Livestock food source

[BadgeBunny]

Hmmm ... Maybe it was 6, not 8. I went back and looked for the thread to double-check but it's gone. All I remember for sure is they were having trouble walking so I butchered 2 weeks sooner than the store said we would need to, AND I was amazed at the size of the breasts on those guys. We'd always had dual purpose birds when I was growing up. They are perfectly good for meat, they just don't have those gigantic breasts on them.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Hmmm ... Maybe it was 6, not 8. I went back and looked for the thread to double-check but it's gone. All I remember for sure is they were having trouble walking so I butchered 2 weeks sooner than the store said we would need to, AND I was amazed at the size of the breasts on those guys. We'd always had dual purpose birds when I was growing up. They are perfectly good for meat, they just don't have those gigantic breasts on them.

Is it really all about the breasts, I like the legs too, the legs are like a stairway to heaven.

 

[BadgeBunny]

Is it really all about the breasts, I like the legs too, the legs are like a stairway to heaven.

You stinker ... I knew it was just a matter of time!

 

[turkeyrun]

We stick to the 3 yr rule for the egg producers, too. As to the roosters / meat chickens, they meet the freezer at 16 weeks.

My RIR rooster is def King of the roost. The Red Leghorn is much bigger and a gorgeous bird but no match for RIR. Good news for him is, 3 weeks and he will be the King. Only other rooster is a black Cochin.

Thick as the grasshoppers have been everywhere else, we have none in our yard. hmmmmmmmmm, the eggs have been really tasty of late.

Wife bought some Australian Blue chicks, she thought they were pretty (jeesh). They are 13 weeks old and follow her around like she is Momma. If she is late feeding, they Houdini the coop and set at the backdoor waiting for her.

She has no prob with ME putting them in the freezer. Need to get her with BB for some butchering lessons. Her logic = she feeds, she cooks, so I butcher. Of course, she wants me to feed and cook also.


I do love me some legs, but YES, it is ALL about them BIG BREASTISIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SoonerP226]

For pigs vs cattle, there's a reason that Americans mostly ate pork products (as they say, we used everything but the squeal) before the railroads opened up the West for cattle production. If the SHTF, I'd be expecting to eat a lot more pork and a lot less beef.

I vaguely recall reading/hearing something about rabbit being too lean to sustain humans, at least as a staple. I don't recall the details, but it's something to investigate.

 

[2busy]

I got rid of my speckled Sussex chickens. small eggs, small chickens. Better breeds out there as far as i'm concerned.

 

[BadgeBunny]

For pigs vs cattle, there's a reason that Americans mostly ate pork products (as they say, we used everything but the squeal) before the railroads opened up the West for cattle production. If the SHTF, I'd be expecting to eat a lot more pork and a lot less beef.

I vaguely recall reading/hearing something about rabbit being too lean to sustain humans, at least as a staple. I don't recall the details, but it's something to investigate.

I think you are talking about protein starvation, which was a problem for pioneers. Wild rabbit has NO fat on it. Domesticated rabbits are a bit lazier and have a little fat in the meat. Still, you'd do well to supplement with a little fat when cooking, IMHO ... Also, if you are looking at a "wild" diet, nuts will should provide you with a substantial amount of fat ... sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts ... I'm trying to think of what else grows here but it escapes me now ...

 

[BadgeBunny]

I got rid of my speckled Sussex chickens. small eggs, small chickens. Better breeds out there as far as i'm concerned.

This, sir, is a bummer ... Guess I'll just stick with my Buffs ... I might have to get some of those blue ones turkeyrun is talking about ... If you are gonna have chickens they might as well be pretty chickens, no??

 

[Oklahomabassin]

This, sir, is a bummer ... Guess I'll just stick with my Buffs ... I might have to get some of those blue ones turkeyrun is talking about ... If you are gonna have chickens they might as well be pretty chickens, no??

Get a few peacocks. Lol bet they would make a meal too.

 

[BadgeBunny]

Get a few peacocks. Lol bet they would make a meal too.

OMG! NO way!! Those things SCREAM like a dying woman when it is mating season ... And they sound like men walking on the top of your little bitty single-wide trailer when they get up there to roost at night ...

(My dad owned a veritable ZOO ... )