Incubator

[Beekissed]

I would eat ostrich, why not? My friend's dad got a couple emu to raise once. They escaped, were never seen again. I wonder if there are stray emus running around the woods still ...

I would too! I've heard they are delicious!

 

[Hinotori]

I get weird looks because we eat silkies. A lot of people freak out because if the black meat. So far it's only been roosters.

 

[Hinotori]

Tastes like chicken??

Most don't like my home raised birds. Stronger chicken flavor and actual texture to the meat since the boys are about 5 months old instead of 2.

I've cooked ameraucana and silkie back to back. Only the color was different since they eat the same things.

 

[baymule]

I don't even care if the roo is mean, I still love him and I won't cook him

I have 2 scars from my mean rooster. I have grand children and no way was he or any other animal going to be a threat to them. Mean animals don't stay. My husband, for the first time, did the deed. I had the roo snugged down in a cone and DH cut his throat. Then tears trickled down his cheek. He has never, to my knowledge, ever killed any living creature on purpose. He cried when he ran over a squirrel. He called me, crying and just a mess because there was a cardinal stuck in his radiator. He has never, ever gone hunting. So for him to take the step to kill the rooster was HUGE. I hugged him. Then we cleaned that mean rooster and he fed us, our grand daughters and the leftovers fed 3 neighbor boys we watched while their dad worked late and their mom took a night class. And I still have two containers in the freezer.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ducks are easy! Always had great hatch rates with them.

I think there's a reason most people don't raise heritage turkeys... It's not easy! We haven't gotten past 50% hatch rate with turkeys yet. Very sensitive to humidity.

 

[tortoise]

DH made our incubator. Old cooler. Light bulb hooked up with a thermostat. A tiny desk fan. And a quart jar with a rag over the side to act as a wick. We've had pretty good hatch rate. Worst one was about 50% - but we had two 24-hour power outages during that batch due to a tornado.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thinking about raising ostriches. Maybe a couple hundred pound ostrich might be enough feed my family for Thanksgiving. I wonder how they taste and what would you bake them in? -:lol

LOL - I guess they wouldn't fit on my auto-plucker, huh?

 

[CrealCritter]

DH made our incubator. Old cooler. Light bulb hooked up with a thermostat. A tiny desk fan. And a quart jar with a rag over the side to act as a wick. We've had pretty good hatch rate. Worst one was about 50% - but we had two 24-hour power outages during that batch due to a tornado.

Sorry what does "DH" stand for? Daughter's Husband? IDK only a guess - remember I don't get out much

 

[CrealCritter]

Ostrich meat is delicious (and healthy) and very versatile. You can even make bacon with it. You can eat nearly the entire carcass too, including the tail, knees, etc. We used to make curry with the stomachs and grind up the hearts for mince meat. The skin leather is divine (and big $$$$$) and the feathers are sought after and useful. The chicks are a royal PITA (Pain In The Arse) to rear and drop dead for the stupidest reasons. Where I used to live in South Africa we were surrounded by ostrich farms and the farmers often paid people to raise the youngsters for them, so they didn't have the hassle.

And you're going to need a bloody big incubator to hatch those eggs

Ostrich meat looks more like beef than it does anything else. I wasn't joking... I'm seriously considering raising Ostriches. Any insight you can share would be most greatly appreciated.

 

[CrealCritter]

We have a Hovabator and bought an egg turner as well. Works great. Have used it for turkeys, chickens and ducks. Side note- expect not so great hatch rates, turkeys are notoriously difficult to hatch in incubators. They're difficult birds.

Would you be interested in trading fertilized turkey eggs when the hens come into lay late winter /early spring? Maybe like a dozen or so. I think I recall you saying you would like some Burbon Reds and I would like to have a go at some Chocolates