Space Chick Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I wanted to share. Poor fella decided to start crowing at 12 weeks, and after a few mornings of being woken up at 4.45am I decided the deed had to be done (before the neighbours complain... There's one particular awkward so and so!) Did him after work tonight, and plucked him... There isn't much meat on him, but I will boil him and put him in a curry I think I am surprisingly at peace with it, although OH is completely freaked out!!! At least his life will not go to waste. After an unlikely hatch, he is going to be the first of many! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 good for you, I think that is what really all of us should be able to do (I havent learnt the art yet ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Glad it went ok Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I despatched a sick chook this morning too. It had to be done and I am strangely calm about it. Couldn't eat her though as she wasn't a meat bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Good for you. A rite of passage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted June 26, 2011 Author Share Posted June 26, 2011 Had to do the second yesterday too.... I gutted them and cooked them both today... Not a massive amount of meat.... Just over 500g from the pair of them. However, I have a fab chicken sarnie for my packed lunch tomorrow and have made a pot of chicken curry. We will have half tomorrow for tea, the other half has gone into the freezer. Have also witnessed 2 other boys with early crows today... They won't be far behind Far better eat them, as their lives will have had a purpose However, my MIL is now not talking to me and has made me out to be a monster.... She's told OH to tell me never to hatch again.... What does she buy.... Either cheap Lidl or tesco value chicken although so DOES NOT get it when I ask who the REAL monster is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 well done debs did you hatch them specifically for meat then? x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 However, my MIL is now not talking to me and has made me out to be a monster.... She's told OH to tell me never to hatch again.... What does she buy.... Either cheap Lidl or tesco value chicken although so DOES NOT get it when I ask who the REAL monster is spot on. culling the boys is the responsible thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted June 26, 2011 Author Share Posted June 26, 2011 well done debs did you hatch them specifically for meat then? x No but hatched with the intention that girls would be pets and boys would be meat (unless they coud be found good homes) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Ah thats a good plan to have We have just rehomed our 4 boys today, they have gone to a new smallholding in Stoke Very nice family they were - I am very jealous though as I really wanted to keep one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted June 26, 2011 Author Share Posted June 26, 2011 Well done Ste I have managed to find a great home for my choc Wyandotte boy, which I am delighted about as he's a real sweetheart... I would have been gutted to cull him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Well done Debs. As you've said, a life honoured and worthwhile. Ignore the MIL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Silly woman - I stopped rearing boys for meat as I hated plucking SO much, I could never face eating them afterwards and OH wasn't any help. First few were hard, but my last two boys crowed so late (about six months we had them) that they were enormous and very succulent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 skinning is much easier than plucking, I'm planning on that approach next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 There's a method for skinning pheasants (have only seen it done once) which involves standing on the wings and pulling the legs... the skin just slides off. I only caught this last bit of the action, so didn't see the prepping, which would doubtless have involved slitting around the vent and legs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 - I think I'll stick to plucking, much as I hate doing it! Well done Debs - we're doing about 4 a week at the moment, as they start to crow. Ours are meat birds and weigh about 4lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I don't mind plucking TBH, but will only do 2 max at a time a my fingers get sore after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 There will be a day in the near future where I will have to stop being soppy & cull some males. If I'm breeding, showing etc - there will only be so many males I can keep. Thing is - I still will never eat chicken. You are speaking to the woman who in her fairytale world, would have a cockerel sanctury - as she loves her little boys. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 12 weeks Flash's quins are now 4 weeks and I'm sure we have 3 cockerels if not 4. I do hope they go longer than 12 weeks....they'll still be soooooooooo little. Hubby will do the deed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 12 weeks I've got one that started to practice at 10 weeks think early manual car horn crossed with a goose with a sore throat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 reminds me of one of my boys... he sounded like an owl. 'Ahem... woooo.... woooo bok' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 We've got one at the moment that sounds like a cross between a party blower and a kazoo - each time we take a cockeral out but he always seems to evade us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 let me at him Lesley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 It's not a problem - it's just that each time we take a cockerel out we wonder if it's that one and then later we hear his strange noises Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Well today I have dispatched what I am hoping is my last boy for this year. I have done 5 boys this year, the 4 we have already eaten have been delicious Out of my 7 boys, I found homes for 2 Next year we have decided to hatch hybrids, so will be eating all the boys. I have surprised myself that I have been able to do this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
