# backyard chickens



## BucksCoBernie (Mar 28, 2010)

I just picked up 2 Buff Orpingtons and 2 Black Australorps pullets yesterday.

from left to right: Dorothy, Blanch, Sophia and Rose (just kidding)

who else has backyard chickens? any tips/ideas?


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## PapaDave (Mar 28, 2010)

The golden girls? WOW. 
Nice chickens. We've still got a couple of Americana's (I think that's what's left). They lay sort of a green/blue egg. 
Our blacks liked to roost in the pine trees next to the garden at night when they were still around.
If you have coyote, fox, or coon around, get them (the chickens) inside a secure enclosure, or they'll be a night time snack for those guys. 
We had a coon come and kill some of ours last year, until I solved the problem.


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## EatenByLimestone (Mar 28, 2010)

I've thought of trying to keep them, but I need to wait until I get the wood piles down and into nice clean stacks.  

Matt


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## BucksCoBernie (Mar 28, 2010)

PapaDave said:
			
		

> The golden girls? WOW.
> Nice chickens. We've still got a couple of Americana's (I think that's what's left). They lay sort of a green/blue egg.
> Our blacks liked to roost in the pine trees next to the garden at night when they were still around.
> If you have coyote, fox, or coon around, get them (the chickens) inside a secure enclosure, or they'll be a night time snack for those guys.
> We had a coon come and kill some of ours last year, until I solved the problem.



It was a last minute purchase so I havent built a house for them yet. They are protected by the dog pen fencing and I put a roof over it to keep the hawks and anything else out. They've taken up residence in a dog house. I lined it with some straw and put a board over the entrance at night to keep them safe. I might just modify the dog house and turn it into a house for them. Ill add a front door and a nesting box. Its plastic so its easy to keep clean. I should start getting eggs in about 9 weeks.


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## dvellone (Mar 28, 2010)

www.backyardchickens.com has some good info as well as forums addressing many chicken-keeping question and concerns. 

If you don't have an outdoor dog you might want to modify the doghouse so you can close them in at night to protect them from predators.


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## Seasoned Oak (Mar 28, 2010)

Thinking about this as you just dont know whats in your food today unless you grow it or raise it yourself. Its not about saving money its about puting all sorts of harmful chemicals in your body. I do know the eggs i get from the amish farmers taste better and have a deep orange yolk compared to the factory eggs from wal-mart.


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## PAJerry (Mar 28, 2010)

We've had them for 2 years now and can't imagine being without them.  Not a lot of work and the eggs are way better than store bought.  Get them some good commercial feed but they also like any kind of weeds, table scraps, etc.  Backyardchickens.com is the best info site.


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## Highbeam (Mar 28, 2010)

PAJerry said:
			
		

> We've had them for 2 years now and can't imagine being without them.  Not a lot of work and the eggs are way better than store bought.  Get them some good commercial feed but they also like any kind of weeds, table scraps, etc.  Backyardchickens.com is the best info site.



Same here. I've had 6 hens for about 3 years now. They do their job. Always plenty of eggs. We have the buf orps and RHode Island Reds.

We were at the feed store yesterday looking at their chick selection. I am about to buy 8-10 more, but this batch will grow for 8 weeks and then go into the freezer. You think eggs are bad, the meat section of your supermarket is filled to the brim with all sorts of antibiotics and hormones. We want to try out the meat chicken thing and see if we like the whole process. 

Chickens are cheap to buy, hens are quiet, cheap to feed, don't take much room, and are very good at converting feed into food.


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## Tom Pencil (Mar 29, 2010)

Been raising chickens for over 30 years.  Not an expert on them but just love to watch them.  Currently have about 35 assorted and in a couple days getting about 30 more chicks for my kids 4H projects.

Currently have...
Black Tailed White Japanese, Black Japanese,  Golden Penciled and Silver Spangled Hamburg, White Polish, Red Laced Cornish, Egyptians and Red, Black, Buff, White and Birchen Cochins.  Majority of what we have are the bantams.  They eat less feed so I can have more of them in the same space as compared to the standard sizes.


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## Bad Wolf (Mar 29, 2010)

Just bought our first 6 chicks today. Three Rhode Island Reds and three Americana's. They're down stairs now in the old Guinea pig cage. Found someone on Craigs list who was giving away some 4x4x6 crates, which will make a cheap coop. 
Between the wood, the garden and the chickens I'm really getting into this sustainable Green living stuff


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## PapaDave (Mar 29, 2010)

BucksCoBernie said:
			
		

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Pretty much how we started. Old dog houses next to a fenced garden. We opened the fencing to allow them access to the garden, and man, they turn the compost pile into finished compost pretty quick. 
We've got some friends who strung wire kind of haphazardly over the top of their chicken pen to keep out the hawks out.


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## SE Iowa (Mar 29, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

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What kind of meat chickens are you going to get?  We tried jumbo cornish last year. What a suprise!  They would habitually eat until their stomachs would swell and they'd "pass-out" and sleep for 20-30 minutes.  Then they would wake up and start all over again.  We bought egg layers at the same time.  You just won't believe how fast they grow on a daily basis.  One word of advise...don't grow them a full 8 weeks.  We raised ours in confinement and figured the meat would be tender.  I butchered them at 8 weeks old and they were beginning to get a little stringy.  Next time I am going to start butchering 1 bird every 2 days after they reach 5 weeks old to see when is the optimal growth time.  The other thing is, that MOST grocery store chicken is sold in packages containing up to 15% salt and flavouring agents (they also often bathe them in papaya enzyme- a meat tenderizer).  One last thing.  Scalding, plucking and cleaning even 12 chickens was a lot more work than I expected.  Good luck!

In the future, when I try this again I also plan to raise the chickens from eggs in incubators.  That way I can hatch out small #'s of birds each week (2-3) in order to have fresh chicken every week.


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## VCBurner (Mar 29, 2010)

> The other thing is, that MOST grocery store chicken is sold in packages containing up to 15% salt and flavouring agents (they also often bathe them in papaya enzyme- a meat tenderizer).


Not to mention hormones, antibiotics, total confinement away from sunlight and the chlorine baths they give the end product in order to sanitize the meat and make it safer for the public.  

