First Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon- Join us! Set Day: Easter

[Arielle]

I asked him last night if I could order some Freedom Rangers.. he replied "do I need to build another coop this weekend?"

I love that man!

Yum, how are freedom rangers???

 

[yinepu]

Yum, how are freedom rangers???

we've never tried them before.. but a friend raised some last year and said they were really nice.. not quite as big as cornish x.. but they also didn't have any losses due to health issues

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I'm reluctant to try cornish crosses for just that reason, though straight cornish are interesting. Another peice is feeding; I just ate a piece of commercial grocery store chicken and it is very bland texture wise; the breast meat is too soft. While commercial feeds are available I am wondering if different foods create a different taste to the meat.

 

[NotAFarm]

I've raised both to put in the freezer. The Freedom Rangers are by far "more like real chicknes". They want to move around and will forage if given the chance. The Cornish X are happy to lay around and eat. We butchered our Freedom Rangers at 11 weeks and had some at the 5.5 lb range for cockerels, down to 3 lb for pullets. Cornish X were butchered at 6/7 weeks and had some 6 pounders, pullets around 3.5 pounds. I like the idea of only making the 6/7 week commitment on the Cornish X but they do have to be watched closer to keep them from gaining too fast and breaking down. The Cornish also have more problems with heat so are better if done in the early spring or fall. Mine were "required" to move twice a day when I moved their tractor onto fresh grass and it was all some of them could handle.

 

[debs_flock]

My first perfect day (so to speak).

15 hens, 15 eggs!

Deb

 

[Wisher1000]

My first perfect day (so to speak).

15 hens, 15 eggs!

Deb

Congratulations! We had a pretty good day as well, 17 eggs from 19 hens and I'm not sure all have started laying yet. 17 is a record for most eggs in a day. The downside is that one of them had a beak-tip sized hole in the shell, nothing inside was accessed. Ut, oh.............

 

[debs_flock]

Well I candled the turkey eggs tonight, only four that I could clearly see veining out of the eleven, 2 royal palm and 2 midget white. Of course, I'm going to let them keep cooking to see what develops.

Deb

 

[Arielle]

I've raised both to put in the freezer. The Freedom Rangers are by far "more like real chicknes". They want to move around and will forage if given the chance. The Cornish X are happy to lay around and eat. We butchered our Freedom Rangers at 11 weeks and had some at the 5.5 lb range for cockerels, down to 3 lb for pullets. Cornish X were butchered at 6/7 weeks and had some 6 pounders, pullets around 3.5 pounds. I like the idea of only making the 6/7 week commitment on the Cornish X but they do have to be watched closer to keep them from gaining too fast and breaking down. The Cornish also have more problems with heat so are better if done in the early spring or fall. Mine were "required" to move twice a day when I moved their tractor onto fresh grass and it was all some of them could handle.

THe hens are much smaller than I thought they would be!! THe cornish X remind me of the BBW I raised last year. They free ranged around the back yard most of the summer, then come October they were soooo big travel was limited to only a matter of feet. Eat and lay down. Toms dressed at #35. At least you were kind enough to "require" your beasts to move.

I have 4 BR toms that are 9 months old and are quite different from the BBW. THe much smaller breast area is hard to get used to. I saw SweetWaters offered by SandHill that are larger breasted. Maybe next year.

 

[Arielle]

My first perfect day (so to speak).

15 hens, 15 eggs!

Deb

 

[Arielle]

I candled most of the eggs. On shipped eggs: 2 yes, 2 clears, 2 maybes

THe maybes look like wide blood rings, not the typical single defined ring around the top. So maybe . . . .. maybe these are ok. Or not .. . . . When do we candle again?