A Beginner’s Excursion into Meatbirds

[Molpet]

1. I am pretty new to all of this as well, but I am a little bit ahead of you so I thought I'd chime in since no one else has.
2. There direction I am taking is different than yours. I am using only heritage birds because I choose to fight the big corporations and the modifications they have made to our food supply.

Last year I raised and then processed hatchery purchased dual-purpose birds. That was a complete failure. 13 birds total did not give me 10 lbs total. 2 carcasses are only fit for broth. The rest won't feed 2 people each. Crying shame because they were good layers with wonderful temperments.

This year I've changed directions. I have set up my own breeding program with red dorkings ... A rare, heritage dual purpose that "the man" hasn't put his paws on, lol. I'm just starting with this, so no one has gone to the processor yet.

My dorkings have their own coop (thank goodness for heat lamps during this frigid period).

I have layers left over from the other effort that inhabit their own coop.

I plan to set up a small scale breeding pen this spring when the girls are closer to sexual maturity.

Good luck in your endeavors and it will be nice to have someone to compare notes with.

how long did you grow out your birds? I proccessed hatchery BR dressed at 4-5lbs at 20 wks
I find this study ineresting https://projects.sare.org/project-reports/fnc12-866/

also some of us have been holding a smaller cx hen back.. have to start restricting feed at 1 week and free range them with the layers to get them to live long enough to lay eggs. some people breed the cx hen to a rainbow or ranger. I just use my mixed roo.. most of mine don't grow any faster but have about 1/2lb more of breast meat. some dressed out at 7lbs at 19 wks

 

[teriz1091]

The chicks are growing like weeds! They went through roughly 3 lbs of feed and almost a gallon of water today.

These chicks are very lazy compared to the egg layers we raised last fall. All they do is eat & lay around.

What is with the big pooch under their butt? They all have it, & it’s huge!

 

[Maeschak]

View attachment 1240307
The chicks are growing like weeds! They went through roughly 3 lbs of feed and almost a gallon of water today.

These chicks are very lazy compared to the egg layers we raised last fall. All they do is eat & lay around.

What is with the big pooch under their butt? They all have it, & it’s huge!

I have no clue what it is but all my chicks have it for the first few days. I always figured it was their super secret storage of extra fat and other forms of sustenance... But I really have no clue.

 

[teriz1091]

Tips on keeping the bedding dry? The chicks are developing damp spots & thinning of the feathers on their chests from laying so much. I have them on pine shavings, & I’ve been changing out their soiled bedding daily & replacing it with fresh. I just did this last night, & 24 hours later they’re all damp again.

Honestly, I can’t wait to move these chicks outside. That day won’t come soon enough. They will have much more room in their chicken house, & it will be easier to shovel & rake up manure than to be on my hands & knees trying to reach the back of the dog kennel with a cat litter scoop.

 

[Molpet]

Tips on keeping the bedding dry? The chicks are developing damp spots & thinning of the feathers on their chests from laying so much. I have them on pine shavings, & I’ve been changing out their soiled bedding daily & replacing it with fresh. I just did this last night, & 24 hours later they’re all damp again.

Honestly, I can’t wait to move these chicks outside. That day won’t come soon enough. They will have much more room in their chicken house, & it will be easier to shovel & rake up manure than to be on my hands & knees trying to reach the back of the dog kennel with a cat litter scoop.

Cx are thin feathered anyway, but if they are fed all they can eat they sit in front of the feeder and have bare chest and bellies.
I fed them 2x a day.. they took a couple of weeks longer but they are healthier... Pellet bedding helps too

 

[teriz1091]

Cx are thin feathered anyway, but if they are fed all they can eat they sit in front of the feeder and have bare chest and bellies.
I fed them 2x a day.. they took a couple of weeks longer but they are healthier... Pellet bedding helps too

The pelleted bedding won’t damage their legs? I thought I had read somewhere that they are prone to leg damage if they are on anything slick. Just curious, since the pellets would roll around (I assume). I was thinking of putting some straw down in their chicken house when they go outside, but wasn’t sure if that would be a good option for them.

