Freedom Ranger Processing Results

[SeedHouse Birds]

Hello,

New here to BYC...been reading the site for a while, but finally have something to post!

We got 16 Freedom Ranger chicks from the Poultry Hatchery at the beginning of March (First time with meat birds for us). 3 weeks in, one died in what seems to be a broken neck from trampling at the feeder. Other then that they were pretty hardy birds. Included in the 15, is one black ranger...curious to see how he tastes! We fed them from a local feed company, Poulin Grain and have had them out on grass as well for the past week.

Today we decided four of the roos had to go! They are just over 9 weeks old and these four were hogging the food and getting nasty...hens were getting bloodied by them etc...

I just wanted to post my live weights and dressed weights for reference for anyone else raising freedom rangers.

Live Weight Dressed Weight
"Mob Boss" 7.5 lbs 5.5 lbs
"Fat Boy" 9 lbs 6.75 lbs
"Jester" 7.5 lbs 5.5 lbs
"Raggedy Andy" 6.75 lbs 5.5 lbs


I've helped others with processing, but this was my first time doing it myself. It went pretty well - no complaints. My wife helped as well, and my four children were also there to lend a hand if need be

.

Hope this helps anyone out there looking for some reference to weights for rangers....I know I've had a hard time in the past looking for this sort of stuff....

 

[WooingWyandotte]

Thanks, this is great info.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thanks for the information! I have 2-week old Freedom Rangers right now.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Those are some great results for 9 weeks. Congrats.

 

[daneblackburn]

I butchered son Cornish cross yesterday and at 7 weeks my largest was over 11 pounds; I had light on them constantly though.

 

[bobbi-j]

I butchered son Cornish cross yesterday and at 7 weeks my largest was over 11 pounds; I had light on them constantly though.

Wow! That's like a small turkey!

 

[SeedHouse Birds]

We've got 9 hens left and two roos....we're letting them get a little bigger before they "graduate". One thing I will say, is that for 7 of the 9 weeks, we gave them food "on demand". Non-Med starter for 6 weeks and then broiler feed for the remainder...even when they were outside they had feed available to them.

We're thinking about doing some more Freedom Rangers in another month or so...we'll see. Thinking about getting them from the Freedom Ranger Hatchery this time and trying them out...

 

[AKchicken1]

We are trying freedom rangers forbthe first time this year. We started 30 freedom ranngers and 20 jumbo Cornish xes 1 day apart, the rangers 1 day older. They are now all nearly 3 weeks old and the rangers are a bit bigger. I assume that will change soon based on your results. I hope so, we are planning to process the Cornish xes at 8 or 9 weeks, as usual, and the rangers at 12.

 

[LindaB220]

We are trying freedom rangers forbthe first time this year. We started 30 freedom ranngers and 20 jumbo Cornish xes 1 day apart, the rangers 1 day older. They are now all nearly 3 weeks old and the rangers are a bit bigger. I assume that will change soon based on your results. I hope so, we are planning to process the Cornish xes at 8 or 9 weeks, as usual, and the rangers at 12.

Keep in touch with your results.

 

[LindaB220]

We've got 9 hens left and two roos....we're letting them get a little bigger before they "graduate". One thing I will say, is that for 7 of the 9 weeks, we gave them food "on demand". Non-Med starter for 6 weeks and then broiler feed for the remainder...even when they were outside they had feed available to them.

We're thinking about doing some more Freedom Rangers in another month or so...we'll see. Thinking about getting them from the Freedom Ranger Hatchery this time and trying them out...

Think about checking out the fermented feed section. Saves a lot of money, so healthy for the birds and cuts down on the smell. Here' a handy tip sheet:

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/