Colored Rangers Grow Out Journal/ Video Added pg 11

[Sunny Side Up]

I'm trying to get a few more folks in my area to split an order of 100 from JM Hatchery, so we can get the price down to $1 a chick. Does anyone know, do they charge an additional shipping/handling fee, or can everyone expect to pay just $1 for each chick they order?
Thanks for the info.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

do they charge an additional shipping/handling fee, or can everyone expect to pay just $1 for each chick they order?

Yes they charge a shipping fee. You can see what it would be on their website. I cost most to get them to and it was 30.00 for shipping, so that comes out to 1.30 a chick delivered.

Good luck, and Harp, GREAT thread!!!

Thanks, hoping to help out alot of those questions about the breed. And let people wondering about them grow out for them selves to decide. There has been alot of good questions followed by alot of great comments/answers, so all in all I think it is going good, so far.​

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
There is a difference in taste but not much. I'd say a Ranger is half way
between a Cornish and a 20 week old RIR roo. Same with fat content.

 

[jtownchickens]

Quote:
Yes they charge a shipping fee. You can see what it would be on their website. I cost most to get them to and it was 30.00 for shipping, so that comes out to 1.30 a chick delivered.

Good luck, and Harp, GREAT thread!!!

Thanks, hoping to help out alot of those questions about the breed. And let people wondering about them grow out for them selves to decide. There has been alot of good questions followed by alot of great comments/answers, so all in all I think it is going good, so far.​

Are these the same birds you have listed for sale on your website?

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Are these the same birds you have listed for sale on your website?

Yes they are. These are the only breed of broilers we are going to grow out this year.​

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

WOW HOW FAST 4 WEEKS GO BY.

Our new order of rangers showed up this morning. I got the call from the post office and got the new ones in the brooder. Its amazing how fast they really grow. I thought they where a little bigger then that, the first time.

Latter I will post side by side pics of the 4 weeks and the new ones.

On to the 4 weekers. They are now kicking in overdrive on the growth. They have to be moved outside NOW !!! I can not keep the litter from being disgusting in a matter of a day, and the smell could probably kill someone. This will be the first ever keeping broilers inside this long. It is still freezing at night, so wanted to give a little more time to feather out thicker. They have had no heat for about a week now. But the shed they stay in is always about 40-50 degrees. Going to move them on Saturday and put our 4'x4' brooder out in the shelter with them for a week or two with a 125 watt heat bulb.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Yeah, without the heat lamp it's going to be a big shock to them and it may stunt the growth. That goes for the cornish rocks too, the rangers seem to do better with the cold. Both breeds slow down though when the temps drop. It seems like ideal growing temps are around 60-70 degrees with sun.

Do you ever notice how much more lively they are when the sun shines on them on a cold day? It could be 50 and sunny and they seem to play like a kid on the beach in 80 degree weather.

Are you keeping a good detailed record of feed intake? I would be curious to see how the second batch does on feed. It would be nice to see if the Rangers are effected on pasture feed efficiency like the cornish rocks. It seems the earlier they go on pasture the better they take to grazing and searching for their own food. The longer you wait the more sluggish they get.

I'm also curious too on the weather effecting the feed like it does with the cornish rocks. I think there will be a big difference in feed between the two batches. I know with the cornish rocks when they are first put outside in cold weather, their FCR takes a nose dive due to trying to stay warm. The best thing I have found to prevent this is to tarp the entire pen and vent a little spot to get rid of the moisture. The amount of heat that 100 / 3 week old chicks puts off is amazing, 35 degree weather turns into 55 degrees inside the pen.

I think your biggest difference in feed between the cornish and rangers is going to be in the last two weeks you have them. So far from what I have read they are pretty neck and neck to this point.

I'm going to have to try a few batches this year as to my surprise we are getting a lot of people asking about heritage type chickens this year in our new location. Go figure....

I want to see pics and a feed update...

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Well I got real anxeious and so I moved them outside yesterday afternoon. I could not stand the smell any more.

without the heat lamp it's going to be a big shock to them and it may stunt the growth.

Yeah that is my thoughts as well. So they have a 250 watt heat lamp under their 4'x4' brooder box.

I'm also curious too on the weather effecting the feed like it does with the cornish rocks

As well with us. We have never successfully got Cornish X's off this early in the year before, with good results. So this is like one big experiment.

Are you keeping a good detailed record of feed intake?

Yes I'm keeping a running count on the bags consumed. I don't have that number as I need to go count how many I have left.

I would be curious to see how the second batch does on feed

As well with us. That is why we are keeping good records this time, as we never really have before, just keep buying tons of feed and at the end do a rough figure/average and that was good enough.

Front View

Rear View

Day Old

4 Week Old

 

[CrimsonRose]

Wow those are some big feet!!! They look great! Thanks for the updates...

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Just a suggestion.... you can take it however you want but I have had really good results in cold weather if you can somehow close off the entire pen from the wind. This will also trap some of the heat from the lamp and what the birds give off.

My pens are only 2 feet off of the ground so it may be a bit different in trapping the heat. But it's pretty much the same concept.

They look great... they look a little chilled from the weather but they should harden off pretty quick. Was this their first day out on pasture? If so, good luck with the first few nights.....