Chronicles of Raising Meat Birds - Modern Broilers, Heritage and Hybrids

[NewBoots]

Looks like a healthy batch of baby dinos.

 

[Compost King]

@jolenesdad "oops I forgot to weigh" that cracked me up because I can relate to having to say that.

 

[jolenesdad]

@jolenesdad "oops I forgot to weigh" that cracked me up because I can relate to having to say that.

It’s been one of those weeks where I’m SUPER grateful that my plan includes just needing to walk past the coop and open a door instead of having to move a tractor.

 

[Newyorkrita]

Day 35 (5 weeks old)
Royal Red Broiler:
Avg- 1.8 lbs (62%)

Robust White Broiler:
2 lbs (60%)

Day 14 (2 weeks old)
Cornish Cross:
Oops. Forgot to weigh.

They have increased feed consumption this week quite a bit but have also started daily pasture access.

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Notes:
The birds now get let out by 10 and and closed up around dusk. They freely mix with the laying hens and the 9/10 week old teenagers.

They are JUST as active as my dual purpose birds, and that’s no exaggeration. I am FLOORED that their bodies are developing in such a “meat bird” fashion (see feathering photos attached) yet they run and play and go ALL over the place. So far no losses but I’m concerned with their size and openly ranging and birds of prey. They do follow the hens lead, so we will cross our fingers. I’m looking out the window right now at a swallow tailed kite and just hoping the birds are just big enough to not prove too irresistible.

The Robust white LOOK like Cornish but act ABSOLUTELY nothing like them so far. Still running and flapping and ranging. The Robust white seem to have a little more consistency in size, with two extreme outliers on the small side. I included a photo of the birds around a feeder with the smallest bird that clearly looks like a dwarf, and is otherwise totally healthy.

The royal red have a larger span from smaller to larger, with the largest bird still being a red. The feet of the Robust white are universally larger than the reds. I’m assuming this is to account for the breast growth that will be happening soon.the range is interesting because they are all males and the more consistent robust are straight run.

As a general rule the Royal Red are a tad more active than the Robust, and very independent. I do think they encourage the Robust white to move more. I’m opening another field to them with a lot of trees so they can move farther and also has more options for shade. While mowing today I was pleased to see multiple groups seeking shade and cool with the laying hens, over 100 feet from their pen. They find all the cool spots and we are under a heat advisory and I don’t e en need to spread out the waters. They find it or come back.

Both breeds are friendlier than just a food-motivated-friendly of the Cornish.

The Cornish cross are two weeks old. I’ll be putting them on the ground this week in the side pen to the rest of the meat birds, hoping they can integrate after another week or two. Thrilled to still have all 15! It will be SO interesting to see if they move with these birds.


Here are some various photos through the week...

“Body shots” at 5 weeks:
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Comparison feathering photos:
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“Dwarf” Robust white:
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Additional weekly photos:
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Love all the pictures you provide. Especially the ones standing on the Scale and also all the pictures of the free ranging birds.

 

[Molpet]

this homesteader did a whole series on a comparison of CX and rangers
Is still don't care for pure fast growing cx LOL
I will stick to my mixes
Living Traditions Homestead
Published on Nov 17, 2018

This is week 10.5 for the Freedom Ranger Chickens on our homestead. This week we process them and do our final comparisons of our experiment to determine the best breed of meat chicken for our family farm.

 

[Newyorkrita]

this homesteader did a whole series on a comparison of CX and rangers
Is still don't care for pure fast growing cx LOL
I will stick to my mixes
Living Traditions Homestead
Published on Nov 17, 2018

This is week 10.5 for the Freedom Ranger Chickens on our homestead. This week we process them and do our final comparisons of our experiment to determine the best breed of meat chicken for our family farm.

Fantastic Videos. Watched the both the cost and size compairison video and the taste test one.

 

[Newyorkrita]

this homesteader did a whole series on a comparison of CX and rangers
Is still don't care for pure fast growing cx LOL
I will stick to my mixes
Living Traditions Homestead
Published on Nov 17, 2018

This is week 10.5 for the Freedom Ranger Chickens on our homestead. This week we process them and do our final comparisons of our experiment to determine the best breed of meat chicken for our family farm.

Fantastic Videos. Watched the both the cost and size compairison video and the taste test one.

 

[jolenesdad]

Leading with a photo... because I love it!

Moyer Broilers:
6 weeks (halfway!)
Robust White:
3 lbs (70%)

Royal Red:
2.8 lbs (74%)


Cornish Cross:
3 weeks
Male: 1 lb
Female: 11 ounces
(40%)

Size photos:

Cornish:

Weekly Notes:

They’re growing SO fast. I’m sure by twelve weeks they’ll be larger than I can even get Cornish to. As I have said, and it just doesn’t change, they’re SWEET and personable and go EVERYWHERE.

I’ve noticed this week that while they look so similar to Cornish, I’ve noticed a difference in that I would categorically call these birds’ build “athletic” and a Cornish “stout”. This must be what enables them to BE so active.

They don’t fly much at all, but boy do they move. The royals will always come calling, but the Robust white don’t care. There are always six or seven Robust white left out at night I have to round up.

I’m honestly so impressed with their foraging abilities. They’re actually searching and walking and looking for bugs. They go all over and seek shade and water where they can find it. like two.

I made this gif of them leaving their pen in the morning. Look at the desire to go!!!

I kept two Delaware for fun, and the boy disappeared this week for TWO DAYS. Not even a pound old, during our biggest heat wave so far, and he showed up two days later. THATS a good feed ranging rooster!

We have had feels like in the 110+ this week and the birds are handling it so well. I don’t even notice stress whatsoever. Hopefully that remains in a few weeks when it happens again and they are huge.

The Cornish are active and I will try some integration when I am out there this week.

Attached are various weekly photos!

(Even out in rain. This photo is in the middle of fairly moderate rain)

Delaware above.

 

[Newyorkrita]

Love the pictures. Love how the birds free range and go all out and about.

 

[jolenesdad]

Love the pictures. Love how the birds free range and go all out and about.

Thank you! I always struggled to find good comparison photos while I was doing my initial research. Hope it helps someone someday!