Breeding your own meat chickens

[Reuven Beulah]

Hi, we have a flock of 50 chickens, Wyandotte, Barred Rock, White Rock, and others. I plan to raise my own meat birds from these breeds next year. I would like to aim at 100 because we are a big family. I know that usually about 50 percent of the chicks would be male and the other half, females. So, I would probably have around 50 female pullets. At first, I thought I could still raise them as meat birds. But when I calculated how many weeks they would take to reach adequate weight, which would be about 18 weeks, by that time, they would be reaching the point of lay. It would seem a waste to cull them for meat, when they can lay eggs for me. But then I would have a problem of overcrowding, because I have only space for only 50 chickens. Any bright ideas on what to do?

 

[R2elk]

Hi, we have a flock of 50 chickens, Wyandotte, Barred Rock, White Rock, and others. I plan to raise my own meat birds from these breeds next year. I would like to aim at 100 because we are a big family. I know that usually about 50 percent of the chicks would be male and the other half, females. So, I would probably have around 50 female pullets. At first, I thought I could still raise them as meat birds. But when I calculated how many weeks they would take to reach adequate weight, which would be about 18 weeks, by that time, they would be reaching the point of lay. It would seem a waste to cull them for meat, when they can lay eggs for me. But then I would have a problem of overcrowding, because I have only space for only 50 chickens. Any bright ideas on what to do?

Sell them. There is always a market for pullets that are about to begin laying.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Sell off some started pullets to make space as they grow out. Stew the poorest layers or least desirable as dual purpose birds. Pinched tail, thin bodied, flat breasted, etc. make stew as these traits are not desirable for offspring table birds.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I eat my pullets as well as cockerels but there are only two of us. I can get two meals for us out of a pullet. Mine forage for a lot of their food so my feed costs aren’t tremendously high. They are still plenty high enough. You are in a different situation.

You don’t say where you are located, which country or continent. Modifying your profile to show that can help with many questions. I’d suggest what the others did, sell them as pullets. You can do that as soon as you can identify sex for sure or wait until they are more point-of-lay. You might need to look at what you can sell them for at those ages and what your feed costs are. Point-of-lay pullets often bring a good price.

In the USA you can try selling them on Craigslist or maybe your feed store will let you put up a notice. But if you can find a chicken auction or regular chicken swap near you the prices and such maybe more consistent and you don’t have to worry about what people may answer your ads. I haven’t tried selling chickens on Craigslist bit my wife occasionally sells stuff. We’ve met some good people that way but a lot that show interest don’t come through. It can be time-consuming and frustrating when someone is supposed to show up and they don’t.

In the USA you can contact your county extension office to ask about nearby auctions and maybe swaps. I’m not sure what is available in other countries.

Welcome to the forum by the way. Glad you joined.

 

[Reuven Beulah]

Thanks guys, sounds like a great idea. But I'm not sure what the demand for pullets are here.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I could not find an active country thread in the "Where am I? Where are you" section of this forum for you, so not much for that idea. I know there are a few Dutch members but I can't remember who they are. You could start a thread with Netherlands in the title in that section and see if you get lucky and find a compatriot, but I think the odds are fairly thin.

Perhaps someone in your agricultural ministry, whatever it's called, could help you find local auctions? They should be able to help in some way. Most local poultry clubs are going to be more interested in showing purebred birds, not what you have so may not be of much help.

Here in the States keeping small backyard flocks is very trendy so there is usually a good market. Not sure how trendy it is in the Netherlands.

 

[Naser]

Place an ad; poultry exchange: one pullet for 2 roosters and see how it goes.

 

[peterlund]

Hi, we have a flock of 50 chickens, Wyandotte, Barred Rock, White Rock, and others. I plan to raise my own meat birds from these breeds next year. I would like to aim at 100 because we are a big family. I know that usually about 50 percent of the chicks would be male and the other half, females. So, I would probably have around 50 female pullets. At first, I thought I could still raise them as meat birds. But when I calculated how many weeks they would take to reach adequate weight, which would be about 18 weeks, by that time, they would be reaching the point of lay. It would seem a waste to cull them for meat, when they can lay eggs for me. But then I would have a problem of overcrowding, because I have only space for only 50 chickens. Any bright ideas on what to do?

Are you lookinn to raise 100 birds for the table in a year? Then why wouldn't you space out the hatches to accommodate your needs? Then you won't have such a dilemma on your plate..... (pun intended)