Sorry, just had to comment on that!

About the chickens, we raised a flock of 16 chickens we purchased in May of 2008.  By fall of 2009 we had almost 40 birds.  Egg laying hens, roosters, guinea hens, ducks and three goats!  We were in way over our heads.  So I sold all the livestock last fall.  I miss the eggs, around here we were paying ~$12/bag of feed for the hens.  The eggs are not cheap to produce by any means.  By the time you add the cost of the birds plus feed to raise them from chicks you're in by more than you'd spend on eggs.  One thing is for sure though, the eggs are excellent.  As a hobby and to produce good quality eggs for your family it's worth the work and money in my eyes.  But, in my experience it costs more to produce the eggs than you'd pay for in stores.   That being said.  I'd say your best bet is to get a book on raising egg layers that can be purchased in most of the feed stores.  The books I bought were very helpful.  Chickens are fun but can be a lot of work.  I have a coop to finish in the back yard and some fence to enclose an area for a new flock I'll purchase this year.  This time I'll stick to 6-10 chickens just to get some eggs for my family and neighbors who will help take care of the birds when we go away some weekends.  Have fun with your hens, I miss mine!

Worrying about predators is a must if you want to keep those chickens.  We lost quite a few to racoons, foxes, coyotes, hawks and fisher cats.  Chickens can't see at night so are easy pray for the nocturnal hunters.  The hawks also love them.  I'd recommend fencing all around and some even recommend burrying some chiken wire around the base to keep anything from digging their way in!


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## raven (Mar 29, 2010)

Backyard chickens are cool. There really easy to care for . LOL listen to me ....they are the wife,s birds and she cares for em . Her 4 hens has turned into 4 coops and 4 runs, and fridge for nothing but eggs. She lets a different  flock out each day.
The 4 coops and 4 runs are my bad ...... i enjoy the hens being around  but i really like Roosters. Lmao ,like the song says ya gotta keep em separated.They are her hens but the Roosters are mine.We elected to get a batch of silkies to do the hatching they are really broody and actually really tuff little birds. They run free every day and seem to stay away from the other birds.The silkie rooster  can be out with the other roosters,the only time there is trouble is when one of the big roosters is after one of his hens. The silkie has no problem setting any of the other roosters strait.I could go on and on but the bottom line is good feed, shelter and a little care  and let em run free if you can. and enjoy em they are cool.


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## timfromohio (Mar 29, 2010)

I'm in the middle of building a "chicken ark".  We are planning 4 to 6 laying hens this season for eggs.


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## Seasoned Oak (Mar 29, 2010)

VCBurner said:
			
		

> > The other thing is, that MOST grocery store chicken is sold in packages containing up to 15% salt and flavouring agents (they also often bathe them in papaya enzyme- a meat tenderizer).
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> Not to mention hormones, antibiotics, total confinement away from sunlight and the chlorine baths they give the end product in order to sanitize the meat and make it safer for the public.
> ...



=====================
VC 
It ALways cost more to get a better product,  the  chemical loaded chicken and eggs from the grocery store are not worth the few dollars less in exchange for your health.


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## WES999 (Mar 29, 2010)

One question: 
Do the chickens have large talons?  ;-)


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## Highbeam (Mar 29, 2010)

SE Iowa said:
			
		

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Since it's my first run at this I'm getting the standard purpose bred cornish cross which might be marketed as "jumbo". The idea is for rapid growth. Turns out that these things need very little floor space (compared to layers) of 1 SF per bird and the little hair like pin feathers have been bred out of them for easy plucking. I plan to hand pluck the first batch. These goofy birds don't even want to walk around or roost, they just want to eat and grow. 

The articles I have read tell me to feed 24/7 for the first 2-3 weeks and then have feed available for 12 on and 12 off until they're at full weight. The trick is making sure that they don't eat each other after I pull the feed away for the night. I am told to expect a 2:1 conversion of feed to meat so each bird will take on 20 lbs or less of broiler (20%+ protein) feed.

All I have to lose is 6-7 weeks of my spare time and 20 cents a pound for the prebagged feed from the feed store. The birds cost about 2.50 apiece. I'll scald in a borrowed turkey fryer and use a traffic cone for a "kill" cone.

I'll take your advice and weigh them on occasion after 6 weeks to make sure I don't go over the target broiler weight. 

Anybody have any mail order hatcheries that they would recommend? Taking delivery in western WA might be a concern but it seems all mail order chicks are day old and overnight mailed.


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## Highbeam (Mar 29, 2010)

Large talons, maybe. The standard meat chicken batch is straight run males and females but the cornishX isn't interested in fighting with me. They just want to eat. 

Tina, come get some ham!


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## backpack09 (Mar 29, 2010)

I have 7 hens and a couple roosters (anyone want one?)  Easy to take care of, the kids love them.


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## BucksCoBernie (Mar 29, 2010)

WES999 said:
			
		

> One question:
> Do the chickens have large talons?  ;-)



Do they have what?
I don't understand a word you just said. 

hahahaha


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## VCBurner (Mar 29, 2010)

trump said:
			
		

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I agree with you 100%!!  And i quote my own reply: "As a hobby and to produce good quality eggs for your family it's worth the work and money in my eyes."
I just didn't know how much I was going to spend to feed all the poultry I had.  I was spending about 50/month and they were laying way more than I needed.  But it was a good learning experience and I'll do it again this year.


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## Ncountry (Mar 29, 2010)

We have had chickens for a year now. We started out with 3 laying hens and then got 5 chicks , they grew into 3 hens and 2 roosters.These are my 6 year old daughters birds. Gives her some chores(cleaning out coop and collecting eggs) and money from selling eggs to family. As the roosters developed I told her they could get mean and if they did we would have to eat them. She did not really like that idea , they were her pets . Then the days came that the roosters matured and started trying to bully her around . We had chicken for dinner twice last week.


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## mainemac (Mar 30, 2010)

Ncountry said:
			
		

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That is too funny.

Guess they did not learn their lesson but your daughter did.

My neighbor had some egg producers that were fun to watch, I agree the eggs tasted great.

