How do I put weight on my birds!!!???

[MamaPoult]

Did you say some are pullets?
If so, sell those as layers of their respective breeds. You should be able to get $20 each for half grown Lavender Orpingtons. $15 if a little younger. About $5 less for more commonly sold breeds.
If you wait until POL (point of lay) you can ask $25-$30... although you will have put more into them, you also have more eager buyers in my experience.
But Summer is a better sales season than Fall. So if you can find buyers now, all the better.
If any customers are willing to take free cockerels, I'd throw those in so you can save on feed costs.

A whole meat chicken at the store is $5. So every pullet you sell should get you 3-4 times as much meat.

No matter what, you've lost money. It's a question of how much more you want to lose, because growing out chickens is the most expensive part.


As for feeding, it's protein that grows meat. You don't want them fatter, just bigger. The milk is fine but I'd really limit anything that's not their feed to 10% or less of their diet, because a diluted protein ratio will not help them finish out.
Hope this helps...

Sadly I won't be able to sell them do to the Mareks they have but those are good thoughts!

 

[MamaPoult]

These breeds are not for meat so they may never get big at all. I own all of these breeds, my Australorp never got big, not even the rooster. all but one of the Orpingtons I have owned have gotten big, and the Jersey Giants, well there is no giant about the ones I have owned. That's my experience at least.

Ok I appreciate it! I did not buy Australorps or LO's but the guy slipped them in. I was promised big birds and was naive enough to think he'd tell the truth. My parents knew him since he was a kid but he turned out to be a jerk.

I think you would get more food letting them lay eggs and finding ways to pickle or freeze the eggs. You didn't get meat chickens, so you can never expect to have these huge birds, no matter how much or what you feed them.

Next time getting chickens, I would order from a hatchery instead of a breeder and have them sent to you. You are guaranteed to get what you order that way.

So I almost did but we are avoiding hatcheries for personal reasons. This was my only option so I went for it!

Those are not meat breeds so they won't get too big. Try to find some Cornish cross chicks from a feed store or hatchery. Those would be ready in 8-10 weeks

I know that now. We are avoiding hatcheries and especially gmo birds.

You have Lavender Orpingtons? What are they like? Are they friendly? I’ve been meaning to get some, but they aren’t in stock at my local feed store.

Tbh these birds were neglected and abused so I cannot give you a fair assessment on personality!