Dahlia
Garden Addicted
When I was a kid I plucked a chicken once so I know what you mean about those amazing auto pluckers! What amazing time savers!
Baymule’s Farm
- Thread starter baymule
- Start date
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baymule
Garden Master
Whew! I got them all processed yesterday except for grinding up 10 pounds that I’ll do today. I finished up at 8:00 last night. My back was sore from standing all day. Between my shoulders was sore from working them over all day. Ok this morning.
I’ve processed 26 chickens so far, total of 152 pounds, 10 ounces. I have order filled for 10 chickens plus 10 pounds of ground meat.
My daughter and family like skinless boneless breast, 1/2 piece to a package. I grow ‘em big, a half breast weighs about a pound. They also like leg quarters, 3 to a package for family, 1 to a package for granddaughter at college. I trim off wing tips, cut wings in half for buffalo wings.
I’ll make them ground meat also.
I can’t use my pressure canner, stove has a microwave over it, low clearance. A neighbor will loan me a propane outdoor burner, I’ll have to put up plywood as a wind break. I save the trimmings and bony back pieces for the dogs. Will be too much to put in freezer and take up space. I’m delighted at being able to can the trimmings for the dogs.
I’ve processed 26 chickens so far, total of 152 pounds, 10 ounces. I have order filled for 10 chickens plus 10 pounds of ground meat.
My daughter and family like skinless boneless breast, 1/2 piece to a package. I grow ‘em big, a half breast weighs about a pound. They also like leg quarters, 3 to a package for family, 1 to a package for granddaughter at college. I trim off wing tips, cut wings in half for buffalo wings.
I’ll make them ground meat also.
I can’t use my pressure canner, stove has a microwave over it, low clearance. A neighbor will loan me a propane outdoor burner, I’ll have to put up plywood as a wind break. I save the trimmings and bony back pieces for the dogs. Will be too much to put in freezer and take up space. I’m delighted at being able to can the trimmings for the dogs.
Carol Dee
Garden Master
WOW, lots of work. But well worth it. Do you have a Seal-a-meal? Or just use butcher wrap for the meat packaging?
- Thread starter
- #2,114
baymule
Garden Master
I have a Food Saver, everything is vacuumed sealed. Love that thing!
AMKuska
Garden Master
I do the same for my dogs. I cook all their food and it's usually chicken because it's cheap. Broth is done when you can pinch a bone and it crumples under your finger tips.
- Thread starter
- #2,116
baymule
Garden Master
I’ve got to catch up!
Friday my sheep moving didn’t go as planned. I wanted 2 ewe lambs from the front field. To do that, I have to pen the flock, roll out wire from driveway gate to the pen gate. I put feed in the working chute. I use gates to block off driveway and run them across the driveway to the chute.
I opened the pen gate, ewes charged across the driveway. I had to chase the lambs across, but some of them turned around and ran back. So I latched a piece of wire across my makeshift craptastic mess and ran to shut the pen gate on the lambs. Naturally the two I wanted were in the group that ran back. Bad words…… Ewes ate all the feed and were yelling. I looked up and they were yelling at the pen gate, they had trampled down my crappy wire that didn’t work so good to hold them. Pandemonium ensued. Ewes upset, lambs upset, me mad, everybody screaming. I opened gate to the pen, ewes charged in, ran to feed tubs. Screaming, they ran back, but I shut pen gate on last stragglers as first run back got to gate. Stoopid sheep.
I don’t do so well on block and flying tackle. So I got a fish net. I don’t run so great either, but I surprised myself. About 20 trips around the pen, through the hoop shelter, reverse, run back the other way and many failed attempts to fish net a lamb, I finally snagged one. Rinse repeat, chase, swipe with fish net, miss, nearly get trampled by stampeding idiots, they scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! But it’s all mine, sheep don’t get none. Stupid sheep. I snagged the other one.
So then I had 9 lambs, 3 grown ewes, in pens where with a simple trick of dragging some wire around and clipping it to equally sloppy wire, I can get them run into the chute to be loaded in the trailer. Chase came over to help me load them after he got off work.
I dragged out my air compressor, moved truck, and came in for a glass of water. I checked tires, hitched trailer, checked tires and made sure all are properly inflated.