He had a coop but they were let out daily and they just wandered into the woods and one by one the fox or coyote got em.

TOM


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## btuser (Mar 30, 2010)

I would love to have just 3-4 chickens but its not in the cards. Too many predetors for even our small dog to be left outside.  We live in a development that abutts over 5000 acres of reserve in Southern NH.  The last neighbor to try chickens made it 4 weeks before something tossed the yard and got them all.  The oldest cat in the neighborhood is about 2 years old.  Coons, coyotes, foxes, fisher cats, bears, hawks and more hawks.  My wife was walking the dog out back and an immature bald eagle went for our Carrin Terrier on the leash.  She said she heard wings "whoosh whoosh" before she saw it.  The dog just about had a heart attack.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Mar 30, 2010)

btuser said:
			
		

> I would love to have just 3-4 chickens but its not in the cards. Too many predetors for even our small dog to be left outside.  We live in a development that abutts over 5000 acres of reserve in Southern NH.  The last neighbor to try chickens made it 4 weeks before something tossed the yard and got them all.  The oldest cat in the neighborhood is about 2 years old.  Coons, coyotes, foxes, fisher cats, bears, hawks and more hawks.  My wife was walking the dog out back and an immature bald eagle went for our Carrin Terrier on the leash.  She said she heard wings "whoosh whoosh" before she saw it.  The dog just about had a heart attack.



All you need is a fully fortified coop and run.   

There are fox, coyotes, fisher, etc ... that cross our lot all of the time.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Mar 30, 2010)

WES999 said:
			
		

> One question:
> Do the chickens have large talons?  ;-)



They have sharp toenails that can leave a decent scratch, roosters also have spurs that they will use for defense and mating.

Roosters frequently have to be put down because they will even attack their keepers or others.

They also have sharp beaks, so best not get in their face with yours.

But then again that critter in your avatar has sharp teeth and can be a bit on the aggressive side as well.


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## Ncountry (Mar 30, 2010)

mainemac said:
			
		

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    Yes,  she understands where our food comes from . It was not against her wishes that we ate the roosters.After they turned on her, and she had to carry a stick to check the eggs she kept on asking me when we were going to eat them.


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## dvellone (Mar 30, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> Anybody have any mail order hatcheries that they would recommend? Taking delivery in western WA might be a concern but it seems all mail order chicks are day old and overnight mailed.



I've used Murray Mcmurray for quite a few orders of day-old chicks with great success. They're a high quality operation located in Iowa and they ship throughout the country.

The newly hatched chicks can go without food and water for three days or more, and their shipments move fast enough to arrive within this envelope of time.
They guarantee the chicks as well. Last year we had one die for the first time a couple days after the shipment arrived and they credited us without question.


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## Highbeam (Mar 30, 2010)

I shopped several hatcheries including mcmurray's and found that they are way out on delivery dates, like middle of may. So I called my local feed store that has chicks and they are happy to order me a batch of cornishX meat chicks since they don't stock the meat chicks. They need one week lead time, they come from "privet" hatchery in New Mexico, and the price for me is 1.65 per chick. The bad part is that I need to order at least 25!! So like 40$ for the minimum order. Compare that with the other hatcheries that want about 2.50 per bird PLUS 15-20 bucks for shipping and the local guys are making me a better deal. I would like to think that the local guy will also not make me pay for dead chicks should any arrive dead. Honestly, if I didn't want 25 chicks I could, well, "off" the others. I think I may just raise the whole lot and have a major processing party! All plucking is by hand.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Mar 30, 2010)

What tends to happen at this time of the year is that a number of large order farm and feed stores will just about get all of the chicks from certain hatcheries.   

The one I order through normally gets 5,000 chicks for their May chick dates they get slightly fewer for their April and June dates.  The chain itself has multiple stores that order from the same place on differing dates.

They seem to get their birds from MT Healthy.   There may be more than one hatchery involved I just haven't seen any shipping boxes that weren't label MT Healthy.

I have 15 on order for May, all Golden Comet pullets.  

They lay like clock work (they lay a large clutch before skipping a day) , are cold weather hardy, and fairly easy going.


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## kenny chaos (Mar 30, 2010)

I got a call one year that 1000 chicks I ordered were confiscated and destroyed in an airport in Washington State.
I thought I was smart in ordering from a "hatchery" in Pennsylvania which would be close to me and reduce travel time.
I had no idea why the chicks were in Washington.
I found out that most "hatcheries" forward orders to a "super hatchery" in Washington and it;s a big secret.
Mine were held at the airport over a three day weekend and died, that's why they were confiscated and destroyed.

Make your own feed or buy from a small local producer.  The big outfits($) make too many mistakes and cut too many corners.

Weather plays an important part in the final texture of your meat birds.  Some chilly air or hot days will make it tough.
The third week of May to the end of June was the only time frame for super good meat chickens in my area.

Buy layers only once.  Keep a good rooster with them and every spring you'll expand your flock and/or have chicks or pullets for sale along with last years layers to be used or sold as stewing hens.

etc.


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## timfromohio (Mar 30, 2010)

Kenny - you ever order from Meyer hatchery in Ohio?  They supposedly raise all their own - that's where we're getting our birds from.  Fortunately, we can drive down there and pick them up so I guess I'll be able to see for myself if they are the real deal or not!


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## kenny chaos (Mar 30, 2010)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> Kenny - you ever order from Meyer hatchery in Ohio?  They supposedly raise all their own - that's where we're getting our birds from.  Fortunately, we can drive down there and pick them up so I guess I'll be able to see for myself if they are the real deal or not!






Nope.  Been out of it for awhile so I don't know who's who anymore.
You can't beat picking them up.  Could be very educational.
Good luck and enjoy.

PS- Of all the critters you can raise at home, turkeys have the biggest differance in flavor without a doubt.  Raise a couple with your chickens.


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## timfromohio (Mar 31, 2010)

Kenny - I have a friend that raises broilers for his family and they usually do several turkeys a year as well - he says the exact same thing about the turkeys.  I'm hoping next year we can get into meat birds.  This year we're starting with a few laying hens and I'm hoping my wife will warm up to the idea of broilers and turkeys.  Staring out small, just a dozen laying hens.


