meat bird

  1. HenriettaPizzaNolan

    Axe/hatchet method of chicken dispatch - is it the most humane and cost-efficient method?

    We will be processing our first meatbirds in the fall (6 Cornish X from Meyer Hatchery). My fiance grew up in Europe and remembers killing the meat chickens on his grandparents' farm by chopping off the heads, so originally we just planned to do that. But the more I research, the more I'm unsure...
  2. L

    Meat health of processed bird

    I just processed my first two birds. More out of necessity than planned but it has been a good learning experience for the future. The second bird had some dark spots throughout the process so I was wondering if anyone could tell me what they are and other things to look for when processing a...
  3. M

    Sudden Death 1.5 week old chicks

    Hey there, first time raising Cornish Giant meat birds. I’ve had laying hens for a year and aside from my dog killing 3 have had zero issues or illness with any. I got these chicks on April 28th, hatched the 27th. They are unvacced, on regular chick starter. Plain water, have had maybe 3 days...
  4. H

    WANTED: Sustainable Heritage Meat Breed Chicks | Alabama

    Any breeders looking to sell heritage meat breed chicks or hatching eggs? Looking to start a sustainable flock from good lines. Any recommendations?
  5. M

    Coop for Meat Birds

    HI! Looking for opinions. We are currently building the run for our meat birds. Hubby asked me if he needs to build some sort of "box" they can go in to at night. Do the broilers need to have this type of area within their run? Please post pics of your designs.
  6. A step by step guide to choosing the right chicken breed for you

    A step by step guide to choosing the right chicken breed for you

    When starting out with chickens, at one point I remember asking myself, what is the perfect breed(s) for me and my situation, location, etc… With a few years of experience and research under my belt, I’ve decided to compile a guide to help newcomers to chicken keeping make the decision a lot...
  7. ShrekDawg

    Cheapest meat birds

    This is just for curiosity’s sake since I can’t have chickens at the new place but maybe it will help somebody else soooo….. What’s the cheapest place to buy meat birds? Specifically Cornish Cross but also maybe ranger types? I know it probably varies some or some maybe have sales or...
  8. Ashley4

    Leghorn or meat bird?

    My husband purchased birds at tractor supply and he bought leghorns. I think it is just a really healthy leghorn lol My husband thinks she is a meat bird now. What do you think our chicken is?
  9. LizzzyJo

    My first Cornish Cross arrive tomorrow! I will try to post weekly updates! Watch me fail my way to success? Follow if you want to see me goof up ;)

    I have my brooder (water melon box) set up in the shed. I am going to try (99% chance in vain) to get my broody to care for them before turning on the light. I hate electric in the shed as it is a tender box! It is already set up and is as safe as possible, but I am just extra paranoid. I have...
  10. C

    Questionable harvest method

    Hello fellow chicken lovers. I've got some roos we need to harvest and we're still new as we've only did this once before. My husband wasn't a fan of cutting the throat because the bird was looking at him the whole time which I agree makes it difficult when we're not used to this lifestyle yet...
  11. davidmpenning

    Processing 16 week old Roosters

    We have three roosters I’ve been trying to give away for over a month, and I can’t find anyone to take them. But we also don’t want them - one is a jerk, the other two aren’t the breeds we thought we were buying. And although we weren’t going to start meat birds until next year, it looks like...
  12. A

    CRX help- slow down but still keep healthy?

    This is our first time raising cornish cross. They are currently 8 weeks (today actually) and we have given a controlled amount of feed and pulled feed at night for their entire lives. They are absolutely at slaughter weight and a few are starting to have issues walking. I could not get into...
  13. davidmpenning

    How to find specific breed Breeders?

    As I’ve been researching which DP to get for meat birds, I keep coming across people saying to make sure to buy from a breeder. It sounds like some hatcheries are good, but breeders (breeding for meat quality) should be better. I’ve searched on other websites and here on BYC, on Facebook and...
  14. alknoll

    First year doing Cornish Cross birds... Here's how it came out!

    Hi everyone, I was scrolling through this forum trying to read up on what people thought of the taste/size/etc of the Cornish Cross chicken breed and decided to post my own results. We butchered ours at 5.5 weeks, and wow, what a range in sizes we got! Our runt was 2.5lb and Big Bertha was 4.3...
  15. J

    Rooster Conundrum

    Hi All, I have a conundrum. I started a meat flock last spring with 5 hens and a rooster. They are Rangers that I held out from a batch I got in the spring. My goal is to have a self-sustaining meat flock. Everything is going fine, except for the rooster. I've never had a rooster that crows...
  16. chickenchicklady

    Going to get too cold for chickens?

    Hey! I just found out that we’re supposed to get snow in 7 days with a low of 21. I have 25 meat birds, and I knew I was cutting it close to the cold weather When I ordered them, but I wasn’t expecting it so soon. The only housing they have is a Joel Salatin style tractor, so it’s not totally...
  17. chickenchicklady

    Meat bird tractor

    Hello! We are building a meat bird tractor! We have it doneC other than predator proofing.. we aren’t sure how to go about that! Any suggestions?
  18. chickenchicklady

    Jumbo Cornish X Vs. Cornish Game Hens

    I ordered Jumbo Cornish X and Cornish game hens. 12 of each. I asked hatchery to separate them or mark them so I could tell the difference, they did not. Will I be able to tell when they are older? I know Game hens are usually ready before Cornish X. That’s why I’m a bit worried. I don’t want to...
  19. SOlace30

    chicken plucker question

    Happy Monday, processing my first batch off meat birds this week. Prior to throwing them in the plucker do I need to sterilize the feather/skin area from one bird to the next? is there any issue of contamination I should be worried about?. Does the dip in the hot water cover that just not...
  20. H

    Cornish X color variants?

    Hi y’all! My latest batch of broilers (1/2 Cornish cross, 1/2 freedom rangers) was a “test batch” from a new hatchery. Some of the Cornish are... not what I’m used to seeing. Several of them have patches of black feathers. They have had them since I got them as day-old chicks. They all seem...
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