NH Homesteader's journal

NH Homesteader said:

DH has requested that we keep Patty as a pet and to raise meat babies. And he also requested that as soon as the GG's are ready to breed, Mimosa and Bellini go away lol.

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That's not a bad plan at all, lol.

Sucks about the chicken thing. I love me some chicken - but after semi-butchering some today I'm kinda with ya on the nausea thing. This heat, dead chickens =

When I was in FFA in High School, we all raised 20 meat chickens. We slaughtered chickens for WEEKS!! My boyfriend wanted to take me out to dinner and Mom wanted us to stay and eat at home. I asked what was for dinner and she said CHICKEN! We left. You know, it was 10 years before I could eat chicken again. Now, it bothers me not.

That goat is too cute!

I haven't eaten chicken in about 11 years now. Just can't, won't. When I was expecting DS I couldn't stomach coffee for the first two trimesters I don't think I properly woke up for months lol

What is semi butchering? Lol

Patty is sweet, follows us around and likes us. The other two are unfriendly and only like us if we have grain, lol. And they beat on Patty. I need them next year, the GG's can't be bred until next fall to kid at 2 years old, so we'll see how attitudes improve!

Sumi no chicken because you don't like it, or because you like chickens? I've never been a huge fan of it, but now I'm really not a fan! The texture has always bothered me.

First I found I couldn't cook chicken in the house with 100 chicks in a brooder a few feet away and then I saw how broilers were raised on commercial farms and that was it for me… I can't eat my own birds, as they are pets. I still miss it, but after all these years, I got into the habit of avoiding chicken meat.

Ah yeah I can't eat commercially raised chicken either! I think eating extra roos is the best way to do it. I am a white meat fan though so I do (or did?) like the cx. If DH wasn't around, I wouldn't raise or eat chickens!

This morning DH went to help a friend load 3 pigs to bring to the butcher. Then when the friend returns from dropping the pigs off he said he'd help move Clifford's house into the new buck pen. Once it's set up, the wethers are going to live with him finally. Then we have to trim all 5 girls hooves. And I'll clean out the small side of the barn so when the GG's have clear fecals they can come out of quarantine and get that side of the barn. Might have Patty live with them, the big girls are not nice to her, and I'm not breeding her this fall so she'll live with them while the big girls are with Clifford all winter anyway (I might be a slacker but hand breeding is not my thing).

Getting lots of rain this weekend. We need it!

NH Homesteader said:

What is semi butchering? Lol

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It's my name for a quick way to butcher. Ya just "off" the bird, cut off the feet and split the skin down the breast then peel it back over the legs and thighs. You don't have to do any gutting, plucking and not even a full skinning... Then I carve out the breast meat and take the legs and thighs and toss the rest to the dogs. I know it surely can be considered wasteful - but my dogs reaped the benefit of a nice fresh bird. They scarfed up the guts and carried the rest off to their respective corners (after Cowboy and I had a come to Jesus meeting). I was tired of feeding the meat birds and they never really grew out like they should have. I don't think they were "pure" meat birds - not that they are a pure breed but there was obviously an issue somewhere. Three of the pullets are going into the laying flock - they're that light weight.

Nah, makes for happy dogs! Would be wasteful if you tossed 'em!

The Cornish hen hatched a chick! Its shell is missing and so are 3 of the eggs she was sitting on. One egg left. Hmm... Must be something can get in there.

Yay for the chick, but wonder what happened to the others?

No clue...

DH is working on finishing Clifford's pen. House to be moved before long! I'm going to tear down all his old fencing, and all the does' old fencing and we're going electric for the girls. With a small cattle panel dry lot for winter, since they hardly go outside anyway! They have learned about electricity from the pig fence and they respect it.