Lets talk chickens.

[pen25]

if you find you have weak shells add oyster shell to their feed.

http://msucares.com/poultry/feeds/poultry_thin_shells.html

also check this site out. I have thought about getting some but really dont have time.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/coops/kim_tulsa.html

 

[Fingers]

Good for you, Orfy. I have been keeping broiler birds for years now. Chickens and turkeys. Personally I have never found the layers to be worth the effort. It's just too damn cold in the winter here so between their water freezing and the massive condensation build up in the building I found it just wasn't worth the work it took for a few eggs. If they are stressed even a little bit they simply stop laying for awhile and you get nothing for your work. Keep them happy. As long as the building is just above freezing and the water is liquid you should be good.

 

[Orfy]

I like the look of this

 

[Fingers]

You've got a fairly small back yard, Orfy, why don't you just contain the whole area for them? If they're fed well, they won't attack established vegetation. In fact, well fed chickens don't really make any attempt at all to leave their enclosure.

I don't want to sound offensive, but have you considered the possibility you might have to kill and dress one or more of the birds? Unless you're in an agricultural area even the vet may look at you like you're the new local kook if you bring a pet chicken in for treatment. It's part of the experience/responsibility.

 

[Orfy]

No go on containing the full area, I have 2 dogs and also don't want chicken poop around the place. Unless I put a roof on the full yard there is a risk of cats and worse.

As for killing then I have hunted pheasant so yeh, it's part of life. Because I'm not raising them from chucks then they are a little expensive for table birds.

 

[zoebisch01]

I'm suprised you guys like duck eggs. My wife had ducks for a while and neither of us cared for the taste of the eggs. They always seemed "off" and just weren't as tasty as chicken eggs. She's been dying to get chickens and I'm warming up. I'm getting into the whole homesteading idea and having farm fresh eggs would be pretty nice.

People have told me that Duck eggs were odd, I am beginning to think that the eggs from the Muscovy may be starkly different from the eggs produced by the descendants of Mallards. I gave my brother a perfectly hardboiled egg, you know where the yolk is just set and still the color when it is raw (not chalky yellow), and he said it was the best egg he has ever had in his life. I concur

 

[Orfy]

It's a start

.

 

[zoebisch01]

Lookin good Orf. Before you know it, you'll be pulling in those beautiful eggs. I really think Eggs are one of my most favorite foods.

 

[Orfy]

I just about finished it this weekend.

I just need to add some perches and I think I'm done.
I'll probably pick the chucks up next week end.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

I just about finished it this weekend.

I just need to add some perches and I think I'm done.
I'll probably pick the chucks up next week end.

Liar.

If that were true, you would've posted pictures.

 

[Orfy]

Ha Ha.

I took some for you but they are still on the phone.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

Ha Ha.

I took some for you but they are still on the phone.

Oh sure... and I would've responded to you, but my posts are on my tennis shoes.

 

[Orfy]

I shall name you Thomas.

 

[Orfy]

All made from reclaimed/scrap timber.
All I had to buy were the hinges and roof panel.

There is a bit to finish off, tidy up and stain.

 

[Orfy]

 

[Orfy]

Any tips on butchering the chucks.

This seems favourite to me.

http://www.gatewaytovermont.com/thefarm/processing.htm

 

[zoebisch01]

Any tips on butchering the chucks.

This seems favourite to me.

http://www.gatewaytovermont.com/thefarm/processing.htm

I just do a subscald and then pluck them. The lower temperature helps keep the skin from getting ruined. Either way does the same thing , except if you want the skin you need to pluck. Dispatching them is another story. I prefer a killing cone and a razor sharp knife.

 

[Fingers]

I can describe my process to you, but it will take more of your handyman skills. Just let me know if you need elaboration/pics of my equipment.

I made a chicken catcher that is essentially a broom handle with what looks like a skinny shepherds crook at the end. You reach into the chicken horde and hook a leg. They always pull away from you so they never think to step back to unhook their foot. Nabbed.

I built an electrified knife. When the trigger is pulled the blade charges to 600VAC. This electrocutes the chicken while you cut its throat. No flopping, squawking, or bruising the meat.