Sheep hot loaded. Chase backed up trailer close to chute, I had hog panels to span the gap. We tied hog panels on both sides of trailer to the chute. Since trailer is up off the ground, I filled the gap with 3 feed sacks stuffed with other feed sacks, or else lambs will just run under the trailer and hitchhike to another town, never to be heard from again. He had to grab lambs, I manned the middle gate and he stuffed them in the front. One ewe jumped in by herself. The other 2 were jerks, it took both of us to load them. But they hot loaded, parked in shade and I pulled out early Saturday morning. Went to Emory, and met up with Ridgetop from BYH
Chase borrowed my flatbed, but I’m gonna give him a chicken, cut up and vacuum sealed. I got plenty of them.
Friday my sheep moving didn’t go as planned. I wanted 2 ewe lambs from the front field. To do that, I have to pen the flock, roll out wire from driveway gate to the pen gate. I put feed in the working chute. I use gates to block off driveway and run them across the driveway to the chute.
I opened the pen gate, ewes charged across the driveway. I had to chase the lambs across, but some of them turned around and ran back. So I latched a piece of wire across my makeshift craptastic mess and ran to shut the pen gate on the lambs. Naturally the two I wanted were in the group that ran back. Bad words…… Ewes ate all the feed and were yelling. I looked up and they were yelling at the pen gate, they had trampled down my crappy wire that didn’t work so good to hold them. Pandemonium ensued. Ewes upset, lambs upset, me mad, everybody screaming. I opened gate to the pen, ewes charged in, ran to feed tubs. Screaming, they ran back, but I shut pen gate on last stragglers as first run back got to gate. Stoopid sheep.
I don’t do so well on block and flying tackle. So I got a fish net. I don’t run so great either, but I surprised myself. About 20 trips around the pen, through the hoop shelter, reverse, run back the other way and many failed attempts to fish net a lamb, I finally snagged one. Rinse repeat, chase, swipe with fish net, miss, nearly get trampled by stampeding idiots, they scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! But it’s all mine, sheep don’t get none. Stupid sheep. I snagged the other one.
So then I had 9 lambs, 3 grown ewes, in pens where with a simple trick of dragging some wire around and clipping it to equally sloppy wire, I can get them run into the chute to be loaded in the trailer. Chase came over to help me load them after he got off work.
I dragged out my air compressor, moved truck, and came in for a glass of water. I checked tires, hitched trailer, checked tires and made sure all are properly inflated.
Sheep hot loaded. Chase backed up trailer close to chute, I had hog panels to span the gap. We tied hog panels on both sides of trailer to the chute. Since trailer is up off the ground, I filled the gap with 3 feed sacks stuffed with other feed sacks, or else lambs will just run under the trailer and hitchhike to another town, never to be heard from again. He had to grab lambs, I manned the middle gate and he stuffed them in the front. One ewe jumped in by herself. The other 2 were jerks, it took both of us to load them. But they hot loaded, parked in shade and I pulled out early Saturday morning. Went to Emory, and met up with Ridgetop from BYH
Chase borrowed my flatbed, but I’m gonna give him a chicken, cut up and vacuum sealed. I got plenty of them.
- Thread starter
- #2,117
baymule
Garden Master
I left yesterday morning at 4:50. Got to auction at 7:43, got in line to checkin. Guess who pulled up right behind me? Ridgetop, her husband and their son! She called and said, “Is that you in the grey truck and red trailer?” 
They got checked in and backed up to unload. I got out of my truck and “let” Mr. Ridgetop back my truck up to unload. He could do it faster and better than I could!
We had a good breakfast, visited and had a good time. The auction was entertaining, we laughed at the 2 men working the ring. Lots of goats and sheep, running every which way. Bidding was fast. Ridgetop and I both recognized our sheep when run through the ring. I guess that’s being a good shepherd. In all the melee of opening the gates, slamming gates, sheep in, sheep out, we each knew which ones were ours.
Itty bitty tiny baby goats, women were buying them, taking possession of them right then and there. Auctioneer asked, “You wanna hold him?” And they did.
On the way home, I had a chemical reaction, my face tingled and my tongue felt like needles were sticking in it. I turned off the AC, fumes from the truck were coming in the cab. I pulled off on the side of the road outside of Athens, and did a walk around. There was blowback of either diesel or oil on my trailer. Probably diesel since I reacted to the fumes. Great. Hour and a half and 100 miles to home. Engine wasn’t hot, oil pressure was good, fuel gauge was dropping, so I got back in, put windows down and headed it for home, watching gauges all the way.
I was thinking a fuel line leak. I had one before, it was spewing diesel, worse than this.
Inside of trailer was nasty messy after 12 sheep spending the night in it. I was concerned about making it home, didn’t want to stop. But as I got into Crockett, I saw a car wash and pulled in. Left truck running, 3 dollars and 25 cents later, the inside was clean. Took it on home.
