Freedom Rangers need Roosts?

[jaku]

I really liked my Freedom Rangers for their hardiness and how easy they were to raise. The sizes couldn't even compare to Cornish x's though, especially in breast meat. What I decided for my own use is that they are great for raising as a batch for myself, but for selling, I need big, meatier birds.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I know you said "or less", but I think 12 is plenty and the cockerels were ready by 10-11 weeks.

My pullets weren't ready at 12 so I held them for 14 weeks. Admittedly, I had some whoppers... I had one weigh in at 6lbs. LOL But had some as low as 2.5 lbs. The folks that bought them from me, loved the range of weights though. I ended up baking the 6 pounder for supper and it was DELICIOUS. I will warn though, if you wait as long as I did, they are a LITTLE tougher than at 12 weeks.

My experience this year was quite different. I butchered 3 cockerels at 11 weeks that averaged over 6 lbs dressed, admittedly they were the biggest ones of the lot.

Of those that I had butchered at 12 weeks, only one dressed out at under 5 lbs and one was over 8 lbs. There was one runt in my batch that has not been processed, but in general there was not great variation is size (though the cockerels were bigger than the pullets).

Also, I kept one last year until 18 weeks and I did not notice any difference in tenderness.

 

[RoosterGeek]

Awesome. Thanks for the responses folks.

I think I'll forgo the roosts. It appears that as long as I move the tractor on a regular basis, it should be fine.

 

[Schultz]

We raised 25 freedom rangers and I did provide roosts for them. About 1/2 of them used them and the other half seemed to prefer huddleing in the corner to sleep. Their legs are nice and strong, and they are decent flyers as they were able to fly up to 3' and 4' roosts. I liked the idea of them having roosts, it keeps them a little cleaner and prevents then from getting sores on their chests from laying in their poop.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Quote:
That is certainly true. They were nasty. I keep trying to keep them out and away from the pen. I used the method of putting more and more bedding down (I think they call it composting) but I couldn't stay ahead of it. I had 80 chickens. I ranged them during the day so they were out and away from the poo but I did hate that they stayed down and didn't roost.

Dave

 

[Salt and Light]

Recently, I raised 25 Freedom Rangers. I processed all but the 4 smallest, which I will use for eggs and then butcher. I also have 4 Leghorn hens. Obviously the Leghorns roost at night and I noticed that the Rangers always looked up at them with "envy" because they couldn't fly the high. So, I took an old cypress limb and built a ramp up to the roost. Now, the Rangers waddle up the limb to roost with the other birds. I think mine prefer being off the ground.

 

[95yj]

i have a freedom ranger that escaped its fate and now lives with the layers. she can fly as high as she wants, she's can easily make it 3+ feet off the ground onto the laying boxes, but at night she settles down in a corner or in a nesting box even though theres plenty of room on the roost. not sure why. non of the others tried to roost at night either when they were free ranging.

 

[Krivdacreek Homestead]

We build a roost for our red broilers about 6" off the ground, but most of the flock preferred sleeping on the ground. A few, about 10 out of the 60, used the roost.

How big is your chicken tractor for 60 rustic ranger meat birds?

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

How big is your chicken tractor for 60 rustic ranger meat birds?

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