Lazy Gardener
Super Self-Sufficient
Oh, if I had a hatchery that close, I'd be sure to make a road trip of it if not hatching my own chicks. Such close proximity could result in some serious spending issues for me.
Cornish Cross Spring 2019
- Thread starter baymule
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #24
baymule
Sustainability Master
In my typical fashion, I get first and build accommodations second..... or maybe third, fourth or WTH. I could give a long list of occurrences that kept me from building said accommodations, such as incessant rain for weeks, DH having prostate surgery and trips to the doctor for check ups, keeping grandkids, more rain, and more rain. Finally we have had almost a week of NO RAIN. No doctor appointments either.
We finished today and I must say it is one of my better building projects. AND I’ll have it for next time.
Yeah, I know the timeline. After all, I’ve been feeding, watering and cleaning them twice daily. So if you have any negative comments on how long I’ve had them in brooders, shut up and choke on it. I’m hot, tired and don’t give a crap.
First pet carrier of chickens in their new home.
Since it is on recently cleared bare dirt, I bedded them with hay.
The end gate is hardware cloth and a 10” strip of hardware cloth all around the bottom.
Side view.
The back. The wood bar is for lifting it so we can shift it over a little at a time. I learned last year that the CCX will sit comfortably until you drag the coop right over them. This one is a little heavy, but can be moved without the tractor!
It has top access, if needed. I can get a fishing net and dip them up!
So chickens are off my porch, in the shade in their new home. I have propped my feet up while I updated this thread and guzzled ice water. Going back outside to clean the mess off my porch. Hot, tired, but a good tired. Pork roast in oven is done, DH already hit it to make a sandwich. Later.
We finished today and I must say it is one of my better building projects. AND I’ll have it for next time.
Yeah, I know the timeline. After all, I’ve been feeding, watering and cleaning them twice daily. So if you have any negative comments on how long I’ve had them in brooders, shut up and choke on it. I’m hot, tired and don’t give a crap.
First pet carrier of chickens in their new home.
Since it is on recently cleared bare dirt, I bedded them with hay.
The end gate is hardware cloth and a 10” strip of hardware cloth all around the bottom.
Side view.
The back. The wood bar is for lifting it so we can shift it over a little at a time. I learned last year that the CCX will sit comfortably until you drag the coop right over them. This one is a little heavy, but can be moved without the tractor!
It has top access, if needed. I can get a fishing net and dip them up!
So chickens are off my porch, in the shade in their new home. I have propped my feet up while I updated this thread and guzzled ice water. Going back outside to clean the mess off my porch. Hot, tired, but a good tired. Pork roast in oven is done, DH already hit it to make a sandwich. Later.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Bay, are you going to tractor those meaties out on your sheep pasture? Nice build, BTW! I often wonder if the birds get hot in those tractors with the tin roofing on top? Salatin uses tin on all of his too and they have no shade to park it under out in pasture.
My meaties are outgrowing their feathers already....sure hope they can keep good legs until they are full grown. They are only eating a tiny fraction of what other folks feed meaties but seem to be getting fat out on forage, all the same.
They have to share their feed with 17 hens, 6 NH chicks their own age, 7 tiny chicks and 3 foster ducklings....and the whole group get approx. 6-8 c. of FF per day, if that.
The rest is found out in the big green yonder....
Raising your own food is fun, huh?
Had to kill this varmint this morning....Ben had it treed up by the coop.
We have been overrun with possum this year...this is the 5th we've had to kill. And Ben found a den the other day on our walk back on the land, flushed out a female with a hoard of babies on her back....I had nothing to kill them with and Ben isn't a killer, he's a finder. He's 3 and has zero kills to his name.
So, now I'm carrying a machete with me on my walks.
My meaties are outgrowing their feathers already....sure hope they can keep good legs until they are full grown. They are only eating a tiny fraction of what other folks feed meaties but seem to be getting fat out on forage, all the same.
They have to share their feed with 17 hens, 6 NH chicks their own age, 7 tiny chicks and 3 foster ducklings....and the whole group get approx. 6-8 c. of FF per day, if that.
The rest is found out in the big green yonder....
Raising your own food is fun, huh?
Had to kill this varmint this morning....Ben had it treed up by the coop.
