How would you go about fattening up six birds in a month?

[donrae]

You didn't offend anyone who should be hanging out in the meat bird thread. I wonder why some folks come here, I think they're lost lol.

So 20 week pullets really won't give you much meat, no matter what you feed them. You're probably going to have a 3lb carcass.

Have you looked into trading for roosters? There must be someone around you who has unwanted roosters that were well raised who would love to trade for a point of lay pullet. You'd get a little more meat that way.

 

[Elke Beck]

You didn't offend anyone who should be hanging out in the meat bird thread. I wonder why some folks come here, I think they're lost lol.

So 20 week pullets really won't give you much meat, no matter what you feed them. You're probably going to have a 3lb carcass.

Have you looked into trading for roosters? There must be someone around you who has unwanted roosters that were well raised who would love to trade for a point of lay pullet. You'd get a little more meat that way.

I agree with donrae, it might be better to trade your pullets for someone else's unwanted roosters. Pullets just don't put on the weight the way the boys do.

If you do decide to process them, just accept that the carcasses are going to be a little light, but very tasty. You can give them extra protein and fatty foods, but they are only going to eat what they want and no more. But they will still be very, very tasty.

 

[tackleberry]

my cornish x do free range with my other pullets that will be replacement layers. They are just as active scrounging up food as the layers. They get out from 7 am in the morning until they go in at dark. They are not as huge at 6 1/2 weeks, as birds Ive raised in the past but they are fit. I will let them go another 2-3 weeks or maybe 4 depending on how they grow. I even have a couple of the smaller hens flying up into the roost with the other layers. They do not get into the rafters like some of the pullets but they are amazingly agile for "fat,lazy" cornish crosses.
I fattened up a couple of RIR roosters this last 6 weeks on a diet of rolled oats and cracked corn mixed with the layer mash at a 1:1 ratio. They didnt get huge but the carcasses weighed 4 pounds each. They were over 6 months old though. If you only have 4 to do, let them go until they stop growing, maybe 24-30 weeks then brine the carcasses for 3-5 days. I have found even the "dual purpose" birds come out tasting mighty good, if smaller than your typical cornish cross. I really do not like killing colored birds, that is why I like cornish x's. They are easy to kill. At least for me. Plus an 8 pound chicken carcass feeds quite a few people with lots of tasty leftovers for all kinds of healthy treats.
If you have pullets why not let them lay eggs and find some cockerels for meat. You can usually find coclerels real cheap or even free, and they usually are older birds that were sexed incorrecty or from straight runs that people do not or cannot want or have. that way you are only paying for the last few weeks for feed.
ClackClack, everyone is different. Some eat meat some do not. Some kill chickens some do not. That is one of the greatest things about this life is we have the freedom to choose how we want to live this life we are given. to bash someone's choice of how they live their live is just plain WRONG.


RIP FUZZY
WUZZY misses you
I love you baby

 

[chickenlver2013]

I have six production red birds, they are scheduled to be processed mid June. So I would have about 4 weeks to "fatten" up the birds.

How would you go about doing that? 

They're kind of skinny and I want them to be the size of a regular laying hen in a month, I'm not trying to make them obese like Cornish crosses. 

I've been feeding my chickens raw eggs that my hens would lay and the younger chickens are growing very rapidly.

 

[chickenlver2013]

I've been feeding my chickens raw eggs that my hens would lay and the younger chickens are growing very rapidly.

they love the yolk

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

You didn't offend anyone who should be hanging out in the meat bird thread. I wonder why some folks come here, I think they're lost lol.

So 20 week pullets really won't give you much meat, no matter what you feed them. You're probably going to have a 3lb carcass.

Have you looked into trading for roosters? There must be someone around you who has unwanted roosters that were well raised who would love to trade for a point of lay pullet. You'd get a little more meat that way.

I'll check on CL thanks for the suggestion, these ones are the runts so I don't even think I'd get the 3lbs out of them LOL. They're only going to be a 2 person bird anyways so 3-4lbs is great.

I agree with donrae, it might be better to trade your pullets for someone else's unwanted roosters. Pullets just don't put on the weight the way the boys do.

If you do decide to process them, just accept that the carcasses are going to be a little light, but very tasty. You can give them extra protein and fatty foods, but they are only going to eat what they want and no more. But they will still be very, very tasty.

I was thinking of putting them in a different pen away from the layers I'm keeping so that way they don't have to "fight" for food and will hopefully gain a bit faster.

my cornish x do free range with my other pullets that will be replacement layers. They are just as active scrounging up food as the layers. They get out from 7 am in the morning until they go in at dark. They are not as huge at 6 1/2 weeks, as birds Ive raised in the past but they are fit. I will let them go another 2-3 weeks or maybe 4 depending on how they grow. I even have a couple of the smaller hens flying up into the roost with the other layers. They do not get into the rafters like some of the pullets but they are amazingly agile for "fat,lazy" cornish crosses.
I fattened up a couple of RIR roosters this last 6 weeks on a diet of rolled oats and cracked corn mixed with the layer mash at a 1:1 ratio. They didnt get huge but the carcasses weighed 4 pounds each. They were over 6 months old though. If you only have 4 to do, let them go until they stop growing, maybe 24-30 weeks then brine the carcasses for 3-5 days. I have found even the "dual purpose" birds come out tasting mighty good, if smaller than your typical cornish cross. I really do not like killing colored birds, that is why I like cornish x's. They are easy to kill. At least for me. Plus an 8 pound chicken carcass feeds quite a few people with lots of tasty leftovers for all kinds of healthy treats.
If you have pullets why not let them lay eggs and find some cockerels for meat. You can usually find coclerels real cheap or even free, and they usually are older birds that were sexed incorrecty or from straight runs that people do not or cannot want or have. that way you are only paying for the last few weeks for feed.
ClackClack, everyone is different. Some eat meat some do not. Some kill chickens some do not. That is one of the greatest things about this life is we have the freedom to choose how we want to live this life we are given. to bash someone's choice of how they live their live is just plain WRONG.


RIP FUZZY
WUZZY misses you
I love you baby

Thanks for your feed formula, I'll give it a try.

I've been feeding my chickens raw eggs that my hens would lay and the younger chickens are growing very rapidly.

I've boiled some eggs and fed it to them before and they were kind of indifferent to it. I'll keep trying feeding the extra eggs though. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[SmokinChick]

You really can't fatten a chicken!
That being said, what you would like to happen is the chicken put on more "meat" prior to processing. What will happen is there will be larger fat deposits in the bird. The meat of chicken is not marbled like beef. The fat of a chicken sits around the gizzard and the but area. That's what makes the CX so nice, they make meat. Your standard chicken will make meat suitable for its breed. Any extra calories will be made into fat globs. When you process you will tear them out, unless you leave them in to increase you weight and thus your profit.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Oh okay, thanks. I'm not doing it for profit so that's not an issue.

 

[Lelilamom]

Give them their own space and their own food and water. Grower mash from the local farmers supply, like Agway. 20% protein maybe? That's what we give our meaties. Supplement with bread and veggie scraps. Hope they taste great.

 

[Glor]

Question would feeding them corn help fatten them up a little faster? Yes the not letting them have a ton of roaming area makes sence too, I have found Barred Rocks are more of a light weight boney chicken, even the roosters although the look huge and beautiful that is really all they are is looks. Still when you have too many roosters that is the best option. The trading idea is a good one. Not sure how that would fly (pun not intended) lol for around my area most people don't have the nerve to cull them or send to slaughter.