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

[Molpet]

great looking birds

Curious about holding back a robust female or two to breed to a Delaware Cockerel.... will think about that over the next week. I just don’t want the broiler to suffer through an extended life.

If you hold a few over and they start to go downhill you could process them

 

[Newyorkrita]

You still have a nice amount of great pictures there!! And a great update as usual!!

Are the Delaware's planned as dual purpose meat birds and egg layers?

If you don't mind me asking, where are you getting your Delaware's from?

 

[jolenesdad]

You still have a nice amount of great pictures there!! And a great update as usual!!

Are the Delaware's planned as dual purpose meat birds and egg layers?

If you don't mind me asking, where are you getting your Delaware's from?

Thanks so much!

I’m getting the Delawares from Dawnridge Farm. http://www.dawnridgefarm.com/contact-us/ All the Delaware club people I spoke to about utility birds pointed to them. Interesting story the husband and wife that own the farm both worked for years for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Anyway, they say they’re getting 3.5 lb finished weight on males at 12-13 weeks.

Honestly a 3.5 pound bird is more than enough for my family most days (Until my toddler becomes a teenage boy... lol)

They’re pretty expensive being a private breeder, but I think they’ll be worth it if I can become more sustainable with them. I’ll probably continue to do these Robust whites to part out and get plenty of breasts for meals.

Speaking of, I’m going to try and do some size perspective photos this week. This robust white starts to show his actual size next to a coffee can.

 

[Compost King]

if it fits with your set up consider putting a Delaware male (or another heritage breed) over your Robust white Hens. Avoid any recessive dwarf genes popping up and then you just need to buy new females when they hens stop laying. Not quite sustainable but you only need to buy Robust whites (or other) when the hens are spent. I like using Red Rangers for that because it's what Tractor Supply was selling. I like doing this better than buying large batches of meat birds. I can hatch out 2 to 5 meat birds a month and process them as I run out of meat.

 

[Bookworm0124]

Thanks so much!

I’m getting the Delawares from Dawnridge Farm. http://www.dawnridgefarm.com/contact-us/ All the Delaware club people I spoke to about utility birds pointed to them. Interesting story the husband and wife that own the farm both worked for years for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Anyway, they say they’re getting 3.5 lb finished weight on males at 12-13 weeks.

Honestly a 3.5 pound bird is more than enough for my family most days (Until my toddler becomes a teenage boy... lol)

They’re pretty expensive being a private breeder, but I think they’ll be worth it if I can become more sustainable with them. I’ll probably continue to do these Robust whites to part out and get plenty of breasts for meals.

Speaking of, I’m going to try and do some size perspective photos this week. This robust white starts to show his actual size next to a coffee can.


View attachment 1866325

So many breeds I want to try!! And I'm grounded from new birds if the bielefelder's don't work for me I definitely want to try the Delaware's, I already have the breeder bookmarked to get some eggs from.
I want to try the robusts as well, but the 20 bird limit is a bit much for me at one time I think. Someday!!
The bielefelder's are due to hatch on the 20th ish.
The Cornish I have are out of their cute stage and are starting to get gross. They're out in grass each day and a clean brooder at night but their belly's are already gross. They don't do much. And the poop is concentrated around the food, I'm going to move that around their tractor during the day. While they're growing at a crazy pace (about an ounce a day) I just don't think I like the breed. It's very different from the active laying breeds I have. I attached the weights I've been taking on them so far, more for curiosity's sake than anything. I believe they're about a week and a half old now.

 

[Newyorkrita]

Thanks so much!

I’m getting the Delawares from Dawnridge Farm. http://www.dawnridgefarm.com/contact-us/ All the Delaware club people I spoke to about utility birds pointed to them. Interesting story the husband and wife that own the farm both worked for years for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Anyway, they say they’re getting 3.5 lb finished weight on males at 12-13 weeks.

Honestly a 3.5 pound bird is more than enough for my family most days (Until my toddler becomes a teenage boy... lol)

They’re pretty expensive being a private breeder, but I think they’ll be worth it if I can become more sustainable with them. I’ll probably continue to do these Robust whites to part out and get plenty of breasts for meals.

Speaking of, I’m going to try and do some size perspective photos this week. This robust white starts to show his actual size next to a coffee can.


View attachment 1866325

Great shot of the bird with the coffee can.

I just want those Robust Whites more and more after your grow out reports. I am fascinated by the idea of raising meat birds anyway. But not straight CornishX.

Don't see it happening in reality here in suburbia but you never know.

 

[Bookworm0124]

Great shot of the bird with the coffee can.

I just want those Robust Whites more and more after your grow out reports. I am fascinated by the idea of raising meat birds anyway. But not straight CornishX.

Don't see it happening in reality here in suburbia but you never know.

I'm in country suburbia and doing it haha. But that's the hold up on me getting the robust. There's a 20 bird minimum and that's a lot for me here. Especially processing myself.

 

[jolenesdad]

So many breeds I want to try!! And I'm grounded from new birds if the bielefelder's don't work for me I definitely want to try the Delaware's, I already have the breeder bookmarked to get some eggs from.
I want to try the robusts as well, but the 20 bird limit is a bit much for me at one time I think. Someday!!
The bielefelder's are due to hatch on the 20th ish.
The Cornish I have are out of their cute stage and are starting to get gross. They're out in grass each day and a clean brooder at night but their belly's are already gross. They don't do much. And the poop is concentrated around the food, I'm going to move that around their tractor during the day. While they're growing at a crazy pace (about an ounce a day) I just don't think I like the breed. It's very different from the active laying breeds I have. I attached the weights I've been taking on them so far, more for curiosity's sake than anything. I believe they're about a week and a half old now.

At their age they shouldn’t be too gross. However as they feather they have bare spots and that’s where problems can develop.

If you’re around to do it you could switch to feedings instead of free feed. That will prevent them from congregating at the feeders. Also more feeders, smaller on each, but still enough feeder space in total.

As they grow, RAISE the feeders. Most people that grow a lot hang feeders. I just use wood underneath the feeders but I’m concerned that’s going to develop a big problem for me so I’m about to switch to hanging. This keeps the birds standing when they eat which is super important for two reasons... it keeps their legs healthier and it prevents them from sitting on that bare skin by the feeder.

I’ve found the worst spots, especially in warmer weather, are near the waters.

I do a medium-deep litter. Since they don’t scratch you have to turn it or let your layers in to turn it. I just toss it around once a day. You don’t have to do a whole clean out all the time.

I thought my Cornish looked pretty good last time and these are pretty similar, but this batch looks pretty worse for wear compared to the slightly slower growing breeds.

 

[Newyorkrita]

I don't know how to process but I have watched some videos and read up on it. I am sure I could do it or at least it sure wouldn't gross me out. Not saying I would do a great job of it.

 

[jolenesdad]

I don't know how to process but I have watched some videos and read up on it. I am sure I could do it or at least it sure wouldn't gross me out. Not saying I would do a great job of it.

Pretty isn’t the point. It’ll still taste the same. I REALLY need to learn how to carve a whole chicken.

@RUNuts offered to teach me how to process my own birds so hopefully we can get our schedules synced sometime this fall!