Cornish Cross Spring 2018 Cost/Profit/Loss or Freezer Meat

[baymule]

When we walk down the fence line, they screech at us. LOL

 

[baymule]

Thank you! First time to raise CX and I find that I like them, they are sweet friendly chickens. I need to weigh a few of the biggest to see where I am on slaughter weight.

 

[CrealCritter]

View attachment 7276 We gave up on moving the coop. Despite my best efforts, the chickens run to the back and several have been injured. So I am throwing bags of pine needles in there. After we butcher, we’ll drag the coop forward and spread all the litter.

Maybe take a piece of plywood in with you like the width of the tractor and maybe a foot tall, I don't think they could get over or around that to get to the back. As the coop is pulled forward move the plywood backwards. IDK worth a try maybe...

 

[Mini Horses]

Does anyone know what live weight is needed to wind up with a 4-5 pound butchered bird?

I don't know. BUT weight before & after butcher & let us know. You could use a bathroom scale, holding bird?

But, I suspect a hanging fish scale be more practical. I'd put it in a cloth bag live. You can tie legs & hang, once flopping stopped. I'm thinking 2# loss would not be unreasonable.

They are looking good & you have more than I'd want to do in one session.

 

[NH Homesteader]

How old are they? That's awesome! I feel like you got them like a week ago, lol. Time flies!

 

[baymule]

I don't know. BUT weight before & after butcher & let us know. You could use a bathroom scale, holding bird?

But, I suspect a hanging fish scale be more practical. I'd put it in a cloth bag live. You can tie legs & hang, once flopping stopped. I'm thinking 2# loss would not be unreasonable.

They are looking good & you have more than I'd want to do in one session.

Good idea! I'll weigh each bird, live and slaughtered weight-without neck, gizzard, liver, heart-just the chicken carcass.

 

[baymule]

‘Nother question, do chicken pluckers get the darned pin feathers off?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Good going! Are you plucking or skinning?

 

[baymule]

I simmered the 10 carcasses today and canned 17 pints of broth. I picked meat off the bone and put 2 containers of "soup" in the freezer. I made chicken mole' for supper and still have a container in the refrigerator of cooked meat.

 

[baymule]

We delivered the chicken meat today. Then we went to the grocery store, feed store, paid house insurance, switched car insurance from Geico to Germania, went to post office, ran errands, went to Tyler for groceries, Sulphur Springs for feed. Why can't the things we want at least be in the same town?