I talked to my son. The plan is, next weekend my sister in law and I will load it on son’s gooseneck trailer and take it to hers and son’s favorite Ford certified, retired, has his own shop, guy In Madisonville. Honest, does good work.
Wah! I just got my hot little hands on the sheep check! The truck is gonna eat it, possibly more. Phooey.
I was outside doing chores yesterday evening when a neighbor came up, introduced his stepdad. His stepdad wanted to see the sheep. Neighbor Rob mouthed dementia at me, I understood. I took them in one of the sheep pens, took a chair for Fred to sit in, and Cooper came up to be petted, which Fred was delighted to do. Cooper mugs for attention and never gets enough. Fred had a wonderful time, asked me to get married a dozen times. I hope by tomorrow he doesn’t remember that. LOL
It was a fun day, but I could’ve done with out the truck drama.
They got checked in and backed up to unload. I got out of my truck and “let” Mr. Ridgetop back my truck up to unload. He could do it faster and better than I could!
We had a good breakfast, visited and had a good time. The auction was entertaining, we laughed at the 2 men working the ring. Lots of goats and sheep, running every which way. Bidding was fast. Ridgetop and I both recognized our sheep when run through the ring. I guess that’s being a good shepherd. In all the melee of opening the gates, slamming gates, sheep in, sheep out, we each knew which ones were ours.
Itty bitty tiny baby goats, women were buying them, taking possession of them right then and there. Auctioneer asked, “You wanna hold him?” And they did.
On the way home, I had a chemical reaction, my face tingled and my tongue felt like needles were sticking in it. I turned off the AC, fumes from the truck were coming in the cab. I pulled off on the side of the road outside of Athens, and did a walk around. There was blowback of either diesel or oil on my trailer. Probably diesel since I reacted to the fumes. Great. Hour and a half and 100 miles to home. Engine wasn’t hot, oil pressure was good, fuel gauge was dropping, so I got back in, put windows down and headed it for home, watching gauges all the way.
I was thinking a fuel line leak. I had one before, it was spewing diesel, worse than this.
Inside of trailer was nasty messy after 12 sheep spending the night in it. I was concerned about making it home, didn’t want to stop. But as I got into Crockett, I saw a car wash and pulled in. Left truck running, 3 dollars and 25 cents later, the inside was clean. Took it on home.
I talked to my son. The plan is, next weekend my sister in law and I will load it on son’s gooseneck trailer and take it to hers and son’s favorite Ford certified, retired, has his own shop, guy In Madisonville. Honest, does good work.
Wah! I just got my hot little hands on the sheep check! The truck is gonna eat it, possibly more. Phooey.
I was outside doing chores yesterday evening when a neighbor came up, introduced his stepdad. His stepdad wanted to see the sheep. Neighbor Rob mouthed dementia at me, I understood. I took them in one of the sheep pens, took a chair for Fred to sit in, and Cooper came up to be petted, which Fred was delighted to do. Cooper mugs for attention and never gets enough. Fred had a wonderful time, asked me to get married a dozen times. I hope by tomorrow he doesn’t remember that. LOL
It was a fun day, but I could’ve done with out the truck drama.
Carol Dee
Garden Master
Never a dull moment with/for you!I left yesterday morning at 4:50. Got to auction at 7:43, got in line to checkin. Guess who pulled up right behind me? Ridgetop, her husband and their son! She called and said, “Is that you in the grey truck and red trailer?”
They got checked in and backed up to unload. I got out of my truck and “let” Mr. Ridgetop back my truck up to unload. He could do it faster and better than I could!
We had a good breakfast, visited and had a good time. The auction was entertaining, we laughed at the 2 men working the ring. Lots of goats and sheep, running every which way. Bidding was fast. Ridgetop and I both recognized our sheep when run through the ring. I guess that’s being a good shepherd. In all the melee of opening the gates, slamming gates, sheep in, sheep out, we each knew which ones were ours.
Itty bitty tiny baby goats, women were buying them, taking possession of them right then and there. Auctioneer asked, “You wanna hold him?” And they did.
On the way home, I had a chemical reaction, my face tingled and my tongue felt like needles were sticking in it. I turned off the AC, fumes from the truck were coming in the cab. I pulled off on the side of the road outside of Athens, and did a walk around. There was blowback of either diesel or oil on my trailer. Probably diesel since I reacted to the fumes. Great. Hour and a half and 100 miles to home. Engine wasn’t hot, oil pressure was good, fuel gauge was dropping, so I got back in, put windows down and headed it for home, watching gauges all the way.