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## kenny chaos (Mar 31, 2010)

My wife was a city girl.  Alas, I knew she was no more when she 
announced she had a designated t-shirt for when she led the killing crew
on processing day.
The t-shirt was tie-dyed and had that little yellow cartoon canary on it saying "smile."
It was pretty funny.


PS- Ya got poultry, ya got rats.

Start saving egg cartons now.

When considering housing and range, consider the biggest, not the smallest.
The smallest will make them very labor intensive and more costly.  

etc....


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## timfromohio (Mar 31, 2010)

Kenny-thanks for the advice.  I'm hoping that laying hens will serve as the "gateway animal" - once we get into them, it might lead to broilers, some turkeys, and if we ever get to a slightly larger piece of land a hog or two.


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## dvellone (Mar 31, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> I shopped several hatcheries including mcmurray's and found that they are way out on delivery dates, like middle of may. So I called my local feed store that has chicks and they are happy to order me a batch of cornishX meat chicks since they don't stock the meat chicks. They need one week lead time, they come from "privet" hatchery in New Mexico, and the price for me is 1.65 per chick. The bad part is that I need to order at least 25!! So like 40$ for the minimum order. Compare that with the other hatcheries that want about 2.50 per bird PLUS 15-20 bucks for shipping and the local guys are making me a better deal. I would like to think that the local guy will also not make me pay for dead chicks should any arrive dead. Honestly, if I didn't want 25 chicks I could, well, "off" the others. I think I may just raise the whole lot and have a major processing party! All plucking is by hand.



Mcmurray does offer 25 cornish roasters for 46., or 25 jumbo x-rocks for 44.75, but your deal is a bit cheaper per bird and you're right about the shipping costs - I'm paying 22 bucks for my shipment. Plus, the local feed store gets your support. My wife and I raise 25 meat birds at a time and they're not that bad to process once you get a good setup. Instead of one big day of processing we break it up over a couple days.


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## Highbeam (Mar 31, 2010)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> Kenny-thanks for the advice.  I'm hoping that laying hens will serve as the "gateway animal" - once we get into them, it might lead to broilers, some turkeys, and if we ever get to a slightly larger piece of land a hog or two.



Hogs don't take much land, but they stink so bad that you may want the separation to the neighbors. We nearly did hogs last year until I talked to a neighbor FFA girl who had documented costs on raising a couple of weiners. It is very expensive to raise pigs if you don't have a free source of food. 

I've got the green light on 25 chicks so I plan to order here in the next week or so after I arrange housing. With 25 do you need a mechanical plucker solution or is it reasonable to do by hand? I'm not afraid of the work but don't want to spend an our on each bird.


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## timfromohio (Mar 31, 2010)

I've never done it myself but know of two families that raise broilers each year and have had great success with the "Whizbang Plucker" - a guy named Herrick Kimball - has a fantastic blog site entitled "The Deliberate Agrarian" and a little cottage business on the side sellings books/plans for things he has built.  I bought his "Whizbang Cider Press" plans and am very very pleased.  I'd suggest you check him out:

http://whizbangbooks.blogspot.com/


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## kenny chaos (Mar 31, 2010)

A good chicken plucker depends on a good scalder, close doesn't get it.


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## timss13 (Mar 31, 2010)

A funny chicken story. We have 5 hens right now. A few weeks ago, we were putting them in their run after they spent the unusually warm day free ranging.  My wife was walking a bird over to the run and it pecked her earlobe and swallowed her diamond stud....Now we could have made her a stew bird, but I was smart enough to have those diamonds insured. Also, a chicken will not pass a diamond or other large object- it stays in their gullet and assists with digestion.  So, the bird lives and my wife got new diamond studs with the screw on backings. And, when the hen dies, we can find the diamond andkeep it according to our insurer.


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## VCBurner (Mar 31, 2010)

timss13 said:
			
		

> A funny chicken story. We have 5 hens right now. A few weeks ago, we were putting them in their run after they spent the unusually warm day free ranging.  My wife was walking a bird over to the run and it pecked her earlobe and swallowed her diamond stud....Now we could have made her a stew bird, but I was smart enough to have those diamonds insured. Also, a chicken will not pass a diamond or other large object- it stays in their gullet and assists with digestion.  So, the bird lives and my wife got new diamond studs with the screw on backings. And, when the hen dies, we can find the diamond andkeep it according to our insurer.


LOL, you're right that is a funny story!


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## VCBurner (Mar 31, 2010)

kenny chaos said:
			
		

> My wife was a city girl.  Alas, I knew she was no more when she
> announced she had a designated t-shirt for when she led the killing crew
> on processing day.
> The t-shirt was tie-dyed and had that little yellow cartoon canary on it saying "smile."
> ...



I used to get egg cartons from the local feed store for free.  It is owned and operated by one lady who's father used to keep some 40,000 egg layers on the same premises.  He has long passed and she now has 
three large barns.  One has the feed and the store downstairs and an antiques museum called the hen museum on the upstairs.
She has one barn for her animals: ducks, chickens, goats and gueese.  She still sells eggs out of the store but they are from another local egg farm.  She switches them into her own egg cartons and ditches the other cartons.  So I used to ask for the spare cartons when I bought my feed.  At the peek of egg production we would have up to 18 eggs a day!  I had a fridge downstairs just for the eggs.  We couldn't give them away fast enough.  At one point I was selling them for $1/dozen just to make room in the fridge.  This thread has made me look forward to buying some birds.  Maybe I'll try a couple of turkeys this year!  I'm just waiting until another local store that sells chicks gets their flock hatched.  When I bought my first flock it was in May.  They are hatched, bred and sold locally.


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## VCBurner (Apr 1, 2010)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> I've never done it myself but know of two families that raise broilers each year and have had great success with the "Whizbang Plucker" - a guy named Herrick Kimball - has a fantastic blog site entitled "The Deliberate Agrarian" and a little cottage business on the side sellings books/plans for things he has built.  I bought his "Whizbang Cider Press" plans and am very very pleased.  I'd suggest you check him out:
> 
> http://whizbangbooks.blogspot.com/


Tim, thanks for the site. Ireally enjoyed looking through it.  He gives you so many ideas.  A lot of information and motivation too!


