Heavy Red - Red Broilers

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mmktdox

mmktdox

Chirping
8 Years
Jun 12, 2011
148
4
91
Metcalfe, Ontario, Canada
Morning all,

Just picked up 16 red broilers at the feed store. They come from Elmira, Ontario, from Bonnie's Hatchery and they call the Bonnie's Heavy Reds. I assume they're like the red broilers you all talk about. I've done the CX twice and thought I'd try something a little different, these are supposed to grow a little slower and not have as many leg issues. I've never lost any CX to leg problems and only one to flip but still, experimenting is fun. Thought I'd share some pics with you, they really are cute the first little while aren't they? Enjoy!


 
Well good luck. I would assume they are like freedom rangers. I didn't like the slow growers. I was ready for them to be find by 8 weeks. I have 47 CX's they are a pain to get to bed at night, no one wants to go to bed early.
 
Hello, I live fairly close to bonnies two summers ago my boss purchased 25 reds from bonnies, I think their was three with crooked toes and two with scissor beaks, personally I would just go with cx. They are pretty much the same one just takes longer, it is all about how you raise them.
 
That's too bad about the crooked toes and scissor beaks. These ones are still looking okay, hope they stay that way! I have a cousin up in Uxbridge who does 300 a year and she said she had more leg problems with the reds so she stuck with the CX. But I still thought I'd give them a try. I do small batches, 16 - 20 at a time so they're pretty easy to manage. My 14 remaining CX are heading to the slaughter house on Wednesday . . . they're an adventure but by the time the eight weeks is up, I'm ready to see them go!
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On a funny note, when I went to pick them up at our local feed store early Friday morning, the fellow from Bonnie's was still there with the delivery van and trailer. Older fellow, not very big wearing cap and coveralls. He sauntered up to me and said "So whadya think about an old fella like me driving around with all these young chicks?" Best line I've heard in a long time!!
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I have 2 weeks left, It was a great batch for me, they free ranged. We are going to try to take half to processors next week, and the rest the following week. That way the smaller ones will get the last week without the bigger one's pushing them out of the way. Started with 50, lost 3, two piling and one to a hawk. Which isn't bad, because now they know when to run and hide. Didn't lose any in the massive heat wave we had. I know they have good legs, because they run faster and can dodge me when I am trying to pen them up at night. I will be ordering the next batch in 3 weeks.
 
I found one of them dead this morning. No sign of any nasty poops or blood anywhere, just lying dead on it's side. It did have a touch of pasty butt so maybe that was it. A second one also had pasty butt this morning but some warm water and vaseline fixed that one up. I'll be keeping a close eye on them for a few days! I will post more pics as they grow and keep you posted on the differences I find between these and the CX. Good luck with the processing mstricer!
 
We are currently raising Red Broilers. They have to be harvested later than the cx. They should be ready to harvest at 12 to 13 weeks if kept enclosed and not free range. We fed them broiler grower food until the last week or so in which we change to the finishing food. They are pretty hardy and I haven't had any leg problems or ascetis with them. I think we'll try cx next group. We want to get a couple more groups in before winter. Have fun with them.
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My red broilers will not be free ranged, we just don't have the space to do that otherwise I would consider it. My CX's are in an 8x8x2 tractor that we move everyday and it will be cleaned and ready for my new red's by the time they are feathered and ready to go outside.

I just lost a CX to flip less than 1/2 hr ago though!! We moved the tractor like we do everyday, topped up the feed and changed the water. Walked into the garage for two minutes to check on the babies and when I came back out one of the CX hens was literally flipped! On her back, feet sticking up dead as a doornail! So I grabbed the ax and chopped off her head to try and bleed her, I didn't want to waste the meat. I skinned and quartered her quickly and the quarters are chilling in the fridge now. I would not have kept the meat if I'd found her and didn't know how long she'd been down but I know she just keeled over in the two or three minutes it took me come back out of the garage. Oh well, one less to transport to the processor on Wednesday I guess!
 

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