Is anyone else raising fall broilers? Our chicks came today: 8/18 - Page 16

I received 52 last Friday, with 1 dead and 1 died shortly after they arrived. I took advantage of the Meyer's special surplus broiler special and got all females except for 1 male. I would have rather males, since the feed ratio is a lot better,or straight run, but will be having to raise them until about 12 to 14 weeks to get a large roaster chicken, from the females. I have about 20 Easter Eggers and 60 brown egg duel purpose, I hatched out for a friend, right now, in the brooder room ( a 3rd bathroom we aren't using) that is equipped with an electric oil heater that is set at 90 degrees and will be lowered 5 degrees every few days, until they can go outside to their 10x10 pen in the barn. Because these meat birds are messy, we also put a dehumidifier in the room to keep things dry. There are 3 feeders and several waterers, so they will have lots to eat and plenty of fresh clean water, for the first 3 weeks. About that time they should be able to go outside in the barn, without any heat here in Southern Louisiana, I was feeding the other birds starter crumbles, so that is what these will be getting until I use up the 50 pound bag. I did not have to dip their beaks, because the layer chickens, who are born with a brain, instead of 2 stomachs, showed them how to eat and drink. I did put vitamins and electrolytes in their water, because of shipping stress!

After they go outside they will get FF and BOSS like the Holland white turkeys and the constant supply of extra roosters, we always seem to have. It is a large barn that all of the birds are closed up in at night, as all of my flocks are free range. until separating a few week before slaughtering. The 14 roosters I harvested last week from our duel purpose dressed out at 4 to 6 pounds, without counting necks and organ meat (that goes to the dogs) and averaged 5# even, for a total of 70 pounds of roosters in the freezer.

Update ----1 week today 3.8 oz on average, not too bad since I got all females, again. This is the second time I ordered these meat birds from Meyers and both times I got all females! They are slow growers compared to the males have gotten elsewhere. I think I will bump up their feed from 18% to 22% and see if that helps. They are too messy to use wet food indoors, but it won't be long and I can put them in the barn. It has been in the 80's during the day here, but drops as low as 40's at night, so they are still too young. I could use a heater, if I had electric to the barn ! And fans in the summer ?hmmmm......maybe DH's next honey-do? I am still not through the 1st bag of feed, and am using it for the 60 or so layers being raised with the meaties. The layers are 2 to 3 weeks old now and the meaties 1 week. The meaties are starting to out size the layers, now and should be quite a bit larger than the layers by the time they go into the barn and then, once outside, they usually start growing as you watch. LOL The 3 cornishX 1 year old hens are in molt like most of the layers and haven't started laying again yet. They have been penned in the barn in a 10x10 dog kennel for a 10 days now, with the Cornish X rooster, so as soon as they start laying, I should be able to start AI experiment ! I bought Oats today and mixed grain to go with the 22% Turkey and Game bird grower and corn, plus a couple hand fulls of BOSS, so I am ready to start my FF. How long should it take to cook, at my present claimant conditions? For me, fall makes more sense for meat birds, because they can't take high heat and do better in the South in cooler weather. They give off a lot of body heat, so added to my other flocks of ducks and chickens, they should be comfortable with over 300 birds to keep them warm. Well, next report in one week, or less if anything new happens !