Culling.....

[howfunkyisurchicken]

When I received my order from Ideal, they had put plenty of extra packing peanuts in. I'm pretty sure they are production reds, and I don't have a need for 11 extra roos, so unfortunately they'll be processed. Obviously I don't want to feed them any longer then I have to (especially given the fact that all they do is EAT! I refill their feeders every morning, and even though they don't ever run out of food, they're always starving). They're seriously eating me out of house and home, and at $17 for a 50lb bag of gamebird feed, they're putting a big dent in my pocket book. So my question is, what's the earliest I can process them and still get a decent sized carcass? I don't think I've ever really had a breed I've disliked......until these guys. They're huge, gobble up everything in sight, and are making a stinky mess of my brooder. I can't wait until they're outta here!!!!!

 

[EweSheep]

6 weeks for cornish size or 8 weeks for good fryer size. You won't regret it after you butcher them!

Or like I did, had eight packing peanuts, I gave them away on Craiglist! Less than 12 hours after I got them, a gentleman came and got them.

 

[galanie]

Yeah, I'd do the Craigslist thing too. If they are production reds, then you'll have a quail sized bird at 8 weeks. If you already hate them now, just wait till they're the 18 weeks or more that they'll likely be before they're big enough to eat!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Unfortunately, they've been on Craigslist since the day I got them, more then 3 weeks ago :/ I'll probably just go on and butcher them at 8 weeks. Maybe we could each have our own personal chicken for dinner one night Though they're certainly already bigger then quail already. They're pretty heafty chicks, and they should be with all of the gamebird feed they eat.

 

[galanie]

lol If they're that big already, great! Sounds like chicken dinner at your place.

 

[Oregon Blues]

If they are growing that fast, I suspect they are red broilers and not production reds.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

They're pretty big. Probably twice as big as my Cochin chicks that are the same age. Ive had quite a few breeds, but have never had one that always seems to be starving. They literally mob me for food, and the pullets hang back and look at them like "gosh, what the heck is your problem"!