Chicken/egg question

[Amish Heart]

I taught our grandkids how to kill quick. They just took out a very mean tom turkey that was crazy. The make slip loops with rope, one for each leg, flip the bird upside down and hold the rope. Next,, hook the rope over the branch that they like (at the height they like), and let the bird get dizzy from being upside down. Then take the scalpel knife (that's what we use for butchering) and cut the neck quickly and stand back. It'll take a minute, but the bird will flap wildly while it's dying. Then start the plucking or the skinning, whatever it is you like. They take off the head and feet before bringing it in to me, and I do the innards.
The bird (chicken or turkey) pretty much pass out after being upside down for awhile. That's why we do it that way instead of just taking the head off at a tree stump. They stay cleaner, too, by not running around.

 

[Helen Back]

Barbarians

 

[Amish Heart]

Ha Ha. Not a barbarian.

 

[Wiredog8]

Between the guard Rhode Island Red rooster and the pissy Toulouse gander, my kids learned at an early age how to defend from an attacking bird. It was funny watching people run from the goose and my kid (7 at the time) just grab him by the neck and carry him off to the pens.

 

[Amish Heart]

We have enough chickens that I don't put up with a crazy rooster. Four roosters right now, and they don't see me as the enemy. We incubate plenty in the spring, so they can easily get replaced

 

[Wiredog8]

Gonna get me some birds and bees come spring.
Been slowly rehabbing our old coup. Hasn't been used in 10 years.
Got me a couple of double stack hives and a good source for my bee nukes come springtime.
Working on a garden as well as tilling to plant wildflower seeds and clover in the spring.

 

[Helen Back]

Ha Ha. Not a barbarian.

I know, I was kidding. She would NEVER do any of those things,.... but she WILL eat chicken packaged at the store. Probably why they say not to name your meat animals.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I know, I was kidding. She would NEVER do any of those things,.... but she WILL eat chicken packaged at the store. Probably why they say not to name your meat animals.

Not naming your meat animals is valid. I never name mine. Not even the laying hens.

 

[Amish Heart]

I don't name the hens, too many. But I do name the roosters. Have two roosters to each run of hens, so I have to differentiate between the runs. Eating mean roosters, even with names, doesn't bother me. But normally when we're butchering, the meat gets wrapped and frozen. So who know who we are eating

 

[user 7704]

Still getting zero eggs. I'm feeding extra protein, checked for mites, I clean nests every 3 days and floor once per week etc. This has never happened before.

Winterized the coop today.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Still getting zero eggs. I'm feeding extra protein, checked for mites, I clean nests every 3 days and floor once per week etc. This has never happened before.

Winterized the coop today.

How old are they Robin? It could be the age. I had some RR that went weeks without laying when they molted. I rotate my hens every 2 years. The Issa Browns I currently have will be my forever breed hens. They are flat out amazing layers. Food to egg ratio is very good. They didn’t really molt (this is their 2nd winter) and am still getting an egg every single day from all hens. Shocking right?

Also cleaned my chicken house recently. Put the droppings and wood shavings on top of the garden.

 

[Flying lead]

Still getting zero eggs. I'm feeding extra protein, checked for mites, I clean nests every 3 days and floor once per week etc. This has never happened before.

Winterized the coop today.

Try adding 2 more hours of light, get a timer and a droplight set it for the morning . Not in the evening they need the sun to roost. I have 12 hens and was getting 1 egg every other day, now it's 6 to 7 a day. It'll take about 4 days to take effect. My quail went from zero to 2-3 a day from 5 hens

 

[user 7704]

I did lights one year, but decided not to any more. Chickens are born with a set number of eggs that they are going to lay. Maybe they just need a rest. I'll give them to the new year then decide. Some are just old and need to be culled, but I don't have the heart.

 

[Dostoyevsky]

I did lights one year, but decided not to any more. Chickens are born with a set number of eggs that they are going to lay. Maybe they just need a rest. I'll give them to the new year then decide. Some are just old and need to be culled, but I don't have the heart.

They might come good. I've got a couple of 'retired' hens that I keep for the same reason -- plus they're great at catching snails and slugs -- but they've both started laying again recently and are laying practically every day now.

 

[user 7704]

Not a good pic, but Tonto is a huge beauty.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Not naming your meat animals is valid. I never name mine. Not even the laying hens.

All of our beef have ear tags. So last night we had a #17 roast. No names, just tag numbers.

 

[user 7704]

My son names every animal. Girls named Jethro, cats named after NCIS characters, roosters after the Lone Ranger, etc.

 

[Mountain trapper]

My son names every animal. Girls named Jethro, cats named after NCIS characters, roosters after the Lone Ranger, etc.

I forgot, the granddaughter named a heifer Livvy after her self.

 

[Dostoyevsky]

My hens are all called Doris. I did have a silky bantam once called Blanche d'Alpuget, but she died of old age.

 

[Amish Heart]

I have a hen called walking dead chicken because she never grew her feathers back in right after molt.

 

[user 7704]

All of my RIRs are called Red
All of my black and white are called B/W
All of my Buff Orpingtons are called Buffy
All of my Speckled Sussex are called Speck
Black are Black and Grey ones are GG for Grey Ghost

Anyone see a pattern.

 

[bill harrell]

All of my RIRs are called Red
All of my black and white are called B/W
All of my Buff Orpingtons are called Buffy
All of my Speckled Sussex are called Speck
Black are Black and Grey ones are GG for Grey Ghost

Anyone see a pattern.

I don't know, your not woke yet?


Just kidding...

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Not a good pic, but Tonto is a huge beauty.
View attachment 14453

He is one beautiful bird for sure!!

 

[user 7704]

He's a Langshan

 

[user 7704]

One of my ladies didn't come to roost tonight. My dogs were crazy barking today, but I thought it was because of all the work going on at the lot next door. Maybe they heard something happening to the chicken.

 

[Amish Heart]

Sorry, I hope you find her!

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

One of my ladies didn't come to roost tonight. My dogs were crazy barking today, but I thought it was because of all the work going on at the lot next door. Maybe they heard something happening to the chicken.

Has she turned up yet Robin? Losing a good laying hen stinks. Especially in the winter.

 

[user 7704]

Opened the gate this morning and she comes out from under the coop.

Man she was talking so fast. Probably giving me hell for closing the door. She always is the last one in at night. I looked under the coop but didn't see her.

She was lucky because the net roofing has been breached and a predator could have had Chicken dinner.

 

[user 7704]

Been raising chickens for 8 years and just this winter they have decided to lay eggs under their coop. There is only a 6" or so space, so it a pain for me to fish out the eggs. Guess I need to enclose around bottom, but I liked having the safe spot for them in case of a predator.

 

[user 7704]

I always start my baby chix in the laundry room and it is always so dusty and stinky (I am told).

Went to the pharmacy and we were talking and she told me she raises hers (100s) on the back porch with only a heat lamp. I have an EcoGlow warmer and she said it will be fine to put them in my unheated garage.

What are your opinions? Questions, comments or snide remarks are welcome.