Bay Area BYCers!

[johnsc22]

One of the "girls" I hatched 16 weeks ago crowed for the first time today. I take it that there's no doubt I have a roo on my hands? It looks like a girl, only now that I've heard he/she crow that I think that maybe it's a little tall. In the same batch I had a roo that crowed at 3 weeks and so I figured it was the only one. Now I'm giving all 5 from that hatch a close look....

 

[Country Chick at Heart]

I'm looking for a new home for my 13 week old blrw cockerel. Anyone here interested? He is young, but shows great potential... I'd hate for such a pretty and personable guy end up as chicken stew.

As a last resort,(along with Craig's list) have any of you heard of a rooster rescue in the Walnut Creek area? Concord Feed is recommending them and said they would give me their number.

I actually gave three roosters to that rescue - two Silkie roos and a Black Astralorp. The gal met me at Concord Feed in Concord and picked them up. She was very personable and there were two other roosters sitting in the store awaiting her arrival. I don't have her number in front of me, but if the store will provide it, it is a great alternative.

 

[daesee]

Good to hear others have used the rescue... I drooped him off this weekend.

 

[BluesChicken]

Did anyone else see this story in the NY Times today?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/d...-strict-diet-of-four-star-scraps.html?hp&_r=0

Interesting story and interesting comments following it. I was a bit surprised that these birds reached market-size in just 60 days. Is this normal for meat-type birds?

 

[chiqita]

No its not. I pretty sure he got that wrong. I think cornish x take 2 months, so I'm betting he got the number wrong and he ment 4 months,. That is around what a breese or fast growing heritage would be.
But I could be wrong.

 

[juststruttin]

Did anyone else see this story in the NY Times today?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/d...-strict-diet-of-four-star-scraps.html?hp&_r=0

Interesting story and interesting comments following it. I was a bit surprised that these birds reached market-size in just 60 days. Is this normal for meat-type birds?

At the Heirloom Festival the speaker said the current commercial broilers are processed at 37 days, down from 48 days 4 years ago. The broilers available to the public usually reach processing weight around 8 weeks.

 

[PetRock]

At the Heirloom Festival the speaker said the current commercial broilers are processed at 37 days, down from 48 days 4 years ago. The broilers available to the public usually reach processing weight around 8 weeks.

My friend who owns the farm where my breeder chickens are kept raises Cornish X for meat. Our goal is to increase our flock of heritage birds and decide on a few dual purpose breeds to focus on so she won't have to raise meaties. She usually processes them at around 10 weeks of age depending on how well they have grown. She has 2 groups of meaties this year but we also have a group of Bresse as well as some Langshan and mixed breed roosters/cockerels that we will be processing.
.

 

[juststruttin]

My friend who owns the farm where my breeder chickens are kept raises Cornish X for meat. Our goal is to increase our flock of heritage birds and decide on a few dual purpose breeds to focus on so she won't have to raise meaties. She usually processes them at around 10 weeks of age depending on how well they have grown. She has 2 groups of meaties this year but we also have a group of Bresse as well as some Langshan and mixed breed roosters/cockerels that we will be processing.
.

That is fabulous. Did you attend the lecture at the Heirloom Expo presented by Jim Atkins from Sustainablepoultry.com?

The lecture was really interesting. I think the key point I took away is that buying Cornish X year after year is not sustainable. In doing so, we are supporting the big chicken industry and shipping the chicks across the country has a huge impact on the environment. We are much better off raising our own birds (heritage dual purpose) that can reproduce naturally so we are not forced to buy (patented, hybrid) chicks and have them shipped to use year after year.

 

[BluesChicken]

I admit I am really surprised they can reach market size so quickly! At 8-weeks my girls were pretty scrawney. In college we used to complain about the "parakeets" they served us in the lunchroom, and that's about what they would have been!

 

[LilyBee]

We recently lost one of our beloved hens, and my kids have been angling for a replacement (or two). Conveniently, our cochin just went broody. Is there anyone in the East Bay who might have some fertile eggs with which they would be willing to part? We're in Oakland so something in the Oakland/Berkeley area would be convenient, although I'll be in Orinda and Walnut Creek on Sunday so I could pick up in Contra Costa County that day. I'll order some to be shipped if need be, but thought I'd try to go local if possible! Thanks!