meat birds again

[baldrick]

Sorry Im getting boring on this subject but Im still flirting with the idea of meat birds. My lottie space is ready to start with the chook stuff but im in an agony of indecision. I really dont need more eggs, and need to seriously research the meat side. I swear Ive surfed all morning so Im not being lazy, but does anyone have any links or blogs on the following:
1/small scale meat production.
2/chickens that mature fairly quickly (preferably prior to boys finding their voices)
3/regular sources of fertile eggs.


Im really interested in Indian Game and Cobb or Hubbard. However I understand IG need to be grown a long time so there is noise to consider while Cobb and Hubbard eggs are like hens teeth! Im not to worried about broilers outgrowing their strength as I wont keep them that long. They will have a better life than in a commercial barn.

Id ideally like to have a couple of silkies or orpingtons, and when they go broody provide them with eggs to hatch, seperate the young into another coop once mum loses interest then humanely dispatch and eat. This way the mums can come home to overwinter and I dont have to worry about getting to the lottie when it snows.I just want to be really well informed before I start as the laying birds were a steep learning curve.

There is also Rottie the possible cockerel to consider as we cant kill him now so he will have to be Rottie at the Lottie as he is now part of the family.

Thanks in advance

[Munch]

Hi Baldrick

I have found this site intersting and usefull.
Keeping Chickens for Meat - Raising Table Birds - Low Cost Living

We have 6, 12 week old light sussex, that we hatched and are being raised specifically for the table. It is our first experience of this. I have also asked many questions!

Our next will be ross cobbs, (ebay) as they are fast growers! this is all baring in mind my hubby can do 'the deed'!

Good luck x

[Suechooks]

Jayne - I'll give you the name of the ebay seller I'm getting my eggs from (they haven't arrived yet btw!). She seems to have a mixture of cross breeds and specific utility birds (pure breeds not hybrids), as well as the Hubbards. I've also emailed Cyril Bason who is our biggest almost local hatchery to see if they would supply eggs. No response as yet just acknowledgement of email.
I think its going to be difficult to source Ross/Cobbs or Hubbards as they are generally raised in batches of 10,000 or more, specifically for the commercial producers.

[baldrick]

thanks ill have a look when i can get back on the pc. Have you actually sourced cobb eggs then? I couldn find them on ebay but i found day olds somewhere else. I know sue chooks has a broodie on some hubbard eggs but i think she had to bid for them. Please can you keep of posted how you go and whether ur boys get meaty enough before they get noisy!suechooks sourced a proper neck pluck and prep guy. I was thinking of asking him to do it with me in attendance the first time so i know ill kill rather than maim!maybe you could do the same?

[baldrick]

hi sue we crossed in cyber space! Found someone who supplies day olds but only in batches of 50!thanks ill have that address. Think will just set rottie and wellie up in thier existing run til they are off growers and research while im at it. May find i can only have the two of them if they are both boys!

[RichmondHens]

The other thing you need to consider is how much chicken you will realistically eat (remember you can't sell excess meat from your door like eggs) as that will determine how many you wish to raise, and of course how much space you have. You owe it to your meat birds to give them a decent outdoor life prior to despatch, same as the layers.

[baldrick]

The other thing you need to consider is how much chicken you will realistically eat (remember you can't sell excess meat from your door like eggs) as that will determine how many you wish to raise, and of course how much space you have. You owe it to your meat birds to give them a decent outdoor life prior to despatch, same as the layers.

yes Id only raise an absolute maximum of six at a time (probably less allowing for all 6 eggs not hatching). We have a chicken for sunday dinner so I get through 4 or 5 a month easily. On the numbers I can keep Id still be buying chicken to eat. I want chooks at the allotment as I already have 5 plus the two littleuns at home. Thing is we are over run with eggs to the point im eating 3 or 4 a day instead of selling them coz they are so lovely. Sure its not good for me though......

[chris]

You can freeze eggs (either seperate the yolks, or don't) - but if they're used to make cakes or omeletes they don't rise as much apparantly. That said, made into cake bases, or cupcakes they'll freeze fine

Eggs are so versitile though, when you do have a glut you can make so many things with them. I've found an old book that goes on to mention how you can store them.. But personally, I'd rather use them than keep 'em!

That said, they are an excellent commodity - they work wonders for neighbour(s) relation(s), etc!

Or, start body building, they're a great source of protien

[baldrick]

You can freeze eggs (either seperate the yolks, or don't) - but if they're used to make cakes or omeletes they don't rise as much apparantly. That said, made into cake bases, or cupcakes they'll freeze fine

Eggs are so versitile though, when you do have a glut you can make so many things with them. I've found an old book that goes on to mention how you can store them.. But personally, I'd rather use them than keep 'em!

That said, they are an excellent commodity - they work wonders for neighbour(s) relation(s), etc!

Or, start body building, they're a great source of protien

I swear yesterday I had 3 with soldiers for brekkie and 3 hard boiled with salad for dinner. I could eat them for every meal but Im trying to give them up.....or at least cut down!

[chris]

flog them!

[Polly Fouracre]

Baldrick, two things, if in need of an Indie cockerell, give me a shout, another, never, never, get too fond of a cockerell. (Trevor, of course being different!)

[baldrick]

what age do ig start to crow then? And more important what age can you eat them???

[Polly Fouracre]

Depending on the breed they start to crow from between six and fourteen-eighteen weeks. At first it sounds like a donkey being slowly strangled in the distance and is no bother to anyone (except, perhaps donkey lovers) It's only when they really start yelling and you get stern looks from your neighbours that you know the time has come to fill the deep freeze. You'll know when you get there!!