Thank you!

 

[Molpet]

The pelleted bedding won’t damage their legs? I thought I had read somewhere that they are prone to leg damage if they are on anything slick. Just curious, since the pellets would roll around (I assume). I was thinking of putting some straw down in their chicken house when they go outside, but wasn’t sure if that would be a good option for them.

Thank you!

I put the pellet bedding in and as strange as it sounds.. you then spray it with water.. the top layer of pellets break down and is soft bedding...straw gets matted up and I didn't like it... Outside I used leaves and dried lawn grass... cheaper LOL
they make a '3 in one' that is chopped straw, shavings and fine shavings. That worked pretty well

 

[teriz1091]

So lesson learned. I will never again raise chicks indoors. I’m going nuts! Despite the fact that the chicks are in our mud room, their shavings & smell are all over the house. Next time, I will wait for weather nice enough for them to be outside from the start. I will still use the dog crate they’re in right now for a brooder, but it will be in the chicken house instead of my mud room.

The chicks are huge, messy, lazy, & hungry. Every night I remove at least half of their bedding & replace it with fresh. I didn’t factor in cost of bedding when I looked at the end cost per bird initially. It won’t be bad, but I’ll easily go through a $5 bag of shavings before they are turned out into their chicken house, & I’ll keep some bedding down for them in there as well.

Is it a big deal that I’m still feeding a 24% starter? The TSC we went to didn’t have the Nutrena 22% Meatbird feed I wanted when we went.

Oh, & so far we still have all 20 chicks. I know we may lose some closer to butchering if they grow too fast, but so far they’re all (extremely) fat & happy.

 

[AllenK RGV]

best of luck! I will also try raising meat birds this year. Ideal has been having sales, but between the weather and me not set up for a second meat pen (yet), I'm waiting for the stars to align.

$0.50 a bird and you pick up is great pricing. Best I can do is $1.50 plus shipping for 20 bird minimum order.

In good weather, I've heard people move the chicks out at 2-3 weeks. 4 weeks will be the guideline generally. Chicks are sensitive to the cold and adults are heat sensitive. Spring and fall are targets.

Read some of the others' notes. Very good information and can see what they are up against. Will you keep yours on a feeding schedule? Free range? I'm looking for a tractor that will keep the dogs out and still allow me to move without help.

Life is good. We have options.

I thought you raised meat birds last year too @RUNuts I would move them outdoors once you feel they are completely feathered. They will huddle together if they are cold and run wild if they aren't.

 

[AllenK RGV]

View attachment 1244990
So lesson learned. I will never again raise chicks indoors. I’m going nuts! Despite the fact that the chicks are in our mud room, their shavings & smell are all over the house. Next time, I will wait for weather nice enough for them to be outside from the start. I will still use the dog crate they’re in right now for a brooder, but it will be in the chicken house instead of my mud room.

The chicks are huge, messy, lazy, & hungry. Every night I remove at least half of their bedding & replace it with fresh. I didn’t factor in cost of bedding when I looked at the end cost per bird initially. It won’t be bad, but I’ll easily go through a $5 bag of shavings before they are turned out into their chicken house, & I’ll keep some bedding down for them in there as well.

Is it a big deal that I’m still feeding a 24% starter? The TSC we went to didn’t have the Nutrena 22% Meatbird feed I wanted when we went.

Oh, & so far we still have all 20 chicks. I know we may lose some closer to butchering if they grow too fast, but so far they’re all (extremely) fat & happy.

For me it was the dust/dander that made them intolerable to have near the house. I am not a meatbird fan in the least but support you all who are. Mine are just eyecandy/pets.

edit- You also probably don't waste time chasing down your problem roo daily like I do to put him in his leg irons!