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## kenny chaos (Apr 1, 2010)

If you're not a procurement specialist, stay away from the wizzbang.
You can spend $800 or more for parts.
Nice little commercially made units are available for a little over $300 or spend a little over $800
and get a nicer commercial one.

If you're doing 25 at a time, hand pluck.


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## dvellone (Apr 1, 2010)

Same as Kenny says, hand pluck them. 25 birds won't take that long to hand pluck especially if you butcher them inside the 8-week mark. Even right at eight weeks some of the pin feathers are emerging and that's what can make it a bit more difficult. 
If you get the scald temp. and time just right you can pluck a bird pretty quick. 

The one piece of equipment that helps quite a bit is an outdoor cooker. We set it up adjacent to the killing cone and keep a floating thermometer in it. After scalding a bird we can fire it up and blast it up to the right temperature in a few seconds for the next bird. After a handful of birds the water can get pretty rank so you can dump it if you want and get the refill up to temp. quickly again.


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## Badfish740 (Apr 1, 2010)

kenny chaos said:
			
		

> PS- Of all the critters you can raise at home, turkeys have the biggest differance in flavor without a doubt.  Raise a couple with your chickens.



Chickens and turkeys will be one of our first priorities when we finally find our "homestead."  I've read a lot about raising turkeys and I've heard that they're extremely hardy depending on the breed.  One question I have about raising your own poultry though-obviously one of the attractions is so that it can go from coop to dinner plate in a matter of hours, but how do they freeze?  Could one process five or ten birds, shrink wrap them, and throw them into the chest freezer to be defrosted and cooked in six months?  My thinking is that though you may sacrifice taste a bit, it would be awfully convenient.


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## kenny chaos (Apr 1, 2010)

Badfish740 said:
			
		

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Yes, they freeze well.  We sold mostly frozen birds.
I try to do about 50/yr (two batches) and we have chicken every Sunday.

Turkeys are very hardy after the first 8 weeks when they live to die.
BIG TIP: Put turkey poults in brooder and put brooder somewhere with constant temperature.
Leaving a brooder in the barn in the spring with night and day temperature swings will kill poults quickly and efficiently.  Don't rely on just the brooder to keep them warm.


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## Highbeam (Apr 1, 2010)

Thanks Kenny and dv for your input. I'll pluck by hand. I have a turkey fryer pot and burner setup for the scalding and I know I need to be at just under 150 for the water. For now I just need to set up the brooder and then use the next 7 weeks to plan for the processing.


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## Wallyworld (Apr 1, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> Thanks Kenny and dv for your input. I'll pluck by hand. I have a turkey fryer pot and burner setup for the scalding and I know I need to be at just under 150 for the water. For now I just need to set up the brooder and then use the next 7 weeks to plan for the processing.


You'll always remember the smell :-S They freeze fine and will still be better than any store bought bird you can buy. Plucking chickens isn't what I call fun. We used to do 30 at a time, I didn't eat them for a few weeks


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## leaddog (Apr 2, 2010)

As a kid I remember butchering day well. We had a tree next to the chopping block and Dad had hooks hanging from the branches. Grab a bird, swing it around to make it dizzy, put the head on the block and off came the head. Give it a toss and that's where the saying come from, Running around like a chicken with their head cut off. It was my job to pick up the bird after they bleed out and hang them. Then out came the scalding pot. You will never forget that smell and we never ate chicken for a few days after we were done. It was a family affair and we would do the years supply and freese them. 
they sure did taste good on Sundays.
leaddog


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## SE Iowa (Apr 3, 2010)

Wow, hand-plucking 25-30 birds even with a good scald!  You guys must be pros.  I won't do over 5 at a time unless I invest in al least a cheap plucker.  If I was new to processing I would be careful about going over 10-12 chickens.  As I stated it took me longer than I thought and I have processed many hogs and deer in my life.  

Suprised to see that chicken feed cost up to $12 per bag.  We have 40# bags on sale right now for $6.99.  If you buy in bulk (at least 1 ton = 40 fifty pound bags) you can get it for around $5 per 50# bag.


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## kenny chaos (Apr 3, 2010)

SE Iowa said:
			
		

> Wow, hand-plucking 25-30 birds even with a good scald!  You guys must be pros.  I won't do over 5 at a time unless I invest in al least a cheap plucker.  If I was new to processing I would be careful about going over 10-12 chickens.  As I stated it took me longer than I thought and I have processed many hogs and deer in my life.
> 
> Suprised to see that chicken feed cost up to $12 per bag.  We have 40# bags on sale right now for $6.99.  If you buy in bulk (at least 1 ton = 40 fifty pound bags) you can get it for around $5 per 50# bag.






The first time is exceptionally slow as you inspect all the various organs of the chickens and pussyfoot around with the different procedures.
I know a young mother and daughter team that'll do 25 in the morning, in their kitchen, and not make a mess.

It's probably cheaper and more fun to grind and mix your own feed.  We grew our own grain and bought minerals.


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## Highbeam (Apr 5, 2010)

My 25 nuggets (the minimum order) arrives on Friday. Wish me luck. 53$ so far into the project.

Feed prices are often discussed on that backyard chicken site and the prices run well up to 15$ for 50# of no name layer feed. My 12$ price was one of the cheapest across the country. We're talking about real feed with specified protein content. I asked about bulk feed and it seems that the 50# bags are my only feasible option since I don't need a ton.


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## kenny chaos (Apr 5, 2010)

Save a lot of headaches, money, worry, and having to learn the ugly truths of trying to grow anything anymore, and cancel your order and start a different hobby.
I never said it was cheap or fun.
The newness makes it exciting but do not despair, that'll quickly wear off.


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## ihookem (Apr 6, 2010)

We raise 50 cornish cross chickens per year. It's not fun but you will never go back to store bought. I am going to get a few egg layers this spring since none of the farmers bother selling eggs anymore. I did turkeys for 2 years. They are easier than meat birds. Let them out while cutting grass and they chase grass hoppers till they they are full and won't have to feed them that day. They don't taste much different than store bough turkey though. my cot last year was 1.38 lb. for chickens including getting them butchered for 2.75 a pop. Turkeys were 1.11. two years ago.


