I had to keep them in the cage til I got the run up for them. I had bought a 100" roll of 6" welded wire fence a few weeks ago to make a yard for the Barred Rock pullets I got last month. So I thought I better go ahead and get it up before I let the bigger new hens in with the little ones. That way, the littles can get away if they need to. And they did! Their first time out since I've had them here.
They did ok at first, but then the bigger hens started bullying the littles. Poor girls. But I'm sure they'll all be getting along fine in a few days. There's always that "getting to know each other" stage. I clipped the new girl
s wings before I let them all out.
This is their new yard. There is a little space between the boards on the side of the coop for them to jump in and out into the yard. It's pretty big. But will be all brown in about a month. I hope to be able to let them out some in the evenings soon.
And I butchered 21 more CC meat birds this morning. 12 left to do. I'll get them in the next few days. I am so tired of chickens right now! I just got done putting them all in the freezer.
Also made 14 half pint jars of peppermint jelly for market. So have had another busy productive Monday.
5 comments:
Kris those look like some nice laying hens. I too like having my own eggs. It somehow seems better that way. You should be getting plenty of eggs soon and extra's to sell. They will pay for themselves in no time.
I don't think you spent to much for new layers considering the cost to buy them as chicks and the grower feed to get them to that point and the heatlamps too. I think you did just fine.
Linda
Thanks Linda. I know people pay big bucks for good layers. I know they will give me some good eggs. And I have the 7 Barred Rock babies. They are just about 4 months now.
No your not crazy for paying that much. Out here the feed prices are so high, that my Mom gets between $15-25 for a laying hen.
How in the world do you manage to get 21 chickens butchered in 1 morning?! If my Mom and I work together we usually get about 10 done, before we are pooped. My Dad didn't like having to do the job of chopping the heads off. So he made a really cool chicken head cutter offer (for my Mom) that hooks up to the air compressor. You just press the lever on the air hose, and it chops. I will have to do a post about it some time.
Kimberly
Kimberly, have a pretty good system. I use my grill to keep the big pot of water hot. I have a killing cone. I need 2 really. So I get a chicken and hang it in the cone for a few minutes. Then cut the throat and let it bleed out. Then take it over to the grill. I go get another chicken and put it in the cone. While it's hanging, waiting, I plunge 1st chicken and get all feathers off. Then cut throat of waiting chicken. Then clean out 1st chicken. Then start over with 2nd chicken. I can get 1 chicken all done and in the cooler in about 5 minutes now. I have everything right there within a few steps, so not running all over the place. When I have people here "to help", I am having to show them what to do and it just takes more time. Husband has helped a few times with our home made plucker, but I can still pluck faster that that.
I was going to do the last 12 yesterday, but was with my mom all day. Much better time, that.
Hey, If your a good teacher. People out here are giving classes on how to process your own meat chickens. They charge around $30 a person, and they teach them as a group. That could be quite a bit of $$$$ in only a couple hours.
Kimberly
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