Chronicles of Raising Meat Birds - Modern Broilers, Heritage and Hybrids

[jolenesdad]

@LilyD did you get any marans in your fry pan set?

My marans I hatched are FAR outpacing these Delawares. They look awesome. Heck my Legbars are outpacing these Delawares growth.

 

[LilyD]

@LilyD did you get any marans in your fry pan set?

My marans I hatched are FAR outpacing these Delawares. They look awesome. Heck my Legbars are outpacing these Delawares growth.

No I got buff orps, dominiques, sussex and a few australorps. So far out of those the buffs are the quickest growing and filling out.

 

[jolenesdad]

Moyer Broilers: 21 days
Delaware: 42 days
Cornish Cross: 1 day

Moyer Broilers:
Robust White: average 9 ounces (40% standard)
Royal Red: average 9.5 ounces (45% of standard)

Delawares: 14 ounces.

Notes:
Cornish arrived yesterday, and are doing great. Nutridrench in the water for 12 hours and now the Broiler Booster electrolytes that all the Broilers get. All have full crops. (Standard Cornish cross these are from Meyer because I had a credit.)

They went outside from the moment I got them back to the farm. The other meaties are curious about the newbies.

Will be so interesting to see the side by side comparisons, and if the Cornish become more active with these other birds.

I LOVE these Moyer birds. They’re the most active and friendly chicks. The reds are all over me, jumping and roosting on my arms as I work in the pen. It also doesn’t hurt that these royal reds are feathering out beautifully.

I’m not going to continue to update Marans because I’ve found them homes. They’re really correct and someone wanted them all so I figured I have plenty.

I wish they would have instead wanted the Delawares. They’re nuts. They’re still a pack but do occasionally break up. They’ll eat from my hand but run like the dickens from you. I’d do side by side with the marans if the Delawares wouldn’t fight them. :-/ they run up to the bigger birds by FAR and grab their neck or comb and pull.

I’ve got to revisit my coop. I need a block for the door. These birds know they overpower me and it’s on when I’m coming. They fly out the door. They don’t run away but how in the heck do you corral this many? I’ve gone through so many soldier fly larvae I’m going to lock them in somehow so I can get in without all that, it’s cute and all, but takes 30 minutes to get them in.

Thankfully I’ve systematically rehomed every bully hen I have, because earlier this week I was SO overwhelmed with a particularly trying time getting the chicks back in, that I didn’t realize I locked three laying hens in their pen. Omg. I came back three hours later and saw three hens in the coop I expected bloodshed, and nothing happened. See photos. It will be fun to see the hens ranging with them if they keep it up.

I probably will start an hour or two on grass this week or maybe next while I’m with them. They’re total hawk bait right now.

I’m right where I want to be with weights I think. Interestingly, they’re almost exactly in line with my (female) Cornish from last batch.

Photos of: royal red broilers, robust white broilers, what I could get of a Delaware, and various weekly photos.

 

[LilyD]

Moyer Broilers: 21 days
Delaware: 42 days
Cornish Cross: 1 day

Moyer Broilers:
Robust White: average 9 ounces (40% standard)
Royal Red: average 9.5 ounces (45% of standard)

Delawares: 14 ounces.

Notes:
Cornish arrived yesterday, and are doing great. Nutridrench in the water for 12 hours and now the Broiler Booster electrolytes that all the Broilers get. All have full crops. (Standard Cornish cross these are from Meyer because I had a credit.)

They went outside from the moment I got them back to the farm. The other meaties are curious about the newbies.

Will be so interesting to see the side by side comparisons, and if the Cornish become more active with these other birds.

I LOVE these Moyer birds. They’re the most active and friendly chicks. The reds are all over me, jumping and roosting on my arms as I work in the pen. It also doesn’t hurt that these royal reds are feathering out beautifully.

I’m not going to continue to update Marans because I’ve found them homes. They’re really correct and someone wanted them all so I figured I have plenty.

I wish they would have instead wanted the Delawares. They’re nuts. They’re still a pack but do occasionally break up. They’ll eat from my hand but run like the dickens from you. I’d do side by side with the marans if the Delawares wouldn’t fight them. :-/ they run up to the bigger birds by FAR and grab their neck or comb and pull.

I’ve got to revisit my coop. I need a block for the door. These birds know they overpower me and it’s on when I’m coming. They fly out the door. They don’t run away but how in the heck do you corral this many? I’ve gone through so many soldier fly larvae I’m going to lock them in somehow so I can get in without all that, it’s cute and all, but takes 30 minutes to get them in.

