White Cornish: Building a Quality, Sustainable Flock for Meat and More.....

[teddyjc]

Did you build this plucker? If so would you share the drawings to build one?
Thanks

 

[Fat Daddy]

Yes I built the plucker.... I never drew any plans thou.... But I did lay out all the major pieces and document the build here......

http://flockinn.com/processing/whiz-bang-chicken-plucker/

I actually used it again this weekend on a dozen Buckeyes that recently found their crow.... Once you use a plucker, you'll butcher a lot more chickens.....

 

[Cutter Bay]

I am keeping up with your progress. Please keep posting.

 

[Fat Daddy]

The oldest cornish are almost 9 weeks now.... Some of them look really good. The pen "C" hens are sisters. They carry a gene that throws a rusty freckle that eats at me. I have culled that pen. All their off spring are in the meat pens now.... All birds are now out of the brooders and in their respective grow out pens..... The meat bird pens will mostly be butchered young as Large, "Cornish Game Hen" size birds..... I love them spatchcocked at this size. They are amazing on the grill and simple to vac-seal for the freezer... The rest will be evaluated over the summer and culled slowly. I find I end up with better stock in the long run if I spend more time watching/looking, before actually moving birds to the cull pens....

 

[Bigshooter]

Those look great. I want some.

 

[Dave C]

Fine looking birds

What's your plans with the Buckeyes ?

 

[Fat Daddy]

The Buckeyes are a gift from a good friend. I use them as my egg layers. These are just the lastest in the line. He does well at shows around Ok and Ks.... He figures I need good stock for my egg layers. Also likes that in a "worst case" scenario, I would be able to be a back up his line. He would only lose one year of progress in his line.... I do the same with him and my whites.... That way all our eggs are not on one farm, or same state for that matter.... There are three of us that have spread out our lines this way for several years now. I'm in Ks, one is in Mo, and one in Ok.... We get together twice a year at a poultry auction, along with many other friends. To swap stock, eggs, stories, BS, moonshine, dinner, breakfast and this gives us a good excuse.... Below is last years version the Buckeyes.... I hatched right at 40 of these and they are very good birds....

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I can't have the meat birds where I live, but I'm working on my dad. Next spring, I will be raising a flock of meat birds for my family.

...again, this is a great thread.

 

[Fat Daddy]

I can't have the meat birds where I live, but I'm working on my dad. Next spring, I will be raising a flock of meat birds for my family.

...again, this is a great thread.

Thank you...."can't have the meat birds" That's rough! ;-) When most folks hear "cornish", the commercial cornish cross is what comes to mind... In reality they are miles apart... The commercial meat bird gets its build from the cornish. But it ends there.... LF cornish, dark or white, forage well, get along well, and are very mobile, friendly birds... They are a great personality on the farm... I have raised commercial cornish cross as my meat birds in years gone by.... I find no joy in them. IMHO, They are purely a economical source of meat..... I understand money is a factor for folks, understand a lot of folks are restricted to home association agreements and have to keep the people next door happy. But for me, LF cornish are my bird of choice. I have one pen that will turn 10 weeks old soon. I plan to weigh and process a dozen or so this weekend if everything works out. They should be a large "cornish game hen" size bird at this point. They have exactly the same proportions they have as older birds, just smaller. I love to fill the grill with this size bird and invite friends over. Everyone gets a whole bird, grilled golden.... When guests sit down to this, EVERYONE smiles large! Rarely does anyone eat a whole bird, But that's not the point.... Sometimes we need "really good", in excess! Makes one feel good!!!! If I can be of assistance to you, I'd be glad to.... Bill

 

[Fowlfellow]

Fat Daddy this is an excellent thread, love your birds. I had X birds this spring also bought some hatchery dark Cornish. We looked for better quality birds in Louisiana with none to be found also was looking for the white Cornish couldn't find those either. Will continue to watch this thread.