BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Our Roost]

Hands on experience "is" priceless but data never lies if you follow the progress properly. I have to give in to the professionals on this one and play the game the way they dictate. The true one and only feature I am looking for in my meat birds is the grow time to reach a desired weight.

 

[hellbender]

Hands on experience "is" priceless but data never lies if you follow the progress properly. I have to give in to the professionals on this one and play the game the way they dictate. The true one and only feature I am looking for in my meat birds is the grow time to reach a desired weight.

Perhaps I've not been watching closely enough but I haven't been able to ascertain just what your weight gain goals are... Slow maturing or fast??

Thanks

 

[Our Roost]

Quote:

Well, its neither. I weigh birds weekly until they reach the weight I want to eat them fully dressed out. If I can eat a 5lb. bird early verses waiting 20 plus weeks for it to fully mature, why wait and waste good money on feed for 2 or 3 more lbs.?

 

[hellbender]

Well, its neither. I weigh birds weekly until they reach the weight I want to eat them fully dressed out. If I can eat a 5lb. bird early verses waiting 20 plus weeks for it to fully mature, why wait and waste good money on feed for 2 or 3 more lbs.?

Well, there's the rub. I've not been paying close enough attention. I know I should go back and read older posts but I frequently don't and that will sometimes drop me in the dreck. I know there are a few others who come to this thread who are interested in capons so the slow maturing birds would be the ticket...

Sorry for not paying more attention...I'll try to correct that in the future!!!

 

[DesertChic]

Well, there's the rub. I've not been paying close enough attention. I know I should go back and read older posts but I frequently don't and that will sometimes drop me in the dreck. I know there are a few others who come to this thread who are interested in capons so the slow maturing birds would be the ticket...

Sorry for not paying more attention...I'll try to correct that in the future!!!

Speaking of Capons....I finally broke out the kit I bought and have been reading through the instruction book more attentively. I may be giving the procedure a try sooner than I'd originally thought. After getting badly bitten by my sole Ameraucana cockerel last night and then breaking up some nasty fights started by my two Dorking mix cockerels I decided life would be so much better without all that testosterone to contend with. Those boys are too old to caponize right now but not big enough for me to want to butcher....but I've got a pen of 20 chicks, nearly half of which are males, that may prove to be prime candidates. I'm liking the idea of saving myself from some headaches in the near future.

 

[hellbender]

Speaking of Capons....I finally broke out the kit I bought and have been reading through the instruction book more attentively. I may be giving the procedure a try sooner than I'd originally thought. After getting badly bitten by my sole Ameraucana cockerel last night and then breaking up some nasty fights started by my two Dorking mix cockerels I decided life would be so much better without all that testosterone to contend with. Those boys are too old to caponize right now but not big enough for me to want to butcher....but I've got a pen of 20 chicks, nearly half of which are males, that may prove to be prime candidates. I'm liking the idea of saving myself from some headaches in the near future.

NO,No,No.....Those cockerels are NOT too old to caponize. The Chinese will work with yearlings and it provides excellents results for roasters by age 18 months!!!!!

It will stop ALL fighting too...they'll be just one of the gals...

 

[DesertChic]

NO,No,No.....Those cockerels are NOT too old to caponize. The Chinese will work with yearlings and it provides excellents results for roasters by age 18 months!!!!!

Really? Eleven to twelve weeks old isn't too old to perform the procedure?

 

[hellbender]

Really? Eleven to twelve weeks old isn't too old to perform the procedure?

Surely you jest? That's the ideal age for a beginner to start with and in just 5 or 6 months, they will fantastic table birds!

 

[DesertChic]

Surely you jest? That's the ideal age for a beginner to start with and in just 5 or 6 months, they will fantastic table birds!

Oh, wow! Thank you so much! Okay....I've got three cockerels to cull this weekend and I'm going to practice on their carcasses. Then....assuming I have both the energy and the courage, I'm going to give this a try. Not having to keep those mean boys separated will free up a A LOT of valuable space. Thank you!!!!!!

 

[hellbender]

Oh, wow! Thank you so much! Okay....I've got three cockerels to cull this weekend and I'm going to practice on their carcasses. Then....assuming I have both the energy and the courage, I'm going to give this a try. Not having to keep those mean boys separated will free up a A LOT of valuable space. Thank you!!!!!!

Have a look.