Colored Rangers

[TimG]

I've got an 8 week old Colored Ranger that has been trying to crow for about a week now. He sounds a bit hoarse, but he's getting it down. 7-8 weeks is pretty early for this, isn't it?

 

[vermontgal]

Shhh, don't tell mine about this. I'd have to change my butcher date! Our birds are the same age. We are going to 10 weeks (July 23) over here in Vermont, TimG, how about you?

I had asked this question before getting them -
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=158292

 

[TimG]

I don't have any definite plans for processing. I've only got 8 and I'm seriously considering keeping a couple of hens to be bred with either a Colored Ranger (if any can do the deed) or a Delaware. So, I might keep them a bit longer than you to better decide which might be kept.

I think I've read that you will do Cornish Crosses if you do meat birds again. If I buy meat chicks again, I might do the same. I had 12 Cornish Crosses this year that were a week older than the Colored Rangers, these were processed at 8 1/2 weeks. They didn't act much like a chicken, but they were very efficient at what they were created to do: grow fast and large.

My first choice is to be able to breed and raise my own meat birds. But, if I am unsuccessful at that and the choice is between Cornish Crosses and Colored Rangers, I'll probably opt for the former because they are more efficient at feed conversion and take less time start to finish.

 

[vermontgal]

I'm just having a hard time with the rangers being so chicken-like and friendly! They are following me around like puppy dogs. They used to be scared of me (age 5-6 weeks) but now they are getting smarter and know that I bring them food. They run over to me as soon as they see me. I think it would be better to kill meaties when they're in that ugly phase (6 weeks sounds good to me). I am also with you on going for the max food conversion.

 

[brandywine]

Some of my rangers were trying to crow at six weeks.

Sounded a lot like a cat horking up a hairball, but it WAS attempted crowing.

By eleven weeks, quite a few of them were doing a reasonable facsimile of a proper crow.

There was some chicken-fighting, but since they had virtually unlimited room (inside a large electronet paddock at night, otherwise totally free-range), no serious conflict.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

ours are starting to crow and acting a little well.. randy.

when they start with the warbling choking crow we think they are saying "its time! its time!'

we're shapenin the knives.....