We have been overrun with possum this year...this is the 5th we've had to kill. And Ben found a den the other day on our walk back on the land, flushed out a female with a hoard of babies on her back....I had nothing to kill them with and Ben isn't a killer, he's a finder.
He's 3 and has zero kills to his name. So, now I'm carrying a machete with me on my walks.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
They are also chicken and egg eating machines. My chickens are tick eating machines...we've yet to get a tick on us while in their range. Same with the dog.
So, let's do the math. Possums eat ticks, chickens, chicks and eggs, as well as the cat food. Chickens eat ticks...and the cat food when they can steal it...and produce eggs and chicks for our nourishment.
Yep....possums gotta go, chickens gotta stay. The cats can hunt their own food either way.
- Thread starter
- #37
baymule
Sustainability Master
WHOO-HOOO!!!!! The chicken tractor WORKS! And I can move it by myself. I lift and shift about a foot at a time. Then go to the other end and repeat. When I got it on clean ground, I lifted the top and put hay in it. By moving it slowly I don’t run over any chickens. I moved the hardware cloth end around so the evening sun won’t shine in on them.
The EE chicks are happy in their little coop.
The EE chicks are happy in their little coop.
wyoDreamer
Super Self-Sufficient
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2014
- Messages
- 1,798
- Reaction score
- 2,443
- Points
- 267
The first year I did Cornish X, I bought 4 when I got a dozen layer chicks. It was one of those "try it and see if we like it" moves. makes no sense to grow out 15 birds only to find out that your DH won't eat the meat because it is tough.
Any-hoo, those little layers taught the cornish how to scratch and they turned out to be pretty good foragers when I forced them to search for food. I made sure they always went to bed with a full crop, though. Didn't want to stunt them too much.
Any-hoo, those little layers taught the cornish how to scratch and they turned out to be pretty good foragers when I forced them to search for food. I made sure they always went to bed with a full crop, though. Didn't want to stunt them too much.
- Thread starter
- #54
baymule
Sustainability Master
10 chickens on ice. We worked fast, cutting throats, scalding, picking and gutting. Taking a lunch break if peanut butter and wild plum jam sandwich. Then the afternoon to cut and package.
- Thread starter
- #56
baymule
Sustainability Master
I have 5 cut up and packaged. Tired and taking a break. I washed and cloroxed the bowl, knives, cutting board and counter top. I will start supper after while and evening chores. I may finish in the morning.
- Thread starter
- #57
baymule
Sustainability Master
I got the other 5 cut up and packaged today. I wrote down the dressed weights and the weights of the packaged chicken. I haven't totaled it up yet. I had a 7 pound and 7 pound 2 ounce carcasses.
Mini Horses
Sustainability Master
I remember you posting about that set-up, with pics. I truly is hard to hold 'em and pull at same time!! I'm looking at 17 roos! That is a job and it must get done. They still eat & are sure defeathering some hens. 12 are already penned. I will feed them in pens until I can get them all finished. Hate the thought of several days in a row of this but, will see how it goes. Just a gotta do thing. Right now I'm off work the entire week of 7/1-5. Yeah, hot but, start early and ice them fast! If I do 1/2 first if week & 2nd 1/2 late week, it won't be bad. (keep repeating that to self!!! Won't be bad. Won't be bad. 
)
The worst part is smell -- raw blood & guts. You really don't want to eat any chicken for a while after.....
I'll have some nice chicken salad the couple days before, as an incentive for better days later.
Today, I will make the wild blackberry jam. A more fun job.
I truly is hard to hold 'em and pull at same time!! I'm looking at 17 roos! That is a job and it must get done. They still eat & are sure defeathering some hens. 12 are already penned. I will feed them in pens until I can get them all finished. Hate the thought of several days in a row of this but, will see how it goes. Just a gotta do thing. Right now I'm off work the entire week of 7/1-5. Yeah, hot but, start early and ice them fast! If I do 1/2 first if week & 2nd 1/2 late week, it won't be bad. (keep repeating that to self!!! Won't be bad. Won't be bad. )The worst part is smell -- raw blood & guts. You really don't want to eat any chicken for a while after.....
I'll have some nice chicken salad the couple days before, as an incentive for better days later.Today, I will make the wild blackberry jam. A more fun job.
