I know meat birds grow fast. I plan on ordering 25 Freedom Ranger chicks - have yet to place the order as I cannot figure out ship date!
I'm in Northern Illinois - this has been a VERY mild winter; but I'm nearly convinced the other shoe is going to drop and we'll have a mother's day blizzard! I do not have a dedicated coop for our meatie's-to-be.... I have constructed a tractor for them to live in once weather turns warmer. Our coop has our Black Java layers in it.
So, if I plan on butchering at 12 weeks, and want that to be over the 4th of July week....then I should plan on ordering for delivery on April 11th? Is that correct? Or is it April 18th?
Knowing they'll need to be protected from cold, I've a brooder in the garage with heat lamps. But I know that brooder won't last much over the first week. And they'll need supplemental heat until what 3 or 4wks? So what do you all do? Build a bigger brooder? Fortify a tractor so it's nearly a coop?
I was looking at some Salatin plans online - and it seemed that his tractors held fairly young birds (couldn't really tell from pics). Is 2 weeks too young to go outside if it's early May? Obviously, they'd be protected from winds as best as possible - with heat lamps - and yes, tractor is predator proof too (1/4" hardware cloth with 1/2" hardware cloth 'skirt' around it al)l. Is this workable or should I make something a little more structured?
I greatly appreciate all input - I share knowledge where I can elsewhere on these forums - because together we're all stronger! (And have healthier chickens)
I'm in Northern Illinois - this has been a VERY mild winter; but I'm nearly convinced the other shoe is going to drop and we'll have a mother's day blizzard! I do not have a dedicated coop for our meatie's-to-be.... I have constructed a tractor for them to live in once weather turns warmer. Our coop has our Black Java layers in it.
So, if I plan on butchering at 12 weeks, and want that to be over the 4th of July week....then I should plan on ordering for delivery on April 11th? Is that correct? Or is it April 18th?
Knowing they'll need to be protected from cold, I've a brooder in the garage with heat lamps. But I know that brooder won't last much over the first week. And they'll need supplemental heat until what 3 or 4wks? So what do you all do? Build a bigger brooder? Fortify a tractor so it's nearly a coop?
I was looking at some Salatin plans online - and it seemed that his tractors held fairly young birds (couldn't really tell from pics). Is 2 weeks too young to go outside if it's early May? Obviously, they'd be protected from winds as best as possible - with heat lamps - and yes, tractor is predator proof too (1/4" hardware cloth with 1/2" hardware cloth 'skirt' around it al)l. Is this workable or should I make something a little more structured?
I greatly appreciate all input - I share knowledge where I can elsewhere on these forums - because together we're all stronger! (And have healthier chickens)