Thankfully I’ve systematically rehomed every bully hen I have, because earlier this week I was SO overwhelmed with a particularly trying time getting the chicks back in, that I didn’t realize I locked three laying hens in their pen. Omg. I came back three hours later and saw three hens in the coop I expected bloodshed, and nothing happened. See photos. It will be fun to see the hens ranging with them if they keep it up.

I probably will start an hour or two on grass this week or maybe next while I’m with them. They’re total hawk bait right now.

I’m right where I want to be with weights I think. Interestingly, they’re almost exactly in line with my (female) Cornish from last batch.

Photos of: royal red broilers, robust white broilers, what I could get of a Delaware, and various weekly photos.

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Wow those are some good looking meaties!

 

[aart]

at the highchair!!
What a great idea!

Not sure what you can do about the door rush....except build an 'air lock' foyer...but air tight... a 'chicken lock'.
Would take up a lot of space tho with the big door you have.

 

[Molpet]

could do a dutch door.. with the lower door low enough you can step over... or put up a removable panel that you can step over when you open the door

 

[Newyorkrita]

Moyer Broilers: 21 days
Delaware: 42 days
Cornish Cross: 1 day

Moyer Broilers:
Robust White: average 9 ounces (40% standard)
Royal Red: average 9.5 ounces (45% of standard)

Delawares: 14 ounces.

Notes:
Cornish arrived yesterday, and are doing great. Nutridrench in the water for 12 hours and now the Broiler Booster electrolytes that all the Broilers get. All have full crops. (Standard Cornish cross these are from Meyer because I had a credit.)

They went outside from the moment I got them back to the farm. The other meaties are curious about the newbies.

Will be so interesting to see the side by side comparisons, and if the Cornish become more active with these other birds.

I LOVE these Moyer birds. They’re the most active and friendly chicks. The reds are all over me, jumping and roosting on my arms as I work in the pen. It also doesn’t hurt that these royal reds are feathering out beautifully.

I’m not going to continue to update Marans because I’ve found them homes. They’re really correct and someone wanted them all so I figured I have plenty.

I wish they would have instead wanted the Delawares. They’re nuts. They’re still a pack but do occasionally break up. They’ll eat from my hand but run like the dickens from you. I’d do side by side with the marans if the Delawares wouldn’t fight them. :-/ they run up to the bigger birds by FAR and grab their neck or comb and pull.

I’ve got to revisit my coop. I need a block for the door. These birds know they overpower me and it’s on when I’m coming. They fly out the door. They don’t run away but how in the heck do you corral this many? I’ve gone through so many soldier fly larvae I’m going to lock them in somehow so I can get in without all that, it’s cute and all, but takes 30 minutes to get them in.

Thankfully I’ve systematically rehomed every bully hen I have, because earlier this week I was SO overwhelmed with a particularly trying time getting the chicks back in, that I didn’t realize I locked three laying hens in their pen. Omg. I came back three hours later and saw three hens in the coop I expected bloodshed, and nothing happened. See photos. It will be fun to see the hens ranging with them if they keep it up.

I probably will start an hour or two on grass this week or maybe next while I’m with them. They’re total hawk bait right now.

I’m right where I want to be with weights I think. Interestingly, they’re almost exactly in line with my (female) Cornish from last batch.

Photos of: royal red broilers, robust white broilers, what I could get of a Delaware, and various weekly photos.

So I had to go to Moyers website after seeing your post to see what these Moyer Broilers were all about. I must say I think they really have an impressive selection of meat birds. Really interesting.

 

[jolenesdad]

So I had to go to Moyers website after seeing your post to see what these Moyer Broilers were all about. I must say I think they really have an impressive selection of meat birds. Really interesting.

I can’t say enough about the people there too.

In fact just today I emailed John a question and updated him on these birds....

He thinks my percentages should be higher over 75% of where the standard weight is, so we are chatting tomorrow on the phone to go over feed and everything that’s happening.

I mean that’s so above and beyond...

 

[LilyD]

I can’t say enough about the people there too.

In fact just today I emailed John a question and updated him on these birds....

He thinks my percentages should be higher over 75% of where the standard weight is, so we are chatting tomorrow on the phone to go over feed and everything that’s happening.

I mean that’s so above and beyond...

Wow that sounds like a great company. They look like amazing birds. Maybe worth keeping a roo or hen to breed with your heritage flock to see if they can improve the growth rate on them. Like Deleware/Broiler mix or Orpington/Broiler mix hehe. You've got me thinking now lol. This could be dangerous

 

[jolenesdad]

Yes lots of great information they gave me, but we also decided that for my purposes of a happy healthy family eating bird, there’s nothing wrong with my growth rate. That was nice to hear from someone in the know because you hear a lot of folks thinking slow growing meat birds is bad for the birds.

More in my Thursday update.