Silkie thinks he's a broiler chick!&other pics of accidental broilers

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gritsar

gritsar

Cows, Chooks & Impys - OH MY!
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Yesterday I became the surprised but proud owner of 19 broiler chicks. The details of how it came about are located here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=364412

Lacking nowhere else to put them and since my layer chicks had already introduced themselves to the broilers, we enlarged our brooder last night and joined the two groups of chicks together.
This morning when I went out to check on them, I had to laugh. My teeny tiny silkie has decided he's a broiler chick:

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And the broilers with the other chicks:

4810_brolierchicks_003.jpg


4810_brolierchicks_006.jpg


I hate to break it to the silkie, but the broilers will be moving to the coop in the next few days. My original chicks will be staying on the porch a little longer.
 
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I wish chicks wouldn't grow so fast
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I miss mine when they were little.
 
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I know! I look at my now 2+ year old brahmas and tell them I remember when you guys still peeped!
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They are just adorable! I'm so glad you're giving them a shot at life. Imagine what they will think when you start free ranging them! They will be in awe of how big and green the world is. I really hope they do well for you and I wish someone would leave a few at my door too!
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That's great!!

I have two groups of chicks right now - one group of layer chicks under a broody and a group of broilers who are on their own. One of the layer chicks got injured and couldn't keep up with the broody, so I put her and one of the cornish X chicks in the brooder together.

Now, they're both out again and I'm letting the cornish X chicks free range - the layer pullet alternates between spending her time with her mama and with the broiler group. It's too cute!!
 
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They are all soo cute. I raised a couple of cornish and i have some more coming. They are meat chicks so you can expect to need lots of freezer space in 8-12 weeks or have lots of friends who like chicken.

If you want to keep them longer 12-15 weeks you will want to make sure you are feeding them 15-16% feed at 6 weeks and make sure you are offering them oyster shells. If they don't eat them free choice you can mix it with their food. They need the extra calicum to help their bones get strong enough to hold up their huge bodies. You want to make sure you take up any food at night and feed them again in the morning. These birds will eat 24 hours a day if you let them.

Mine are 16 week old now and I think my husband is going to butcher them this weekend. I was holding off as long as I could because I was hoping my hen would lay a few eggs for me. But I am guessing my Roo is close to 12 lbs and my hen close to 10lbs. This is really too big. They should be between 6-8 lbs at 8-10 weks. This is when most people put them in the freezer.

Hope this helps.
 
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Oh what a wonderful surprise!! I would love to walk out my door and have 19 adorable babies peeping at me!! Good luck with them
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Since they are living on the screened porch with only natural light they go to sleep at night with the layer chicks and aren't eating excessively. They seem to be growing at a normal rate, not too quickly. I'm not sure of their age, but I think they are a few days younger than my layer chicks, but most of them are only slightly larger than my 3 week old EEs. I'm feeding them the same thing my layer chicks are eating, medicated chick starter. Can't remember the protein %, but we have to buy more today so I'll be sure and look at the tag.
Only one of them is having any trouble. He's a bit larger, has a dirty bottom that hasn't cleared up and I'm about 80% sure he's a cockerel. I'll be watching him closely and if he seems to be suffering my DH will put him down humanely.

Thanks.
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