| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| one_dog_per_acre |
Posted - Aug 05 2012 : 06:24:31 AM
Oh jeez.
I am one of those women who married a man that wears real tree, so I don't have touch dead stuff or drag the cans to the curb.
This is a huge deal for me. I really want to run away, but I am meeting a lady at freezer camp that is taking Todd, my silkie rooster, and giving him his own hen! I also sold 4 chicks to the lady that's running freezer camp, but there's no backing out. Where are the unexpected relatives when you need them?
“It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.”-Charlie Brown |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Aug 07 2012 : 4:20:57 PM
I don't know how well these will show up, but here are some pictures of my plucker a friend made using PVC pipe and rubber bungee straps. A long screw goes into a cordless drill. It's pretty cool and so easy to use. Takes just a few minutes to pluck a bird. And pretty cheap to make too.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
| Calico Hen |
Posted - Aug 07 2012 : 1:44:33 PM
We just processed 5 cockerels this last week - australorps and buckeyes. We used the cone (hubby had to do that part), scalded and plucked by hand. The plucking wasn't as bad, nor took as long as I thought it would be. However, my husband is checking out a featherman plucker on craig's list today. We were talking about the Freedom Rangers as next year's project. Keep us posted, I would like to know your results.
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Aug 06 2012 : 5:33:31 PM
These will just be 2 weeks old Wed. These are the first I've had other than the CC. I will let you know how they do for me. But I have only heard good things so far about these birds. They will take at least 9-12 weeks to get to 5 lbs. I will be putting them outside at 3 weeks. They will be on grass in my big side yard. All free range. These are supposed to be more like a chicken, not an eating machine! We shall see.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
| YakLady |
Posted - Aug 06 2012 : 3:59:15 PM
Are your freedom rangers on forage, Kristin? How would you evaluate their gain against the CornishXs?
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising Tibetan Yaks, Highland cattle, Laying hens, Muscovy ducks, Silver Fox rabbits, and a few dogs. |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Aug 06 2012 : 3:31:25 PM
I have 50 meat birds I will be doing in about 11 weeks. I use a cone too. And a freind made me a plucker that fits on the end of a cordless drill. Bit it really needs 2 people to operate it and I do all this myself. I just did 17 Cornish Cross birds. I'm trying Freedom Rangers this time. They are not even 2 weeks old and so big already. I've not tried any Silkies yet. I bet they are good. I hope you enjoy it! I am not at all grossed out by processing my own birds here. Now a 4 legged animal is another story. Can't kill them but can do all the rest.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
| YakLady |
Posted - Aug 06 2012 : 1:03:04 PM
Oh you DID harvest the Silkie roo??? Was the meat really black like I've heard? It's considered a delicacy in many Asian countries to eat Silkie meat.
I just really didn't understand your OP.
Did they have a rubber-fingered plucker? Like the Whiz-bang? Did it work well?
I will have about... 12 cockerels to harvest in the next couple months.
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising Tibetan Yaks, Highland cattle, Laying hens, Muscovy ducks, Silver Fox rabbits, and a few dogs. |
| sherrye |
Posted - Aug 06 2012 : 12:08:16 PM
i always skin my birds. so no poop soup. i also use cones to kill them. way cleaner and humane. just a thought.
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| one_dog_per_acre |
Posted - Aug 06 2012 : 07:10:55 AM
Of course you can harvest a silkie. It is supposed to taste like cornish game hen. Todd gets and two hens. Awesome! I won't run too many roosters with not enough hens. So, my other option is a bull pen? OMG I don't need bloody chickens. So, that leaves freezer camp, processing meat chickens and dual purpose cockerels. The worst part to watch was the plucker. I am glad I went, because you tube lies.
Apparently I am heartless because I am the only suburban housewife that wasn't disturbed. It was gross, especially the poop soup they get dipped in.
“It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.”-Charlie Brown |
| YakLady |
Posted - Aug 05 2012 : 5:46:06 PM
I'm not sure I get what your freezer camp is?
To me, freezer camp is when ______(animal) gets inefficient and moves from the pasture to the freezer... But you're not going to harvest a silkie, I know- because they are tiny and have black meat (so I hear)... So what exactly is your freezer camp?
~Hen 4316~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana.
Starting a family and raising Tibetan Yaks, Highland cattle, Laying hens, Muscovy ducks, Silver Fox rabbits, and a few dogs. |
