Squab

[MorelCabin]

I just read a post over at BYC that really got me thinking...about raising wild pigeons the old fashioned way. I think I am going to do it in the spring in the eves of my henhouse. I'm going to design a pigeon loft and get some to try. The way I see it, I barely have to feed them and they will be meat for my family for next to nothing...darn around here they are giving them away!

 

[MorelCabin]

I think I'm doing it sooner than that...I just got 4 breeding pairs given to me they are "rollers" Talk about jumping in and finding your wings on the way down...now I gotta go get a pen ready for them.

 

[FarmerChick]

have you processed squab for meals Morel?
they are so little and hard to work with but delish of course!

I wanted to breed those rock cornish game hens and sell at the market and for my own freezer. never got around to it but they are so little, but again, delish.

If you put squab above your chickens do you have a floor space??? to catch droppings cause it will be messy....or do they poop right on the chickens...LOL-LOL---I don't know...I never did this..LOL


what is their processing time? fast?

 

[MorelCabin]

I would think that I will build a small loft type platform on the back wall of my coop...box it in and make it so that I can hinge one of the sides to clean and take care of things. From the outside of the coop I will have 'bird holes' big enough for the pigeons to fly in and out of. For now though I am going to have to use the pen in my coop that I have the roosters in and put the roos back in with the hens:>)

Apperently squab are much easier to pluck than chicken...hey I'll try it...they're free:>)
I have processed partridge...now those are easy! Maybe I should just raise partridge LOL!

 

[FarmerChick]

that is a great idea and very SS using existing space in the coop. use some of the height and build a small bird coop.

but I don't know anything about them....so when you say they can fly out.....is that into a roofed run or is that free???? cause with even bird holes up high varmints can get into those holes and eat them right?

just wondering what type of run you make or let them free?

partridge..I never looked into them either. For me, I am not a bird person and I push it with chickens..LOL...I barely tolerate them..haha

but it is smart if you know how to process and enjoy them...definitely go for it!

 

[PamsPride]

I am a visual person...so once you get it all set up can you post some pics of what you are doing?? Post some pics of the squab too!
That is awesome that you got breeder pairs so quickly for free!! I guess it was 'meant to be'!!!

 

[TanksHill]

Congrats on the free birds. It's always good to experiment on someone else's dime. Homing pigeons are very popular around my place. I see flocks out flying above and heading home all the time. Are they the same?

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Morel: how did your squab experiment go? Hubby just found a "making squab-raising profitable" booklet in our huge stack of books. Thinking about it. How different is it from quail?