I must have a hole in my head...

[PineBurrowPeeps]

60 Cornish X meat chicks arrive tomorrow morning.

60.

6 0

Yes, I said 60.

I can do this. It's only 8-10 weeks. *takes a deep breath*


Funny to think that a little over a year ago I had never had a chicken of my own, let alone raised meaties and processed them myself... I went from having no poultry ever, to my highest being around 57 birds last year.
This year already I have 32 eggs in my bator, 2 ducklings in my brooder, 60 coming tomorrow, and another 20 chicks and 5 goslings coming at the end of this month.
Oh and I'm going tomorrow to pick up a trio of breeding Muscovy ducks

That's 119 birds this year if all of the eggs in my bator hatch and I don't hatch anymore (YEAH RIGHT LOL)
Sometimes when I think of it all like this, I get a tad overwhelmed....

Someone save me please.

 

[Peruvian]

In 8-10 weeks is when the real work starts. Processing makes feeding and watering them seem easy!!

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

You'll do fine...When we raise meat chickens we usually raise about 125+++ of them....
60 would be a cake walk...

It's soooo addicting isn't it....like you said you went from 0 to endless supply now....

 

[halo]

You raise 125? All at once??

 

[antlers]

If the economy gets worse, you'll be glad you did it. If you have a job and know someone that does not, you can always give them a couple in exchange for helping butcher the rest!

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Quote:
Well, this time they are going to a processor so for me, the hardest part is going to be feeding and watering the little pigs!

I thought 25 was alot last June when I got the box.
Little did I know....

Right now I cannot even fathom having 60 chicks in brooders in my dining room for a week or two before they can move out to the bigger brooder. I can hear the peeping already.

They sure will be yummy though!

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Quote:
Yes, I know I will be glad I did it. I'm mainly raising the batch for a couple of customers, some are for my own family but the rest are for them. I really don't mind or I wouldn't be doing it. It's just that sometimes I get smacked in the face with the thought of the amount of lives I'm responsible for when the numbers get high. Then I get a little woozy, but I recover.

 

[nivtup]

I thought meaties came in batches of 100? Seem to be getting shorted 40 birds the way I look at it.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
So true- but how good is that feeling at the end of the day when not only are you done with chicken guts up to your elbows, but also with feeding, watering, worrying, moving pens........

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

Quote:
Actually my mom does the raising at her house, then we come down and butcher when ready....We do all the bird in 1 day too... We have a nice little system set up and it goes slicker than snot... It's usually my mom, me, and my 2 sisters that go in on the birds together--so I dont' keep all 125 for ourselves, but some years I feel I should of ordered more....