Well, it would work on the girls too, but I'm worrying more about size and growth rate for the boys.
Unfortunately, I have no photos, but I was working without an assistant and didn't want to distress the boys by leaving them immobilized for too long while I fiddled around taking photos of mummified chickens.
Use a large, thin, flour-sack type towel, a 5-gallon bucket, and whatever scale you have that is appropriate.
Get cockerel off the roost after dark, tucking him under your arm with his head forward.
Put a fold of the towel over his head, draping it down to his chest.
Wrap his wings firmly but not too tightly (remembering that birds have to expand their ribcage to breathe). Just enough that he can't flap.
Put the mummified bird into the bucket (which helps keep him from flapping his way out of the towel).
Weigh bucket, towel, and bird together and record weight.
Release the cockerel from the towel.
Weigh the bucket and the towel, then do your math.
I'll try to get pictures and make a proper article when I have an assistant or two so that I'm not juggling bird, towel, bucket, fish scale, notepad, etc. by myself in the dark coop.
Unfortunately, I have no photos, but I was working without an assistant and didn't want to distress the boys by leaving them immobilized for too long while I fiddled around taking photos of mummified chickens.
Use a large, thin, flour-sack type towel, a 5-gallon bucket, and whatever scale you have that is appropriate.
Get cockerel off the roost after dark, tucking him under your arm with his head forward.
Put a fold of the towel over his head, draping it down to his chest.
Wrap his wings firmly but not too tightly (remembering that birds have to expand their ribcage to breathe). Just enough that he can't flap.
Put the mummified bird into the bucket (which helps keep him from flapping his way out of the towel).
Weigh bucket, towel, and bird together and record weight.
Release the cockerel from the towel.
Weigh the bucket and the towel, then do your math.
I'll try to get pictures and make a proper article when I have an assistant or two so that I'm not juggling bird, towel, bucket, fish scale, notepad, etc. by myself in the dark coop.