Chicken Pot

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wildwitchy

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #15 on: April 08, 2011, 20:56 »
That makes sobering reading GA.  I didn't know about any of that. Thanks for enlightening me/us

yes, thankyou GA. I didnt know that either. I am even more determined to raise my own if I can. I currently buy organic chickens from a friend who raises his own & they are beautiful tasting & very well cared for. My husband would rather buy iceland muck as he wont eat the real thing. It's too down to earth for him.

I had to dispatch a hen myself that was really poorly & I found it very traumatic as it didnt quite go to plan but I couldnt let her suffer.

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rachelr

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #16 on: April 08, 2011, 21:26 »
I am doing my first meat hens so for example here are the costs. And took my costings from her

http://www.lowcostliving.co.uk/chickens/chickens-table-cost.php

It depends on how far you are away from the local tescos. Mine is 20 miles so even with a diesel I am looking at £3.00 for delivery its £5.

feed one bag of  crumbs 7.50
1.5 bags growers             7.65
                                     11.475
0.5 bag finishers             4.00
total feed costs              30.625

I had ten chicks one had to be culled but i have added that in     8.00
I cant work out the electric so have left that out.

totall cos 38.63 plus electric for 9 chicks the first of which weighed in at 6.5 lbs

so if they all work out at this before electric they have cost me £3.40

course as its the first time i have done this I had to buy a heat lamp £30, brooder £5
Wall hanging dispatcher £26. I also gave them chicken scraps and i get mixed corn for £5 for 20kgs and they have a bowl of that each day once they turned 8 weeks.

This is a rough guide as i said

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joyfull

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #17 on: April 08, 2011, 21:34 »
dont forget to include shavings/hemcore into the equation. However the taste of home grown far outweighs the cost  :D
Staffies are softer than you think.

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rachelr

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #18 on: April 08, 2011, 21:37 »
yes and the hours it takes to pluck gut and get ready for the oven. The cleaning out the looking after and making sure no ailments. The grey hairs when the get lost and you find them hidden in the dog kennel??????

But i am waiting to try the taste as my mum is coming over and i have not seen her for a year so a big roast is planned.

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joyfull

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #19 on: April 08, 2011, 21:42 »
the plucking and gutting does get quicker once you get used to it, and you will enjoy it in the end so will your mum  :)

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GrannieAnnie

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #20 on: April 08, 2011, 21:53 »
dont forget to include shavings/hemcore into the equation. However the taste of home grown far outweighs the cost  :D

And they go further as they don't shrink as much as the waterlogged supermarket stuff because of the added water!

Rachel, I do hope you enjoy your frist home reared chickens!!!

And wild witchy, if you do decide to rear your own meat birds, a wall dispatcher like the one Rachel bought is a good idea!  Much better than trying to 'neck' them!

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rachelr

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #21 on: April 08, 2011, 22:07 »
see there are so many more pros to rearing your own.

many thanks for all your help GA

 

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GrannieAnnie

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #22 on: April 08, 2011, 22:10 »
You're very welcome Rachel.  Something else the supermarkets have missed out on!! lol

My new motto is not just BUY British, but REAR British!!  :D :D

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wildwitchy

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #23 on: April 08, 2011, 22:24 »
And wild witchy, if you do decide to rear your own meat birds, a wall dispatcher like the one Rachel bought is a good idea!  Much better than trying to 'neck' them!

I was unsure about the wall dispatcher-id read that they wasn't humane. My attempts at necking went wrong (I don't think i'd done it correctly) which upset me such alot so I ended up having to decapitate her which was awful. I really cried.  :(  :(

I might pay my friend to do the job for me; the cowards way out. I don't mind the plucking & drawing etc, that kind of thing doesn't bother me as they are dead by then.

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rachelr

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #24 on: April 08, 2011, 22:31 »
why did you feel you had done it wrong? The first one i did was not nice and ithought i had done it wrong but in hind site I now know i did it right I was just not ready for the flapping and twitching that occured.

the wall dispatcher is recommended as a humane culler. I have yet to use mine as my first meat chick for the pot flew and hit a wall and broke its leg so i needed to dispatch immediatly.


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wildwitchy

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #25 on: April 08, 2011, 22:44 »
why did you feel you had done it wrong? The first one i did was not nice and ithought i had done it wrong but in hind site I now know i did it right I was just not ready for the flapping and twitching that occured.

the wall dispatcher is recommended as a humane culler. I have yet to use mine as my first meat chick for the pot flew and hit a wall and broke its leg so i needed to dispatch immediatly.



I was prepared for the flapping, I thought i'd broke the neck (like my friend had told me etc) but she was still breathing on the floor & flapping her wings. I think I panicked, felt bit sick, so I just rushed & got my husbands chef's knife & quickly did the deed as I didn't want her to linger as I thought I hadn't culled her properly. It has put me off dispatching & I thought I was very courageous getting this far!!  :ohmy:

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GrannieAnnie

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #26 on: April 08, 2011, 22:49 »
Some people do think that when the birds flap they are still alive, although it is only the nerves. oh just read your last reply.  That must have been vey upsetting, its why I prefer the wall dispatcher.  Of course my Brian has his electric stunner!

Sorry Bill, we are hijacking your thread here!

The wall dispatcher is very quick, and if it does worry you at all, you can contact the humane slaughterer's association and ask them about it.


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wildwitchy

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #27 on: April 08, 2011, 23:10 »
yes, sorry Bill,  was a dispatching theme  :( I will ask about the wall device. Thank you GA. x

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billathome65

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #28 on: April 09, 2011, 00:17 »
No problems GA It's interesting reading
The best way to learn to do something is to do something.

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min200

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Re: Chicken Pot
« Reply #29 on: April 09, 2011, 05:00 »
Add the cost of shavings and hemcore????????

If you can do what I do and find a local wood merchant who is happy to give away shavings for free (of course eggs help!)



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