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## SE Iowa (Apr 11, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> My 25 nuggets (the minimum order) arrives on Friday. Wish me luck. 53$ so far into the project.
> 
> Feed prices are often discussed on that backyard chicken site and the prices run well up to 15$ for 50# of no name layer feed. My 12$ price was one of the cheapest across the country. We're talking about real feed with specified protein content. I asked about bulk feed and it seems that the 50# bags are my only feasible option since I don't need a ton.



"...across the country. We're talking about real feed with specified protein content."    Well, the feed in 40# bags I'm talking about is a national brand that has very specific protein content and the bulk chicken feed comes from our local feed mill/elevator who makes it for the two to three hundred thousand commercial brown egg laying chickens in our area.  Just go to the front page ad on  www.orschelnfarmhome.com.  I don't think I have ever paid over $9/bag.  Maybe we ought to figure out how much trucking would be and start a business?


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## coaly (Apr 11, 2010)

2 Rhode Island Red hens, (Chick Chick, and Hen) 1 black Austrilorp (Loopy) 1 Golden Cochan that lays light blue eggs. (Goldie) And one Old English Banty rooster. (Roosty)
  Can't lay down under a tractor without Chick Chick getting on my chest. She's an attention hound. Free roam days, locked in their fortified bear and coyote proof house at night.
   One of my outdoor cats (Chicken Buddy) thinks she's a chicken and pals around with them all day. She walks along side rooching up against them and licking their heads like they are her kittens. When she's playful, she will wrap her paws around their necks and take them down, licking their head and neck. They don't seem to mind. Caught her sleeping in the nesting box a few times. She hasn't laid an egg yet.


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## Ncountry (Apr 14, 2010)

We have had chickens for around a year. 2 days ago 4 of our chickens disappeared  . There was not a trace  of them to be found . No feathers, tracks, anything. This occurred in the middle of the day in the same yard where we have 2 dogs on runs during the day. Today our last 2 are gone. Evidence left behind this time in the form of 1 headless chicken in the yard. Any opinions on what kind of critter did this?


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## woodsman23 (Apr 14, 2010)

FOX??? coon???


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## coaly (Apr 14, 2010)

I think a weasel takes the head off.
A coon takes the entire bird to their den to "ripen" before eating it.
A skunk believe it or not takes their head off as well. Skunks kill a lot of chickens that lay their eggs in a clutch outside their pen. If you are missing a chicken at dusk that didn't go in it's coop, it may be sitting on her eggs at night. If you don't find the eggs during the day, the skunks find them at night. I always thought skunks were vegetarians and even kept catching them in a trap that was set to find out what was after the chickens. Then I found out that they will reach through the cage if it's near the ground and take their heads off. I was letting skunks out free when I caught them thinking they were not the problem. No more !
  Coons are so smart, they will gather around a coop or run, and make the chickens run around. They are so stupid, they don't stay in the center, and when they run by a coon, he'll reach through and grab the bird. That is why chicken wire is required. I build all my pens up high with plywood floors. If built on the ground, coons tunnel under the edge at night and take an entire bird out.
  A coon can open anything a human can too. So padlock the door with a lock and key. They will figure out most latches.


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## kenny chaos (Apr 14, 2010)

Ncountry said:
			
		

> We have had chickens for around a year. 2 days ago 4 of our chickens disappeared  . There was not a trace  of them to be found . No feathers, tracks, anything. This occurred in the middle of the day in the same yard where we have 2 dogs on runs during the day. Today our last 2 are gone. Evidence left behind this time in the form of 1 headless chicken in the yard. Any opinions on what kind of critter did this?





That's pretty scary.
Four at a time would normally indicate human.
Sometimes a skunk will bite off a head to drink the blood.
A hawk will eat the head.
Opossums rip them apart and eat out the guts.
Racoons will kill several and eat the heads but they can't carry them all off.
Weasels eat the head but there will be many small bites all over the bird.
A dog will kill many birds but not eat them or carry them off.
It was probably a fox.
If you look closely, you may find a feather here and there showing which way they went.
Follow that trail and usually within about 100 yards you'll find bigger piles of feathers leading back to its den.
Foxes are feeding young right now and need lots of food.
They grab by the throat and maybe accidentally bit a head off.
Sorry.


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## Jags (Apr 14, 2010)

Can someone give me the quick version on what the cone is used for?  I butchered many as a kid, but we never had a cone.


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## Hunderliggur (Apr 14, 2010)

Put the live cicken head down in the cone, cut off the head.  Keeps the chicken from flailing as much and brusing the meet and spilling blood all around.  You can also bleed the chicken by cutting the jugular if youare really adept.


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## Hunderliggur (Apr 14, 2010)

Chicken predator signs: http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2111/ANSI-8204web.pdf  You can also Google the term and find many examples.  I would not say all dissapearances are human.  We loose chickens and there are not any humans around (except us).  I would suspect the predator drags it off in the night.  These are very free range chickens, 5 left.  The new one will be raised in a shelte and yard with electric protection.  Too many foxes, owls, hawks, coons, opossums, stray dogs, and who knows what else.  I don;t think the wild urkey or deer take them.


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## Ncountry (Apr 14, 2010)

I wondered if it may have been a fox feeding its young. It was closer to the end of may last year when we got the chickens and they have not been bothered up to now. Being an avid hunter and occasional trapper  I am very familiar with the woods around the house and there is not a den within 1/4 mile of here . I did look well for any sign of feathers ect...Our yard does end at the edge of a 1000+ acre swamp. I just can not understand a mink or weasel eating that many birds that quickly.





It was probably a fox.
If you look closely, you may find a feather here and there showing which way they went.
Follow that trail and usually within about 100 yards you'll find bigger piles of feathers leading back to its den.
Foxes are feeding young right now and need lots of food.
They grab by the throat and maybe accidentally bit a head off.
Sorry.[/quote]


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## Highbeam (Apr 14, 2010)

I picked up my batch of 25 nuggets today. The very small box also included a dead 26th chick though the rest seem healthy and have all eaten and drank. I'm raising them inside a barn in a coop containing 8" of shavings above a concrete floor. The light is on and I've got 8 weeks of stink before slaughter. They're eating 24% protein feed for the first two weeks and then 20% for a week before doing the 12 on 12 off with the 20% until 8 weeks. 

