California - Northern

[jeremy]

8 months- is that how long it takes the average chicken to reach a butchering size? Broilers/fryers grow faster I assume. Pekin ducks are ready for processing by 7 weeks old. My Pekin ducks were like 8 pounds by then. (I didnt process them though. they are my buddies) Meat chickens mature much faster than months right?

No, I think most folks process there cockerels a lot earlier than that and most hybrid meat birds are "ready" in much, much less time.

The rooster we raised to process was a Heritage Rhode Island Red, a dual purpose bird but one that grows much more slowly and naturally than a hybrid. We purchased straight run chicks with the intention on keeping the hens for eggs and eventually processing the males. Well I wanted my little cockerel the have the longest, fullest life possible before he became dinner. To grow up and do cockerel things, scratch at the earth, chase bugs, maybe mate a hen or two. So we decided to keep him and feed him (fatten him

) until he decided to crow, we live in Oakland where you're technically not supposed to keep roosters due to a pesky noise ordinance. It took our cockerel just over 8 months to "find his voice" and then we had to do the deed. I was really surprised that he didn't crow way before then but maybe he knew the longer he kept quiet the longer he had to live? LOL.

It was an amazing experience and resulted in a delicious dinner that I felt completely at ease with. You can read more about our experience on my blog. I haven't updated it in quite some time, I keep meaning to start again though.

 

[DavidandWendy]

True, but not that early. Nor would they be that red either.

This in reference to jeremy's response about sexing White leghorn pullets and I agree with him. We bought 4 "Hens" and one seemed to grow faster and 'her" comb and wattles seemed to be MUCH larger than 'her" sisters!

Long story short our "Hen" showed his true colors very early and at 12 weeks old "HE" was trying to crow and was obviously at the top of the pecking order with his aggression!

The real hens combs and wattles are still smaller at 16 weeks than his was at even 10 weeks! He now belongs to my 20 year old Grandaughters, boyfriends Mom!

...lol. She traded us a beautiful Black 1 year old Australope and now she's taken over as Top Boss and she has been laying a beautiful brown egg every day!

~David

 

[ronott1]

I was waiting to reply--I don't want to hog the site too much

Quote: Meat chickens are faster. The Cornish Crosses from the store are ready in something like 6 weeks, which is the fastest.

There are two types of Dual purpose chickens, Dual egg layer and dual meat. The dual meat will be bigger sooner, but they don't lay as many large eggs. Delawares are fairly fast for a Dual Purpose breed. Capayvalleychcick(Kim) can tell you how fast.

Oh my goodness! Talk about pecking order squabbles. The Buff cockerel and the Marans with less feathers on her feet are constantly fighting now. Dive bombing each other, facing off and chest butting. Do only cockerels/roosters do this or do hens also?

Pullets will try for dominance too. Make sure they are not hurting each other. If one bleeds, they will kill it. Hopefully they are just setting the pecking order and all will be calm soon.

Do you have any recent pictures?

Bye,

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: Unfortunately, those do both look like roos to me too.

I hatched out some TJ eggs at New Year's. They would have just started laying. I wish I had kept them, hadn't planned a project that would need them until the last couple of days. I can always hatch some more, was just hoping to save the 5-6 mos time to hatch/raise.

Thanks,
Deb

 

[Disco Hen]

I miss my chickens! I'm at my dads and all my chickens are at my moms

 

[zooweemama]

I was waiting to reply--I don't want to hog the site too much

Meat chickens are faster. The Cornish Crosses from the store are ready in something like 6 weeks, which is the fastest.

There are two types of Dual purpose chickens, Dual egg layer and dual meat. The dual meat will be bigger sooner, but they don't lay as many large eggs. Delawares are fairly fast for a Dual Purpose breed. Capayvalleychcick(Kim) can tell you how fast.
Pullets will try for dominance too. Make sure they are not hurting each other. If one bleeds, they will kill it. Hopefully they are just setting the pecking order and all will be calm soon.

Do you have any recent pictures?

Bye,

Thanks for that info!

I tried to take some new pics. Oh. My. Goodness. Someone tell those chickens to stop moving! I will try again later today after the kids go to bed. These chickens were running all over!

I call him Roo. He is the only one we have named. I am pretty sure I want to keep him. We may have to build a second coop - one for my Buffs and one for my BC marans. LOL
He has no tail, is feathering little differently than the other 3 Buff Orps we have. He also behaves differently. He challenges EVERYone.


Random horrible shots because getting anything in focus was a joke...

She was looking for mealworms...in my shoe?


What you may not realize is she was almost on top of me! haha

Chicken Huddle.

I had given them some live mealworms. (also gave them some chickgrit)


They did not want to go back into their brooder. Chickens are not herdable like ducks. Or if they are- I do not speak their language! LOL

They are just barely over 2 weeks old I think? Hatched June 2 I think.

 

[Disco Hen]

Thanks for that info!

I tried to take some new pics. Oh. My. Goodness. Someone tell those chickens to stop moving! I will try again later today after the kids go to bed. These chickens were running all over!

I call him Roo. He is the only one we have named. I am pretty sure I want to keep him. We may have to build a second coop - one for my Buffs and one for my BC marans. LOL
He has no tail, is feathering little differently than the other 3 Buff Orps we have. He also behaves differently. He challenges EVERYone.


Random horrible shots because getting anything in focus was a joke...

She was looking for mealworms...in my shoe?


What you may not realize is she was almost on top of me! haha

Chicken Huddle.

I had given them some live mealworms. (also gave them some chickgrit)


They did not want to go back into their brooder. Chickens are not herdable like ducks. Or if they are- I do not speak their language! LOL

They are just barely over 2 weeks old I think? Hatched June 2 I think.

Adorable!!!

 

[debs_flock]

I call him Roo. He is the only one we have named. I am pretty sure I want to keep him. We may have to build a second coop - one for my Buffs and one for my BC marans. LOL
He has no tail, is feathering little differently than the other 3 Buff Orps we have. He also behaves differently. He challenges EVERYone.


Yes, I'd say roo.



She was looking for mealworms...in my shoe?



I'd say roo here too.

Chicken Huddle.


The marans on the right, roo, possibly the other as well.

Nice looking chicks.

Deb

 

[jeremy]

Unfortunately, those do both look like roos to me too.

I hatched out some TJ eggs at New Year's. They would have just started laying. I wish I had kept them, hadn't planned a project that would need them until the last couple of days. I can always hatch some more, was just hoping to save the 5-6 mos time to hatch/raise.

Thanks,
Deb

What's your project?

I love projects!

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: I'd like to work on a chamois campine. I've been doing some research on creating them.

Deb