Raising chickens. Advice, comments, do's and don'ts wanted.

[Pullstart 62,905]

Here are full grown brahmas in their furry feet glory.

 

 

[Pullstart 62,905]

Week 2 progress!

 

 

[WHX?? 48,823]

Yah know Kev I would love to have some chickens... maybe a guinea hen or three just to keep the ticks at bay and warn of . 

Ciiinndaay put the hammer down tho ... Prolly she get me a fake one like Squonky for shut up. 

She was eyeballing coops at TSC the other day tho... good sign. 

Punkin farmer daughter been selling us eggs for 2.50 a dozen. 

[Ed Kennell 38,192]

3 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Punkin farmer daughter been selling us eggs for 2.50 a dozen. 

Get some Amish neighbors,   They give eggs to neighbors.   

[953 nut 55,271]

10 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Prolly she get me a fake one like Squonky

I made a copper rooster for my wife's birthday a few years ago.            He guards the outhouse so nobody steals the TP!      

[WHX?? 48,823]

44 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Get some Amish neighbors,   They give eggs to neighbors.   

Obviously your Amish are a bit not poorer than ours they git 5 a doz...

So I was in  a TSC today  and it appeared anything to do with raising egg layers has gone through the roof... am I right or wrong? Fèed, supplies whatnot. Who was it just whining the about the price of eggs at wally world the other day? 

[Ed Kennell 38,192]

12 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Amish are a bit not poorer

Far from poor.     This tobacco farmer paid $1,005,000 for this 65 acres last fall.  And most of it is too steep to work with horses. 

 

They just finished the barn.

 

 

[Pullstart 62,905]

We will be monitoring the chicks coming soon for the transition to moving outdoors.  I think it’s week 4.  We shut the heat lamp off in the basement brooder bin and are monitoring their actions to see if they are still too cold.  Apparently exposing them to less heat within safe reason helps them develop their feathers faster.  Soon, we’ll move them outdoors for a few hours per day to experience natural sunlight, real grass, wind, etc.  This link from the Chicken Chick explains stuff better than I!

[Pullstart 62,905]

It’s forecasted to be high of 60 on Friday.  I might stick the birds outside then.  They may still come back in for the night, but not for too many more!

 

 

[Pullstart 62,905]

I am a glutton for punishment.  I just ordered 125 meat chickens.  

[Ed Kennell 38,192]

1 minute ago, Pullstart said:

125 meat chickens.

What flavor ?

[Pullstart 62,905]

5 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

What flavor ?

Meyer Hatchery out of Ohio.  We’ve used them for our layers twice now.  We’ve never done meat before.  We’ll see how this goes.

Fry Pan Bargain Day Old Chicks

The Fry Pan Bargain is an economical way to raise delicious, fryer-sized heavy breed roosters for yourself and your customers while enjoying a more active bird.

This all-rooster chick bargain may include one or more of the following breeds: Golden Buff, Rhode Island Red, Jersey Giant, Salmon Faverolles, Speckled Sussex, Marans, Welsummer, Black Australorp, Plymouth Rock, Orpington, Wyandotte, Buckeye, Dominique or any heavy breed rooster we offer. These roosters take longer to reach butchering size and won't be as large as the broilers, but good things come to those who wait.

No guarantee on the number of any type on the assortment. Males only.

[ebinmaine 67,546]

36 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Males only

 

You keep them for what, 2 or 3 months?

 

Must not have to separate them from each other that early?

 

[Ed Kennell 38,192]

Let's see , 10 weeks till the Big Show Chicken BBQ.  They should dress around 8 pounds by then.  I like mine basted in butter and vinegar.   

[953 nut 55,271]

8 hours ago, Pullstart said:

I am a glutton for punishment.  I just ordered 125 meat chickens.  

Thank you Kevin!

 

[Pullstart 62,905]

Richard these will be my main three faces until they are in the freezer!

 

 

[Pullstart 62,905]

19 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Let's see , 10 weeks till the Big Show Chicken BBQ.  They should dress around 8 pounds by then.  I like mine basted in butter and vinegar.   

They say these will take a bit longer and not dress out so huge.  My take is that they are essentially throw away roosters.  I am thinking I’ll build a pen for them to free range a hefty bit and let them grow up to size for cheaper than feed costs.  I’ll still harvest them young-ish, but maybe late July?  It was kind of impulse and I didn’t sleep much last night.  I’ve never been outnumbered by males, always females around the farm!  Women, dogs, chickens, etc.  Just the two male cats and me!  In all honesty, I have lots of lives that’ll be depending on me and I need to figure out a solid end game to make it work!  I see a good chicken plucker in my future, that’s for sure.

[ebinmaine 67,546]

13 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

chicken plucker

There are services that go around doing that as well

[Pullstart 62,905]

Good to know!

[Ed Kennell 38,192]

31 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

I see a good chicken plucker in my future,

  

  I had 12" long loops of rope with a dog leash snap.   Cinch the loop around both legs before putting them on the chopping block, then snap them on a clothes line after the hatchet does it's job.    Saves them from bruising up thier wings and running across country into the neighbors yard . 

A steel  5 gallon bucket  3/4 full of boiling water on a propane heater works well for scalding.  Time in the water comes with experience.   If correct, the feathers should just fall off when rubbed from rear to front.

   A rolled newspaper makes a good torch for singing off any hair that remains after plucking.

Those youngens of yours should be able to dress 10/ hour.   You may want to handle the hatchet job

[SylvanLakeWH 25,589]

Search for NOS pt no chkplk-3036...

 

The Ponds made it only one year. Found that an all in one chicken killer, deheader, plucker, fryer attachment ended badly when mixed with motor oil, @peter lena's sticky red and dirt...

 

Pretty rare so may need your credit card...

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,546]

10 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

 

 

 

Jim ole buddy I think you might be confusing your implements a little here. 

I got no doubt that thing above could pull the feathers off most any bird but it looks a little on the ambitious side for a chicken.  

[peter lena 8,631]

@Pullstart  being a long time fly tyer , those feathers are classified as  ( SOFT HACKLE ) for wet flies , the soft suppleness , tied into a fly  makes it have a  moving breathing action . send you some related info , heading to the eye doctor , when I  get back , pete

[Pullstart 62,905]

I’ve got limited time for a coop or chicken tractor.  I have a little more time for a chicken plucker.  They are about $450 and up to buy from Amazon.  Why not build one as a  attachment?  Apparently 130-140 rpm is the magic number.  Faster and it’ll beat up the skin.  I’m sure I could do some mathin’ to slow down a Horse PTO!

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,192]

41 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Why not build one

It's been done before.  As I recall it was mounted on the left side of the tractor and was powered by a PTO driven cross shaft under the tractor.

Maybe Garry can locate the post.  @gwest_ca