The killing cone, check youtube, also restrains them so that you can make the kill cut without having to hold down the bird. Just grab the head and cut as/where you wish. I may just use pruners and a traffic cone attached to a post. A bucket beneath the cone against the post should catch most blood if I feel inclined to collect it. Expect 1/3 of each birds 8# finished weight to be stuff other than the finished product so I'll have like 50#s of waste material on top of the coop full of spent litter.

Great fun so far.


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## kenny chaos (Apr 15, 2010)

Not a guard dog;


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## BucksCoBernie (Jul 13, 2010)

The Egg Machine is in full throttle! They've been laying for about a month now. Im eating eggs like crazy haha. we get a dozen every 3 days.


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## Wood Duck (Jul 13, 2010)

We've had our 15 chickens for about two months. I expect eggs starting in another few months. We ordered 5 hens through the mail, and got the hens plus 10 free roosters. 15 chickens is just about too much for the chicken tractor I built for five, but so far they are doing fine. We plan to eat the roosters in the fall. The one good thing about the free roosters is that they seem to be a large breed - they are already meaty at 8 weeks old. I think the roosters are Buff Orphingtons, based on the photos I have seen.


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## Jags (Jul 13, 2010)

MMmmmm....I can smell the coq au vin simmering from here.


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## Highbeam (Jul 13, 2010)

A follow up to my nuggets. I just finished processing the batch last weekend after 12 weeks. They ended up being the "slow" variety of meat birds. Anyway, the killing cone worked great, just as planned, I slit the neck's artery on one side but kept the windpipe and spine intact so the live animal just hangs there bleeding out while breathing until it runs out of blood and dies. Pretty easy. Do not use pruners as you won't get it in one cut. Use a nice fish fillet knife for the slit. 

I got 24 4 lb birds out of the deal and put 450 lbs of feed into them. Not a good conversion ratio really since these were the "slow" birds but I didn't do it for cost savings. I
ll probably do another batch this fall. Nothing good about 90 degree temps and slaughtering.


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## fossil (Jul 14, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> ...Pretty easy...



For you.  I wonder how the chicken might describe it.   :roll:


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## Highbeam (Jul 14, 2010)

Exceptionally easy for the bird. They just had to set there. You hold the whole head in one hand and then slide the knife across the neck with the other hand until the artery is cut and the blood gushes out. You hold the head for a second longer until the bird gets used to losing its juice and then let go and the bird just stays there until its eyes close. Very little movement and no squawks. I was a little leary of the slit vs. the chop method but I won't go back to chop. There's a reason that the slit is recommended by the local small farm agencies. Very good bleedout too. 

I had a guy that wanted all the hearts and livers so I got to poke around in the guts a bit. Pretty simple birds once they're inside out.


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## dvellone (Jul 15, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> A follow up to my nuggets. I just finished processing the batch last weekend after 12 weeks. They ended up being the "slow" variety of meat birds. Anyway, the killing cone worked great, just as planned, I slit the neck's artery on one side but kept the windpipe and spine intact so the live animal just hangs there bleeding out while breathing until it runs out of blood and dies. Pretty easy. Do not use pruners as you won't get it in one cut. Use a nice fish fillet knife for the slit.
> 
> I got 24 4 lb birds out of the deal and put 450 lbs of feed into them. Not a good conversion ratio really since these were the "slow" birds but I didn't do it for cost savings. I
> ll probably do another batch this fall. Nothing good about 90 degree temps and slaughtering.



When you say "slow"birds what breed are you referring to? I do cornish roasters from murray mcmurray and though they grow very quickly with a great feed conversion (did a few males the other day and they dressed out at 5# 11oz at 7 weeks old) they're not a very appealing bird in any other way; they won't range around and scratch for insects or plants but instead lay on their enormous breasts and get filthy with their own droppings. They're actually a lot of work just to keep fairly clean because of this. Their meat while plentiful is nothing to rave about. I have a feed mill down the road that makes a nice quality feed but they're not interested in anything else so the meat kind of reflects this. I read about a breed called "freedom ranger" by one hatchery and "Colored Range"broilers by j. m. hatchery in PA that is supposed to have a nice feed conversion ratio, is hardier, and will range around. Is this what you have?


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## Highbeam (Jul 15, 2010)

My "slow" cornish cross came from Privett hatchery in New Mexico. They have fast, slow, and then two other choices I think red and white? All cornish cross. The fast or slow is where my error was made. I should have gotten the typical commercial fast variety. I understand that more than one hatchery has this "slow" variety meant to slow down the growth to prevent the common problem of these monsters eating themselves to death, having heart attacks, and broken legs from the rapid growth. I had full intention of getting your experience, a 5 lb bird in less than 8 weeks. Not looking for pets, I wanted production and instead needed to have my neighbor be a chicken sitter while I attended a planned vacation at week 11.  My slow birds were exceptionally clean, the scald tank never even got really nasty.


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## northwinds (Jul 19, 2010)

I joined the backyard chicken club tonight.  A friend of mine is moving from a farmette to new construction/subdivision over towards the Twin Cities.
So...I now own an assorted group of six  hens.  One is a Buff Orpington, two Americana, a pair that he said were sussex but don't look like the sussex on the web pictures, and then a white one that I'm just going to call the loud Caucasian--it's white and makes more noise than the rest of them combined.

They sure are entertaining to watch.  The girls were a nervous bunch tonight, but as it grew dark, they herded into their outbuilding and quieted down.  I can't wait until morning to let them out and watch their antics during morning coffee.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Jul 20, 2010)

Welcome to the backyard chicken club northwinds.

Enjoy Chicken TV.

For entertainment buy a watermelon cut it up in large pieces and give one of them to your girls.


