Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[yoopergirl1211]

Wow, I wish I could build that! How much is that costing you? I want to rebuild our coop but the current one cost us $200 in materials so I'm putting it off. I really want meat chickens too so I'll be following your experience with them to see if I'm up to the task next year



Well we don't process our roosters in front of the kids but we went fishing this past weekend and the kids really wanted to see us filleting the fish. I thought they would be traumatized over that (they are only 4 and 2) but they weren't. They were glad whenever we got a fillet off of the fish. I was surprised but I'm also unsure about it. Am I a bad parent to let my kids see something like that? At least they understand where meat comes from, and I aim to teach them respect for their food.

We actually got the 2x4s for less then 2 bucks a piece from some Amish. So so far its cost me 130 I think but we still have to make the house inside. Did chicken wire today and moved 20 roosters out there. They were driving me nuts and they killed a 5 week old Brahma boy yesterday. Before winter we are going to put a clear hard plastic roof so itll be good for storage too.

And definitely don't feel bad about kids learning about the not so nice side of the food chain. We decided not to sugar coat or lie to our kids when we were still pregnant with the first and I think its done a lot too turn them into the well rounded level headed kids they are. From how we pay bills or put food on the table to civil rights issues and now butchering chickens lol. It never hurts when a kid sees the world the way it really is instead of just what we hope it will be for them. You never know when those skills will come in handy!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

The bantams will be moving outside tomorrow. Their coop is more difficult to fix than I anticipated. I'm hoping they can be tamed like I fantasized.
@Auroradream26 If you are in need of a turkey hen, Sabrina isn't okay with her baby's loss. She was fine for a while, then began mourning. She now submits to Duckling, and we can only spend so much time outside. She should be happy with other turkeys.
If not, I will try another option.

If she's good with people, I'll take her, unless you'd like a tom for her, I have 2 extra bourbon boys...

@Auroradream26

When would you be available to meet at Sheetz in Northern Cambria to look at the roosters? I figure to bring 2 or 3 and then you can choose which looks best for your needs. (I am betting it will be Fabio, but I don't know what the breed standards call for).
I am separating all of the cockerels to a grow out pen, they are starting to chase hens...it will be butcher time soon.

Possibly tomorrow (Wednesday) evening? We got home very early in the morning today and we're still all out of whack lol

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Some highlights from our trip since I promised pictures

Mount St Helens in Washington

Horse tail falls in Oregon. We tried to stop at Multnomah (sp?) Falls but there was absolutely no place to park.

During our drive through the high desert, we ended up driving past a wild fire still burning. There were fire trucks and a helicopter dumping water.

We found this giant, downed pine on the way down to California to see the redwoods. We had to stop and check it out and let the kids play on it

Jedidiah Smith redwoods in Northern California

The Beach near Crescent City California. It was a disappointing 60º when we got there so we didn't swim (though it was 85º about an hour away)

The view from the lodge on Mount Bachelor in Oregon

My brother and his Beautiful bride

Lava Butte in Oregon. We basically got to walk the rim of a volcanic vent and see the old lava flows surrounding it.

 

[fisherlady]

Awesome pictures @Auroradream26 !! Thank you for putting them up, some incredible Sights!

Wednesday evening will work, I am on duty now, will not be off till sometime tomorrow morning, will get in touch then to decide on a good time to meet.

 

[emorems0]

We don't hide processing from out kids either... mine are currently 3, 6, and 9 and we've done meat chickens for the past 2 years. My middle girl actually liked helping to pluck the feathers when we plucked by hand. And my youngest randomly pointed out the kill cones in the garage today and said "that's for the chickens?" Checking her own memory I guess since it's been awhile since we processed any birds. They know animals have meat under their skin and we eat meat. We refer to meat chickens as 'meat chickens' so they know what's coming and are prepared to let them go.

 

[WVduckchick]

Does anyone have experience trimming spurs on a rooster? I'm not sure what else we could do, but I'm a little afraid of tackling this job (I don't even trim my dog's nails... she freaks out over it so we take her to get them done).

We've lost two hens the last 3 weeks to apparent spurring. I didn't recognize what it was on the first hen because I didn't have the opportunity to look her over much when I found her - found her in the run when I went to throw food in their run on my way out the door, she already had maggots on her underside when I picked her up but that was the extent of what I saw. I buried her quickly because the kids were waiting in the car. The second hen I found in the coop when we got back from vacation, there were a few escapee chickens that had to be returned to the coop and I saw her laying on the floor of the coop. I took her into the garage to look her over and found a big gash down her side. I did my best to treat the wound, but it was down to the bone on her leg. She hung on for 2 whole days, but passed this morning.

So, Romeo is 3 years old and has never hurt any of his girls in all that time. Looking him over today, I can see that one of his spurs is really long, the same side that both girls were injured on. The other one doesn't look nearly as long. Is it weird that they are different lengths? How do I know how far down I can clip without hurting him? My understanding is that you just clip them with a dog toenail clipper, is there anything else I need to know? I'd love to hear some experience about this...

I've only done the twist off method and was amazed how quick and easy it is to do, and simple on the rooster. Easier with someone to hold the bird, gently hold his leg in one hand, grasp the spur with pliers, close to the leg, and gently twist back and forth, fraction of an inch, rock it back and forth and it will pop at the base, and slide right off like a sheath. Underneath is a soft spur that will reharden in a couple days. Blood is minimal, but have a little flour or blood stop on hand in case.
There is a wonderful YouTube video showing how to do it, if ya wanna try it.

edit to add before and after pics

 

[Blarneyeggs]

@Auroradream26 Fantastic Pics!!!

@WVduckchick Great job on the spurs!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Took some turkeys to the Goshen Fair yesterday, placed 1st and 2nd! (Out of 2 bwahahaha)

 

[fangedknight]

View attachment 1098300 Took some turkeys to the Goshen Fair yesterday, placed 1st and 2nd! (Out of 2 bwahahaha)

Congrats!! I gotta find out when the next show is and see if I can at least get Klaus and Charlie in.

 

[emorems0]

I've only done the twist off method and was amazed how quick and easy it is to do, and simple on the rooster. Easier with someone to hold the bird, gently hold his leg in one hand, grasp the spur with pliers, close to the leg, and gently twist back and forth, fraction of an inch, rock it back and forth and it will pop at the base, and slide right off like a sheath. Underneath is a soft spur that will reharden in a couple days. Blood is minimal, but have a little flour or blood stop on hand in case.
There is a wonderful YouTube video showing how to do it, if ya wanna try it.

edit to add before and after pics
View attachment 1098283 View attachment 1098284

I'm concerned he will injure the soft spurs and start bleeding everywhere. I've read that you should keep them separated for a few days if removing the whole spur/sheath. You didn't have any trouble with that?