how big is too big?

[krusty]

It has been 8 or 9 weeks and I still have 2 more weeks before the date with the butcher......I am estimating one bird is 12# already. I will weigh him tonight to confirm but he seems very healthy and mobile. They are white rock X.

 

[KellyHM]

As long as they are healthy I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[jaku]

Be careful- now is when they start dying if they're going to. Especially if the weather is getting hot during the day. There's little that will make you as mad as a bird dying right before butchering time. Most of the birds I've lost looked fine when I went to bed, but were belly up in the morning. Personally, I'd move the butchering day up, because 11 weeks old is pushing it- but that's just me.

 

[krusty]

Well it is all over now....

51 birds brought home averaging 8.5 pounds and range from 4.9 - 10.6 pounds.

Spent about $600 on feed for them for about 433 pounds of chicken or $1.40 of feed per pound of meat plus cost of chick and processing.

 

[chicklips]

Might just be me, but $600 on food for 51 chicks seems a bit high. I am able to get 100lbs of food from the feed mill for less than what the stores in the area charge for 50lbs. Hope your chickens taste good...YUMMY

 

[Imp]

I don't know if it's true, but I read that something recently about a giant rex rooster that weighed 47 lbs. hmmm.

Imp-sound doubtful, but truth is stranger than fiction.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing- about three times too much. I paid about $220 for feed for 53 birds.

 

[krusty]

well I am estimating of course....cause I did not keep track!

What do y'all pay for a 50 - 55# sack of feed?

 

[quercus21]

I recently changed mills, so it's about $9.50 per #50