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## szmaine (Jul 31, 2010)

trump said:
			
		

> Thinking about this as you just dont know whats in your food today unless you grow it or raise it yourself. Its not about saving money its about puting all sorts of harmful chemicals in your body. I do know the eggs i get from the amish farmers taste better and have a deep orange yolk compared to the factory eggs from wal-mart.



I love fresh eggs and eat a boatload a year, compared to store bought eggs, the appearance and flavor are far and away better...I won't buy any other.

BUT, we are *not necessisarily* free and clear of comtaminants - anyone raising chickens and eggs in the presence of lead contaminated soil, especially near old buildings with lead paint chips should be aware that lead can accumulate in the eggs and meat. 

Article:
http://www.portlandtribune.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=123801660877902600

Research article:
http://jvdi.org/cgi/reprint/15/5/418.pdf

FYI!


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## begreen (Jul 31, 2010)

There is so much fallout dropping on us from incinerators and powerplants hundreds and thousands of miles away that none of us are clear of contaminants. 

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/vol2-Chapter 2.pdf


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## dvellone (Jul 31, 2010)

Just butchered our remaining 14 of the cornish roasters. They were exactly 8 weeks old and dressed out at 6lbs average. Nice and plump, meaty birds but unable and unwilling to forage. change the breed next year


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## SmokeyTheBear (Aug 1, 2010)

dvellone said:
			
		

> Just butchered our remaining 14 of the cornish roasters. They were exactly 8 weeks old and dressed out at 6lbs average. Nice and plump, meaty birds but unable and unwilling to forage. change the breed next year



What are you planning on getting for a meat bird?  The Cornish cross birds are fast bulking up and as a result can't easily get around to forage.  

Some people have succeeded in free ranging them but they also don't feed them free choice or as much as they would like to eat.

I don't raise meat birds just layers (well some are dual purpose but as meaties they aren't all that good), when they get to the point of not laying well they become soup birds.


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## dvellone (Aug 2, 2010)

SmokeyTheBear said:
			
		

> dvellone said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



JM Hatchery in PA has a breed nicknamed "Freedom Rangers" that are a crossbreed for meat. I read about them in an article in Backyard Poultry that discussed the downsides of the cornish cross and alternatives. Apparently, these freedom rangers have a higher feed conversion ratio than your standard breed, but lower than the cornish cross. The author told of how his birds dressed out at 4-5 lbs at 12 weeks and that they "eagerly foraged on their own". He also cites higher weight gains with a higher protein level (his was 17%)

I put a lot of effort into keeping my cornish crosses clean and giving them ample opportunity to forage and when its come time to enjoy a roasted bird I can't honestly say that they taste any better than a good quality store-bought bird. I have the satisfaction of having raised my own birds for butchering and knowing that they're butchered cleanly and not thrown into a bird crap bath. My kids have the experience of knowing where the meat comes from, what goes into the whole process and having a deeper appreciation - I hope. 
If these freedom rangers will roost rather than wallow in their own excrement, and supplement their diet with the plenty of pickings around our woods, and grow a bit slower allowing their meat to take on some more of the flavor of the foraging then I'll gladly switch over.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Aug 3, 2010)

Ah yes, JM took over that line from a Canadian Couple.

You'll find a bit of information about them on www.backyardchickens.com in the meat bird section of their forum.

Also if you do a bit of searching you'll find out about a rooster called Goliath who is one massive bird.

My wife and I have talked about raising some meat birds but we really didn't want the mess, we already have enough to keep up after.


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## Highbeam (Aug 3, 2010)

17% is low for a meat bird. Should be no less than 20% the whole time as I recall. 16% is a typical layer feed. 

I agree that there is not a great deal of taste difference with the home raised bird meat. Color, density, and texture are noticeably better. Funny how the eggs from a backyard bird are totally different than store bought but the meat is only slightly different, even when both are fed 100% packaged feed.

With the freedom rangers you get a much slower growth rate. Do you also get less breast meat? harder to pluck? higher bird cost? The commercial machine has bred a lot of desirable traits into the cornish cross and I worry about giving them up with a dual purpose breed.

Oh and my 3.5YO layers are about done and will be stewing hens here once their replacements are putting out eggs. I'll get to see how much less white meat a Rhode Island Red and Buff Orp have.


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## dvellone (Aug 3, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> 17% is low for a meat bird. Should be no less than 20% the whole time as I recall. 16% is a typical layer feed.
> 
> I agree that there is not a great deal of taste difference with the home raised bird meat. Color, density, and texture are noticeably better. Funny how the eggs from a backyard bird are totally different than store bought but the meat is only slightly different, even when both are fed 100% packaged feed.
> 
> ...



I don't know about breast meat. I'm assuming that if the freedom ranger is a specific breed developed for meat it should have some bulk to it, but it's hard to expect anything as large as the cornish cross. The author of the backyard poultry article does mention that even though they don't have white feathers they plucked easily and dressed out clean. He points out that the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association confirm this. 
The freedom ranger actually isn't a dual purpose breed but is a meat breed. The name 'Freedom Ranger", according to the owner of jm hatchery is a marketing ploy (though they do apparently "range" well.) They're a "proprietary hybrid broiler developed by Hubbard, a French corporation that provides breeder stock for producers of broiler chicks world-wide". They're one of several strains bred for the "rigorous production standards of the Label Rouge system in France..."
I think that sometimes here in the US we're convinced that bigger is better - and I'll be the first to admit that there is a great benefit to managing my meat flock for only 6-8 weeks tops and still get a 4-6lb dressed out bird! - but if I can still get a decent sized bird after 4 more weeks and that bird can benefit from all the forage I have available here reducing feed cost a bit, but more importantly and hopefully improving the meat flavor then maybe better is better. In other words, the trade off for a few more weeks of feeding is better tasting meat and not having to change bedding every two days or physically have to put the birds back in their coop every night because they're either too lazy or stupid to go in themselves. The author cites  an APPPA associate reporting that at 12 weeks cockerels dressed at 7-8lbs and pullets at 5-6lbs having been fed on a 20% protein feed so maybe these F.R. just have a little more brain bred into them. 
You mentioned that your birds were a slower growing strain of cornish cross and that the scald tank stayed clean. I'd guess that they were a slightly different strain of CC bred for easier management.


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