Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[waltandlori]

So I thought I would share my progress on my meat birds fed with ff. I am now at week 6 and have been feeding them ff since the beginning of week 3. I weigh them once a week to track their growth and progress. So I weighed them on Tuesday and my largest bird was 4.56 lbs. The smallest was 3.43 and the average for 24 birds was 4.12 lbs. I am not sure how they can claim that they process 6 lb birds at 8 weeks unless that is live weight. I was thinking it meant processed weight though. They seem healthy and are growing I thought pretty well. They gained about 1.25 lbs since last weeks weigh in.

4.5 to 6 would be about right, roos more hens less. Mine last year were between 6 and 7 (not accurate we don't have a proper scale had to do the math) on the hoof. Born on the 26th of last month they are about 1/2 the size of my bigger layers. They have consumed almost 150 lbs dry food, I'm just now starting FF.

Walt

They were all females

 

[Triple Willow]

lol chicken nuggets. between this thread and the deal with drones (male bees get kicked out of the hive come fall, and die after mating) it's tough being a guy!

Walt

Hey, I developed a whole new respect for roos after seeing those nuggets! Whoa!!! And it did explain why they were about to kill each other and about to tear the poor pullets heads off trying to have their way with them. LOL

 

[Beekissed]

My first birds were around 10 lb live wt. at 8 wks and seemed to level off at that weight...processed at 11 wks and they averaged 5-6 lbs processed wt. If you don't think they are heavy enough, you can always adjust that with CX by feeding more feed...they are easy to put wt on.

 

[AletaG]

Something funny... when I killed my roos (about 20 weeks old) I came across the testicles. I said, "what the heck is that!!!" I had only seen testicles from 6-8 week old commercial birds which is about the size of ... maybe 4-5 pieces of uncooked grains of rice all together. Once I narrowed down what they had to be I was amazed! LOL No wonder they act so bad! LOL

I saved a few and was going to fry them but never did...

Nope, couldn't leave it alone. Got curious. Found the "Huge Testicles!" BYC thread, on which was http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/bd_chknutz.html and yes, another reason to raise those Silkie chickens and find a niche market...

 

[Triple Willow]

Y'all have got to hear this song! Made me laugh right out loud! LOL

Watching this show right now, they are killing/processing a hog.

 

[Triple Willow]

Nope, couldn't leave it alone. Got curious. Found the "Huge Testicles!" BYC thread, on which was http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/bd_chknutz.html and yes, another reason to raise those Silkie chickens and find a niche market...

Hmmm I'll have to check that out. I need to make a little money in chickens somehow! I bet ...well here in redneck country you could probably sell those chicken nuggets. I've never ate them but I've ate "bull fries". I wasn't impressed, they tasted okay but the texture wasn't too good - too soft.

 

[Triple Willow]

Nope, couldn't leave it alone. Got curious. Found the "Huge Testicles!" BYC thread, on which was http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/bd_chknutz.html and yes, another reason to raise those Silkie chickens and find a niche market...

So silkies have black testicles. Those are some freaky little creatures. They are right about the texture - if they are like bull fries. When you bite into them they kind of squish.

 

[AletaG]

So silkies have black testicles. Those are some freaky little creatures. They are right about the texture - if they are like bull fries. When you bite into them they kind of squish.

Hey, you gave it away! I was waiting to see how many people would read the article... LOL!

 

[Triple Willow]

Hey, you gave it away! I was waiting to see how many people would read the article... LOL!

Ooops ...sorry! hehe

 

[Triple Willow]

Y'all have got to hear this song! Made me laugh right out loud! LOL

Watching this show right now, they are killing/processing a hog.

While you're at it check out Tim Farmer's story, pretty inspiring (and he's cute as a speckled pup too. lol).