[Casey76]

I got back form 6 weeks in Argentina on Sunday, my mum having done a valiant job at looking after my rather large flock, but unfortunately not without some losses

Two hens were taken by a predator, after my boundry fence collapsed one night, and four died due to heat exhaustion after all piling into a nest box made for two, and in the kerfuffle accidentally shutting to door on themselves.

I received a text from my next door neighour saying that they boys were getting too noisy again, so four hours after my arrival (and I'd been travelling for 20 hours) I had a look and dispatched the noisiest two boys (and had a gorgeous chicken curry the next day); I assessed the 'poots as I came back to 5 girls and 8 boys, and dispatched 7 boys as they would be no good for showing and had a rest.

I got back from work the next day to find that one of my bantam dotte cockerels had attacked my one show prospect silver-laced dotte pullet and torn her head open, and she is now recuperating in a cat box in the bathroom.  Two other pullets also had blooming heads, so if he doesn't calm down he will also be for the chop.

Then to cap it all off, I came down this morning to find my one show prospect birchen Marans cockerel dead in the coop from no apparant reason.  I'm fairly gutted about that becasue he was shaping up to be a very nice boy, and birchen Marans are hard to find.

All of my other cockerels are no good to show, so I'll be having some fine dinners over the coming months, but it will leave me without a boy for next spring... consequently I'm itching to get the incubator out again!

[joyfull]

Like you Casey I hatch several broods a year and sadly part of this is dealing with the problem of the inevitable cockerels. I also dispatch them if new homes can't be found (and some are small but thanks to Spana I now spatchcock the bantam boys) resulting in some lovely dinners that I know have had a good life and what they are fed on.
So when do your next lot of eggs go in? 

[JaK]

Sorry you had such a rotten ruturn from your trip.
What will you be hatching this time?

[RichardA]

Sounds like a bad few days -- what happen to hobbies being relaxing then....................
R

[hillfooter]

.............but thanks to Spana I now spatchcock the bantam boys) ............................

What is "spatchcocking" Joyfull?
HF

[bantam novice]

So sorry that you have had such a run of bad luck 
I really hope things go better with the new hatching.

[New shoot]

Not the best to come home to Casey   

Spatchcocking is a way of preparing birds to cook HF.  You cut out the backbone and flatten the bird out.  Then you put 2 skewers in diagonally across to hold the legs and wings close to the body.  Good for the BBQ 

[joyfull]

thanks New shoot, they are lovely mainated in lime 

[hillfooter]

I'll have to try it.
HF