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Post by mtnester on Jan 9, 2009 14:41:21 GMT 8
Hi my wife and I are just starting with chooking (is that a new word?). We have just got a Mc Callum tractor and feeders etc so all we seem to need now is a few chooks to get started. Thinking about both layers and meat but perhaps 4 layers to start off with. Maybe eatum and replace in a few months so need suggestions for X breeds to try. Looming problem is how to kill humanely when time comes - is there an electric zapper on sale anywhere? or is there a better way. We are in Banksia Grove (8km East of Joondalup). Tony
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Jan 9, 2009 16:46:30 GMT 8
Hi Tony, Welcome to WAP! chooking, I like that word I dont cull birds myself so I cant help much in that department but others on here will probably have some tips. X breeds can be the best layers and hardier than purebreds, some members on here breed layers so I'm sure you'll get some suggestions soon. We'd love to see some pics of your tractor and chookens when you get some
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Post by mikemurphy on Jan 10, 2009 6:18:17 GMT 8
Hi Tony If you find a quick zapper I'd love to hear about it. I do mine myself and put it off until I have to do it. I'm having a debate with myself about whether it's better to sell the birds and buy a chook someone else has killed, but that raises questions like what to do with the roosters and what chemicals have gone into the chook meat you buy. How many eggs a year do you want? Many of the best layers produce more eggs than my wife and I can handle. We sell some but we always seem to have more in storage than we need. For that reason I went for something that was good for meat and middling for eggs. But I looked only at pure breeds. Someone else will have to tell you about crosses.
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Post by horses7 on Jan 13, 2009 22:08:27 GMT 8
Hi Tony, welcome to WAP, same as Mike if you do find a zapper I'd love to know about too, sorry I cant do my roosters myself, even sent them to my brother in law who could do them and he sent some back in plastic bags ready for the freezer, but alas we still couldnt eat them, so the only chookens that end up in my freezer have the Coles logo on them. and yes I think chooking is a new word.
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Post by fluffychook on Jan 14, 2009 7:17:01 GMT 8
I actually used the word the other day in an email I like it that much. Must admit I am hopeless when it comes to culling, I leave the area and hope that my poor hearing aids me instead of hinders and leave it to my OH. He understands my sensitivity and warns me away. He is the best. And as I have silkies, they have black meat and bones, the only chooks in my freezer are the bought ones. I could not eat them even if they were white. I suppose if I had been raised on a farm I would feel differently. I remember as a child my parents friends had a massive farm and ate their own meat. They killed a lamb for us to take the meat home, sorry mum I can't eat it, I saw that little fella walking around, it was soooo cute. Fortunately she understood too. She is the best as well.
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Post by lakelands on Jan 14, 2009 7:29:28 GMT 8
Hi Tony and welcome I am only a new member too but these guys are great. I have the same problem as every one else. I never know what to do with me excess roosters as I can't dispatch them either. My OH can do it as he was bought up on a chook farm but I wont eat them. Once you start to breed them you might find that you will have trouble also. Hope you get the answers you're looking for
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Jan 14, 2009 10:13:03 GMT 8
I guess I'm lucky being out in the country because I dont have much trouble getting rid of excess roosters. I just pair them off with a hen and sell as pairs. I was brought up on a farm and we culled and ate our own chooks. I will never forget the smell when they're being plucked, yuck it put me off. I remember me and my brother were always excited to see how many hens had an egg inside them, lol silly huh
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Post by plink on Jan 14, 2009 11:42:46 GMT 8
Hi Tony. I bought a book that describes all the best layers and meat birds as well as breeding killing and anything else you might want to know. Probably the best book that i've read on the subject of raising chookens, it's "Storeys Guide to RAISING CHICKENS", BY Gail Damerow. Hope that this is of some assistance and welcome to the world of "CHOOKENS"
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Post by Judes on Jan 20, 2009 15:41:42 GMT 8
Hi Tony It is not hard to humanely kill chickens, just make sure you get an experienced person to SHOW you, I would describe it but if I cant show you I would hate for you to do it wrong. It just involves correct angulation of the head and a quick jerk. Instantaneous and easy to do. Just ask around and you will find someone who can show you, no worries
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Post by fluffychook on Jan 21, 2009 7:23:32 GMT 8
My OH had to despatch of several bantam roosters many years ago. His brother who had given them to us unsexed told him to just pull their heads away from their body breaking their necks and very quick. Sounds good in theory, hubby tried it and it did not work, so he pulled a bit harder, still didn't work. By this time he is getting concerned about hurting the chook. So he pulled very hard, oh dear, he pulled too hard. You can imagine what happened. He has now learnt the correct way.
I remember as a child when gutting the fish we had caught, looking to see if they had any roe in them, so I suppose that would be the same as looking for eggs in the chooks.....lol
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