I keep a fire going under a cut off 45 gallon drum with water in it. You dunk the chicken in the water to loosen the feathers and then off to the plucker.

The plucker is driven by an electric motor that drives a drum with a bunch of rubber fingers on it. The drum spins and the rubber fingers knock the feathers off. The weight of the motor puts tension on the belt but not so much that it doesn't allow the belt to slip if the chicken gets caught in the drum. I operate it via a on/off foot switch.

The plucker only takes off the bulk of the large feathers. Pin feathers are removed by hand. A plank with several holes drilled through it is suspended between two step ladders. A short length of rope is inserted throught the holes in the plank into blocks of wood. The wood is looped around the leg of the chicken and the chicken is suspended upside down. You can easily sit in a chair and pluck and twirl the bird around and around.

Once the bird is plucked it goes to the ladies who do the gutting (I help if necessary). If you want me to elaborate on that procedure, let me know. I'll see if we have some pics to illustrate.

 

[JVD_X]

a big however here...fresh eggs shouldn't be washed, they have a protective layer that will keep them for many days out at room temp (actually unless it is very hot, we keep a dozen on the counter all the time).

We sailors often keep fresh eggs for weeks at room temps without spoilage by covering the eggs with Vaseline.

 

[Orfy]

 

[zoebisch01]

Give them a handful of raw unhulled Oats every day. You'll get the deepest orange yolks you can imagine

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

Come on orfy! You're holding out on me... I know you have more pics than that...

 

[EdWort]

My neighbor has 11 hens. He came by and picked up my spent grains and gave me fresh eggs. What a deal. The deer are pissed about it though.

He bags the spent grain in 4 plastic bags and puts it in the fridge so it won't spoil. His birds go fricking crazy over the spend grain. It's heaven in a bag for them.

He picks up my 10 gallon cooler MLT full of grain and brings it back to me clean with a dozen fresh eggs.

I like the deal.

 

[Orfy]

The frencies lay chocolate coloured eggs!
I picked up a bag of mixed grains for them to start with. They are going on growers pellets unless I can figure out the content and get the raw ingredients.

I think they'll end up on 50% bought good and 50 free stuff, greens, left overs, spent grains etc.


I have 2 French maran and one Rhode Island red.

 

[zoebisch01]

http://www.lionsgrip.com/recipes.html

 

[Orfy]

Couple of questions.

Hops. oisonous?
Spent grain, how much if any can I feed them?

 

[zoebisch01]

Not sure about the hops, but I don't think they'll be interested though. That's just my guess. Spent grain, since you only have a few I'd give them a few scoops every day. Even when it sours they seem to love it. Just use it up before it gets moldy. I don't give my chickens moldy or food that has gone bad (like bad where you smell it and know it's bad).

Also I don't feed them anything from the Allium family at all or any strong flavored stuff on a regular basis as this can be imparted to the eggs, the flavors that is. Meat scraps are fine, but I don't give them from their own kind not even any egg scrap although shells are perfectly acceptable. You'll know if they are low on calcium by how quick they react to the shells. I have Oyster shell as well and if the shells get thin they get fed the shells. I really should set it up for free access.

 

[Orfy]

Okay.

The hops will go off to the compost bin to be safe.

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

I've always fed my chickens the compost from table scraps, ends of vegies, weeds from the garden,etc. I built my coop with a wire floor and would turn the waste underneath like a compost pile, worked great for fertilizer.

The worst damages to the flock came from hawks and owls. I think our dogs kept the 'coons and opossums at bay.

I absolutely loved the eggs! Like eating a steak, a beautiful white and orange steak.
I never killed and ate one, wish I had.

SWMBO finally found out that her headaches were being caused by an allergy to eggs so the chickens are long gone. I don't care how good the eggs were, a wife with a perpetual headache gets what she wants!

 

[Brandon O]

Need your chickens to stay in place while you clean the coupe? Video selected for english accent friendly viewers.




You don't have to do the circle 20 times either. 7 or 8 will do. Course you have a fenced yard so it's not like they would run away.