View attachment 73402
View attachment 73403
I was thinking a fuel line leak. I had one before, it was spewing diesel, worse than this.
Inside of trailer was nasty messy after 12 sheep spending the night in it. I was concerned about making it home, didn’t want to stop. But as I got into Crockett, I saw a car wash and pulled in. Left truck running, 3 dollars and 25 cents later, the inside was clean. Took it on home.
I talked to my son. The plan is, next weekend my sister in law and I will load it on son’s gooseneck trailer and take it to hers and son’s favorite Ford certified, retired, has his own shop, guy In Madisonville. Honest, does good work.
Wah! I just got my hot little hands on the sheep check! The truck is gonna eat it, possibly more. Phooey.
I was outside doing chores yesterday evening when a neighbor came up, introduced his stepdad. His stepdad wanted to see the sheep. Neighbor Rob mouthed dementia at me, I understood. I took them in one of the sheep pens, took a chair for Fred to sit in, and Cooper came up to be petted, which Fred was delighted to do. Cooper mugs for attention and never gets enough. Fred had a wonderful time, asked me to get married a dozen times. I hope by tomorrow he doesn’t remember that. LOL
It was a fun day, but I could’ve done with out the truck drama.
ducks4you
Garden Master
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"I filled the gap with 3 feed sacks stuffed with other feed sacks, or else lambs will just run under the trailer and hitchhike to another town, never to be heard from again."
SO SORRY about your fuel leak!!!
I have plenty of truck and trailer problems-while-travelling stories--I've BEEN There!!
Like when we went to the 135th Gettysburg, we drove there with 3 horses, bought a 4th and blew 2 tires, one in PA, and another in OH--good thing we have 2 extra mounted on the side, had to call AAA, and the guy changed it in OH while we were parked on the siding on I-80 with Lots of traffic, then, when called a tire place 3 miles up the road to their exit--NO smart phones or INET, just a Garmin--and, since they repaired semi's, they lifted the whole trailer, fully loaded, and we bought 6 tires that were RATED for our trailer--we didn't know this until it went over the weight limit of the original tires.
Another story--coming back from Shiloh, the apparatus the connects the axle to one of the trailer tires just fell apart, and we found a shop to fix it--6 hrs later and Grateful! we were on the road again.
I am Sure you have and have heard Numerous stories about horse trailer wiring, which SUCKS!!, and we have a few of those, too.
Our older 1992 Cummins blew the alternator, and we spent a Sunday night waiting for a shop to open up to fix That.
I have more, but I won't hijack this thread.
Suffice to say, trailering can be a bxxch!!
SO SORRY about your fuel leak!!!
I have plenty of truck and trailer problems-while-travelling stories--I've BEEN There!!
Like when we went to the 135th Gettysburg, we drove there with 3 horses, bought a 4th and blew 2 tires, one in PA, and another in OH--good thing we have 2 extra mounted on the side, had to call AAA, and the guy changed it in OH while we were parked on the siding on I-80 with Lots of traffic, then, when called a tire place 3 miles up the road to their exit--NO smart phones or INET, just a Garmin--and, since they repaired semi's, they lifted the whole trailer, fully loaded, and we bought 6 tires that were RATED for our trailer--we didn't know this until it went over the weight limit of the original tires.
Another story--coming back from Shiloh, the apparatus the connects the axle to one of the trailer tires just fell apart, and we found a shop to fix it--6 hrs later and Grateful! we were on the road again.
I am Sure you have and have heard Numerous stories about horse trailer wiring, which SUCKS!!, and we have a few of those, too.
Our older 1992 Cummins blew the alternator, and we spent a Sunday night waiting for a shop to open up to fix That.
I have more, but I won't hijack this thread.
Suffice to say, trailering can be a bxxch!!
- Thread starter
- #2,120
baymule
Garden Master
Trailer wiring…. When I was living at my son’s house, I had kept a small flock of my sheep. They had lambs. He and I both kept our trailers at the back of the 1 acre field. Weather got hot, dogs dug holes under the trailers. Lambs joined the dogs. I’d go out and call them, dogs and lambs boiled out from under son’s big gooseneck trailer like a volcano explosion, and came running. So cute!
Son came in off a job, had something he wanted to do and hitched up one of his trailers. No lights. He looked under the trailer and wires were dangling, with tiny little lamb teeth marks on them. Not so cute.
Son came in off a job, had something he wanted to do and hitched up one of his trailers. No lights. He looked under the trailer and wires were dangling, with tiny little lamb teeth marks on them. Not so cute.
