Got my meaties today!

[DianeS]

I got my meatie chickens today! Was going to order them from Welp, but checked a local feed store first and they were 24 cents cheaper there... so I walked out with 25 Cornish Rocks (and 4 Rhode Island Red).

I love looking at them today, but also looking forward to them getting ugly so its easier to imagine them in my freezer.

I have never done the day-old thing before. I've always gotten adults, even when I did Cornish crosses before. But I have everything put together except I can't test the extension cord that I think is faulty because it's pouring rain outside. So the chickies get to stay indoors tonight, and go to the outdoor brooder tomorrow. They're all peeping noisily on the kitchen table right now.

 

[hydroswiftrob]

Awesome!!!! Looks like you got 4 ducks also, with them swimming in the water.

 

[DianeS]

LOL! Yeah, I didn't set up their waterer since I don't have anywhere to hang in in the plastic bin. I figured it would be at least difficult to drown in 1/8 of an inch of water - hopefully I don't have any over-achievers in the bunch who want to test that.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Don't worry about those meat birds getting ugly. By the time they are 8 weeks old, you will be ready for them to go. They are going to get a lot bigger faster than the RIR.

 

[annabananaandfamily]

I am so glad to see a post like this!! We picked up our first batch of 10 meaties at TSC this weekend, with the intention of getting another 10 in a couple of weeks. But lie you said, looking at those little fluffies has me really REALLY anxious for them to get big and ugly so that I am ready for them to be gone. We are first time meat raisers, so any tips/advice etc would be greatly appreciated!

 

[hydroswiftrob]

I am so glad to see a post like this!! We picked up our first batch of 10 meaties at TSC this weekend, with the intention of getting another 10 in a couple of weeks. But lie you said, looking at those little fluffies has me really REALLY anxious for them to get big and ugly so that I am ready for them to be gone. We are first time meat raisers, so any tips/advice etc would be greatly appreciated!

It will not take them long to get big and ugly. I bought my first meaties from TSC a couple of weeks ago, this Wednesday they will be three weeks old and I will post a picture of their ugliness. You can see the transformation on my thread.
www.backyardchickens.com/t/635131/got-my-first-meat-birds

 

[Anna_MN]

I thought I was going to get attached to my meaties....NO WAY! They get so stinky, ugly, noisy, and greedy by the time they are only a couple weeks old. Mine are 4 1/2 weeks right now and they just kinda gross me out. And the fact that I fear for my life any time I take a feeder out or put one in helps the whole concern-of-attachment issue

Just keep your eye on the prize (meat!) and you will know that if you give them the best quality of life you can give, that butchering those meaties to provide your family with healthier food is worth it in the long run.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I got meaties mine will be 3 weeks on the 21 of this month! If all goes good this time I'll be getting some more next year.

 

[annabananaandfamily]

LOL I was so worried about my kids really getting attatched to the meaties. But I think I am in the clear. Every time my 2 year old see them she point and says "eat! YUM!" and my 9 year old just came up from the basement, where their brooder is, and told me that they are NOT cute and that they are very gross.

Whew! Now we can forge on to the next step....*gulp*

 

[SIMZ]

We raised our first batch last spring and I had all of the same concerns. It was difficult with the first batch - mostly because it was first time I'd taken anything to be butchered AND we only had 7. I made the mistake of getting two of them a week before the first and they were my favorites. Big mistake! I will never have just a few that stick out again. Regardless, we did it and the kids all ate the meat. Now my 10 year old watches them and talks about how good they'll taste. My kids are light years ahead of me in that respect! LOL

I also think you'll be ready for them to go when it's time. It's always like being on vacation the day after when you wake up and realize you don't have to deal with them anymore.

Good luck!