easier to clean and also faster.

Thanks for the tips! I usually cut the wings and feet off with a clean pair of branch trimmers. LOL