MEAT BIRDS THREAD ~Plans, pics, pens, pluckers, processing! GRAPHIC!

[ScottSD]

I ordered from Central Hatchery out of NE and was very pleased with the price, the quality and the service. I ordered 50 CX and it was $60 w/shipping costs and they sent 54 chicks. All alive, healthy and thriving.

Thanks! I think I am going to give them a try.

Are the ones you got the "Jumbo meat broilers" on their site: http://www.centralhatchery.com/chicks.html#jumbo

 

[Beekissed]

Yep!

 

[Beekissed]

Here's a few pics I took today of the CX at 3 wks of age as of yesterday. Also some pics of my plucker and other things related to the meaty project:

This one was a week ago(2 wks of age)...the chicks got their first grit and wood ashes..went crazy over them!

Scary Suzy on hawk watch:

Fermented grains:

New drill plucker:

Here it is running...the guard no longer hits the fingers but it still isn't aligned to the drill. The black piece is an old cart tire piece I'm using to guard my drill from any blood/feather/gore mess. My drill pocket/brace is an old miter board guide of my Dad's.

 

[BarredBuff]

Very, very neat! How does the fermented grains work??

 

[Beekissed]

Works great! They are growing at the appropriate rate for free ranged and restricted feed CX...very healthy and thriving!

 

[BarredBuff]

Is it good for homesteading flocks like turkeys, ducks, and chickens? How is it made?

 

[Beekissed]

I posted links on this thread somewhere of studies done on the fermented feeds for broilers and layers but can't remember which page. You just soak your grains/feed in water in temps 72 degrees or above for 8-15 hours...supposed to pull yeast spores from the air to start the fermentation process.

I jump started mine with mother vinegar and I keep the same water going to keep the good culture in my grain water.

Great health benefits, increased total nutrients available in the feed and increased nutrient absorption, etc. There are threads about it on BYC also in the meat bird forum.

 

[BarredBuff]

Any specific grains???

 

[Beekissed]

Nah...you can ferment most any grain. I fermented my chick starter and, if the whole grains don't do for my layer flock later on, I will be adding laying mash to the whole grains and fermenting the whole mix together.

I'm currently using barley, wheat and cracked corn but next time I won't be getting any wheat....these CX will leave it until last and won't clean it up. My layers always liked the wheat but would leave the crimped oats. I'll just play around until I find the cheapest~and most desirable to the bird~grains and just keep fermenting.

 

[Beekissed]

The plucker was a total flop. It removed zero feathers on a dry bird and I doubt seriously if it would have removed them on a wet bird. The short time it spent spinning against the feathers of my roo actually wore the plucker fingers down....

Needless to say, the plucker will be returned to Cabelas with my not so kind regards. We will be plucking by hand, it seems, per usual...the one plucker that never lets you down, doesn't cost a thing and is perfectly designed for the job~no modifications needed.

Rudy the Roo is absolutely delicious! I don't know that I had a more tender, flavorful adult DP bird...don't know if it's the fermented feed or just happenstance, but I'll let you know when we consume the CX fed in the same manner.