Can a broiler bird live out a normal, full-length life?

[Compost King]

I just watched my red rangers free range from noon to sun set, they had the option of sitting around a pie pan full of Grower/Finisher and choose to free range. I would say this meat breed might be worth keeping. Although they are not the biggest birds in the flock they are the heaviest at age 8 weeks. Here is a picture of a cockerel meeting Bantam he once shared a brooder, and the Bantam is about 2 days older

The Meat Birds name is Dinner, the Bantam doesn't have a name yet because I have many that look just like her... TSC assorted Bantam.

 

[HeiHeisMom]

That's one Huge bird!

 

[featherhead007]

Hello!

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to be posting in, but I felt like you guys would have the best information. Also, you can direct me to a different forum, if you think it better fits there.

So, about a month ago I picked up four bantams from the Tractor Supply, but it turns out one of the birds is an obvious big sized broiler bird. She is humongous, with really thick legs and a huge fat chest. She is only a month old, but must be at least 5 pounds already. She is just the absolute most sweetest bird though! I have absolutely no idea about how broiler birds live, how long they live, or basically anything about them. So my question is, can she live a full, happy chicken life? Or will there be a point where she's too fat to walk and it would be inhumane to keep her living? I would never be able to kill one of my chickens, I just keep them as pets and for eggs, but I don't want her living a cruel life. Like I said, I really have no clue about anything with broiler birds, so if you can give me any tips or information I would be very glad to receive it! I just want to know if she can live out a normal life, and it's okay if she doesn't lay that many eggs either.

So what are your opinions on this? Thank you in advance.

If we kill animals because they are way fat, I had this girlfriend once who..........never mind!

 

[HeiHeisMom]

Feed her once a day only and get her off the chick starter! Don't put her on grower feed, go straight to layer feed. Make sure she has room to roam if she can, no treats other than occasionally cooled scrambled eggs and not much!
She's young enough still and will grow into her weight a little more. As she does she'll start wanting to move around more also.
Keep her cool if you live in hot country.
Same thing happened with us, and TSC...
My girls are no longer gasping for breath and are more active after just one week of diet change!
Not sure how long they'll live, but have heard of people having them live between 3_8 years.
It's hard to regulate their diets, but these birds are breed to sit on their Fannie's and eat eat eat until they are ready to pop! They stay hungry all the time so I feed a set amount at 6 an and a little bit at 730 pm plus treats of a few meal worms or crumbled corn bread around 10 am and again around 4 pm.
My girls are so very much healthier and very affectionate and happy now!
Best of luck!

 

[Compost King]

The Girls are in a laying flock already, so they only have access to laying feed. They are also the bottom of the pecking order currently so they do not get much feeder time.They spend most of their time under a Holly Hedge hiding and scratching for food. The Males will be given away to someone who can butcher them, Not that I can't but if I do I can't eat meat for a week after I do it. My stomach gets all wobbly after doing that. The Males spend their time in a pen I made from the netting that came with a Trampoline and I put it around my giant compost pile. and the males only get morning and night rations. If I am working outside (most of the time) They do get out of the pen and can venture through the whole yard. I was shocked at how far and fast they moved. These are so much more active than Cornish X. I have seen them walk away from the feeder to free range, but as soon as you expose them to a feeder to go running to it. They act like you have been starving them. The Men are useless to me because they are already too heavy to breed on any of my hens.

this was their first day out of the grow out pen where they bullied my Wellsummers and Ayam Cemenis.

 

[HeiHeisMom]

Feed her once a day only and get her off the chick starter! Don't put her on grower feed, go straight to layer feed. Make sure she has room to roam if she can, no treats other than occasionally cooled scrambled eggs and not much!
She's young enough still and will grow into her weight a littlemore. As she does she'll start wanting to move around more also.
Keep her cool if you live in hotcountry.
Same thing happened with us, and TSC...
My girls are no longer gasping for breath and are more active after just one week of diet change!
Not sure how long they'll live, but have heard of people having them live between 3_8 years.
It's hard to regulate their diets, but these birds are breed to sit on their Fannie's and eat eat eat until they are ready to pop! Theystay hungry all the time so I feed a set amount at 6 an and a little bit at 730 pm plus treats of a few meal worms or crumbled corn bread around 10 am and again around 4 pm.
My girls are so very much healthier and very affectionate and happy now!
Best of luck!

 

[kinkachy000]

Feed her once a day only and get her off the chick starter! Don't put her on grower feed, go straight to layer feed. Make sure she has room to roam if she can, no treats other than occasionally cooled scrambled eggs and not much!
She's young enough still and will grow into her weight a littlemore. As she does she'll start wanting to move around more also.
Keep her cool if you live in hotcountry.
Same thing happened with us, and TSC...
My girls are no longer gasping for breath and are more active after just one week of diet change!
Not sure how long they'll live, but have heard of people having them live between 3_8 years.
It's hard to regulate their diets, but these birds are breed to sit on their Fannie's and eat eat eat until they are ready to pop! Theystay hungry all the time so I feed a set amount at 6 an and a little bit at 730 pm plus treats of a few meal worms or crumbled corn bread around 10 am and again around 4 pm.
My girls are so very much healthier and very affectionate and happy now!
Best of luck!

Thank you so much for this! This is all very helpful! And I will be implementing them as soon as I can.

 

[Lin_0330]

I have one broiler and she is currently living with 3 mates, they are all 4 month old.
She is huge compared with others.
I gave them food 2-3 times per day. When the 3 other girl had enough I remove the food even though the meat girl still want more. The food normally consists pellets, mealworm, leftovers rice, and many vegetables. They get to eat grass and wheatgrass every day.
The mates encourage the meat girl to move more, do the dust bath, jumping around.
Really wish I had a bigger garden.

 

[ijon]

I have had Red Rangers live two to three years.

 

[HeiHeisMom]

She's not too big. Healthy size for broiler.
Where do you live? Broilers do not do well in extream heat and humidity. It's 105-110 here daily with humidity between 60-85 percent on average.
I lost two broilers this week due to heat, bad hearts. They were both over 9 lbs (.64 stone) each.
IvI' heard they can live up to 3 or 4 years. Mine were 5 months.