Recent content by Jejahess

  1. J

    How much room for meat birds?

    This is my 3rd go-round with CX's. The first time I built 3ea 5'x10' tractors to raise 65 birds. They spent the first 2 weeks in a 7x10 space in my shed. It was late March, so still close to freezing at night here and the tractors would have been too drafty. After about 2 weeks they were...
  2. J

    12 hr feeding vs. 24 hr measured feed?

    Who here feeds 12 on / 12 off vs. measured feed? In the past I'd do the 12 on /12 off method but with my current batch of CX's I started weighing the amount of feed for the quantity of birds based on their age and letting the feeders in for 24 hours. This batch of birds is keeping better pace...
  3. J

    Bread crates for floor in broiler pen?

    They seem to be doing fine walking on the mesh. It's been a week and no injuries. The grates are lifted about 3 in off the ground so there is plenty of room for manure to collect underneath but I do have a short rake that I could fit under there if necessary to drag it out. I really wasn't...
  4. J

    Bread crates for floor in broiler pen?

    I get my broilers from a local hatchery here near me. Longeneckers Hatchery in Elizabethtown PA. Here are some pics of my setup. I ended up not going with the bread flat floor this time. I had several pieces of galvanized expanded mesh at my shop from a past project that I used instead. I...
  5. J

    Bread crates for floor in broiler pen?

    I have 75 CX's coming next week and am building a new grow pen for them. In the past I've used our garden shed as the brooder until week 3 or so. Then I move them to small grow pens. 20-25 birds per pen. Now the shed is getting too full of stuff so won't work for the brooder. I'm building a...
  6. J

    Resting Meat...I know its be questioned to death but

    The ice bath serves to cool the meat down completely before going into the refrigerator or freezer. Really just about anything can work for your ice bath. I just use the blue plastic 55-gallon drums that I lay on their sides and cut a lid into. The reason I put it on its side is so that I'm...
  7. J

    Resting Meat...I know its be questioned to death but

    I've seen and read all kinds of ways of doing this process. When we do birds, we keep it real simple. After they're eviscerated and rinsed they go into a ice water bath until they're cooled down. Once they're cold they either get bagged up as whole birds or cut apart in pieces and vacuum sealed...
  8. J

    Shelf style brooder for CX's

    The welding and metal working is no problem. I'll probably get my next batch of Cx mid August so I'll try and have it ready for them.... we'll see.
  9. J

    Shelf style brooder for CX's

    Before I get my next batch of CX's, probably mid-August, I'd like to revisit my means of brooding. In the past I've just used the floor of my garden shed and I can fit about 70 birds in there until 3 weeks of age. Them they go into tractors. Typically I've only done birds in early spring so...
  10. J

    Feed options

    Thanks for the reply. Yes, the one mill I spoke with said they don't keep on hand the higher protein feeds. If I wanted that high of a protein, I would have to order it one ton at a time. This last batch of birds I raised went through 500 lb and I just do not have the desire or space to...
  11. J

    Feed options

    I'm trying my best to stay local with my meat bird feed purchases but this last batch of Cornish crosses I raised were not very impressive with their weight gain. I talked to the hatchery and they recommended a higher protein on my feed but my local mills are not making a 20% plus protein chick...
  12. J

    CX vs FR/DP daily care needs

    Thanks. I didn't realize FR's ate as much as CX's. Maybe I'll look into a DP bird since they should be more like our hens and be able to control themselves on the feed
  13. J

    CX vs FR/DP daily care needs

    Good suggestions, but not really feasible. If they have feed in the pen at night, they'll eat it. I usually check on them around 11pm before I go to bed and I'll find them pecking the grass even after dark. I keep them in tractors to move them daily and protect from predators. Can't really...
  14. J

    CX vs FR/DP daily care needs

    CX's can eat themselves to an early death. They get unlimited feed for the first week or so, then it's a 12hrs with feed/12 hrs without feed until harvest. Or some variation of that schedule. I have read where some people let them eat 24 hours a day but then end up with birds dying of heart...
  15. J

    CX vs FR/DP daily care needs

    I've been raising Cornish crosses but now I'm thinking of venturing into a fry pan bargain of dual purpose or freedom rangers. The main reason is the daily care needs. As we get into the summer months I travel a fair bit which in the past has prevented me from raising CX's after the beginning...
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