butching results

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Friday was butcher day, yesterday we packaged it all up and this was

the totals:
                25 lbs  4 ozs    boneless,skinless breasts
                27 lbs  10 ozs   skinless legs
                 9 lbs  13 ozs    wings
                36 lbs  6 ozs     5 hole meat birds
                15 lbs  4 ozs     3 hole roosters
                24 lbs  10 ozs   caresses (soup stock)

Plus two that went straight to the BBQ at 4lbs-6ozs.

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to make a total of a 148 lbs 8 ozs of chicken.

I have another 24 meaty to do in another month so I should stay nice and plump this winter.

Like to hear what everyone else is putting away for winter that they grew.

Mine are babies yet, but since my hatches have been so skewed towards boys, and I have 37 Barnevelder boys to 10 girls, I will be eating a lot of chicken!!! Atleast 30 of those will are likely freezer bound. And that's just the barnevelders, there are more...I just don't yet know how many.

Well, the chicken raising didn't go quite as well as planned this year, so there are only going to be 3 Orpington roos for the freezer. We did 15 last year. Ultimately, I need about 35 or so to last us through the year. That is the goal. We grow all of our own Vegetables, and are now working on fruit. The goal is to be as self sufficient as possible!

What breeds of birds did you butcher Rowdy?

How long do you all grow your birds? Depends on the breed, I suppose? I have some 6 month old buff/lav roosters that are feeling pretty solid to me right now! I think they are the first to go the way of the ax. Then the marans boys I'm not using for breeding. I think they take a bit longer though; they are still pretty light.

Beep wrote:How long do you all grow your birds?  Depends on the breed, I suppose?  I have some 6 month old buff/lav roosters that are feeling pretty solid to me right now!  I think they are the first to go the way of the ax.  Then the marans boys I'm not using for breeding.  I think they take a bit longer though; they are still pretty light.

I have my buff orpingtons and cochins processed at 6 months old (24 weeks) or so. Hmmm...marans, I heard that they mature quite a bit before this age of 6 months, but never grown them. I think Pops coops said they were meaty at about 20 weeks. Have an awesome day, CynthiaM.

Cynthia, I kept my Orpington Cockerals and Pullets together last year until 4 months old...when the little Roos suddenly went berserk with hormones. That turned out to be the deciding factor on when to process them. Do you separate out your cockerals and pullets at a much earlier time, and does that make a difference in their behaviour?

CynthiaM wrote:

Beep wrote:How long do you all grow your birds?  Depends on the breed, I suppose?  I have some 6 month old buff/lav roosters that are feeling pretty solid to me right now!  I think they are the first to go the way of the ax.  Then the marans boys I'm not using for breeding.  I think they take a bit longer though; they are still pretty light.

I have my buff orpingtons and cochins processed at 6 months old (24 weeks) or so.  Hmmm...marans, I heard that they mature quite a bit before this age of 6 months, but never grown them.  I think Pops coops said they were meaty at about 20 weeks.  Have an awesome day, CynthiaM.

I think marans take longer, like 8-10 months at least for eating. They seem to hit teenager-hood early tho! LOL! In any case, they are definitely lighter than the orps. (The buff orp's we actually got from you, Cynthia M, my daughter is the 10 yr old 4H'er!)

Farmer Bob wrote:Cynthia, I kept my Orpington Cockerals and Pullets together last year until 4 months old...when the little Roos suddenly went berserk with hormones.  That turned out to be the deciding factor on when to process them.  Do you separate out your cockerals and pullets at a much earlier time, and does that make a difference in their behaviour?

I put all my dominique cockerels seperate from the pullets and unsexed buckeyes early this year and the main thing I notice is how calm mu pullet and buckeyes pen is. No sparring and jumping.
Time will tell if it makes a diff for thr butcher weights.