Fat, seriously fat

[max13077]

I was wondering if maybe somebody could tell me if this is normal. My corn. roasters are 6 weeks old today. They seriously resemble kiddy sized bowling balls. They seem to be growing out not up. Thoughts? I’d say they’re anywhere from 2-4 pounds, but that’s just a guess. I need to find a scale.

 

[cjeanean]

Lucky!!!! I'm jealous, I took mine to 15 wks and got 2-6lb butchered birds out of the lot!

next time I'm ordering from Welps.....

 

[Ladysonja]

From everything I have read, your lucky - What kind of meat birds do you have?

 

[MaineChickens]

They do tend to grow in a freakish sort of way. They never get leggy and teenagerish like the layers will. Just hang on, they should start to look like walking chicken dinners pretty soon. I went from hating those birds to practically drooling when careing for them. LOL

I had 20 from Welp this year. Very nice birds. The smallest ones I dressed at 6.5 weeks were 4.5 pounds dressed. I am still working on the rest- 10 more to go.

 

[max13077]

I got these from McMurray.

They’re 6 weeks old today. They kind of went slowly along gaining weight gradually. However in the last week or so it seems like they’ve just gone through the roof.

This is an average roo. My hand is about 8” or so from the tip of my middle finger to the first crease in my wrist.

I struggled to find something to show for scale. I wear the size 12

Ditto

General shot. The fount is 5 gallons for sizing.

Stupid me I left the door open and in walked one of my buff orp hens. She’s 26 weeks old.(none to small either)

This is the big guy. I bet he goes close to 5 pounds.

 

[MaineChickens]

Look good to me!

If you want some fryers butcher a few now. If you want all roasters wait.

I waited, and now I wish I had done a few fryers. Been craving home grown fried chicken. These monsters I have now are really too big. Gonna be good weekend dinners this winter though!

 

[miss_jayne]

mine from mcmurray are 5 1/2 wks. right now and they are right behind yours size-wise.

i can't wait for supper!

i just ordered 100 more from mt. healthy and also am getting 50 surplus fryers that they give free...my freezer is going to be happy.

 

[cjeanean]

Seeing those pics makes me SOOOOO glad mine are already freezer bagged!!! God I don't miss them!!!

 

[max13077]

Quote:
Holy crap!!!

That's a lot of meat!!! Your freezer will start looking like my chickens!!

 

[silkiechicken]

Sounds about right for 5 weeks old.

For Cornish Roasters AKA cornish X's sold as meat birds, that are cornish cross rocks, they do grow fast and should weigh about 8 lbs if not more at 8 weeks or so alive.

If it took 16 weeks to get a 2-6 lb bird, they were probably regular cornish, which is not the freaky selective bred cornish x birds made for meat. To get the meat type, you have to make sure you order specifically "cornish x" type meat birds.