I want to get started on raising meat birds but I have know idea where to start?

[Rocky Pine chicken chick]

I want to get started on raising meat birds but I have know idea where to start? What breed is best? Can I free range them? What kind of brooder/coop do they need?

 

[mcjojam]

i just got some Dresses from North star farms out of NC. They delivered them to Fl. Make sure you have your coupe built first. I have them in a brooder and they are growing so fast! i am trying to build my coop on the weekends, its been raining a lot! yikes

 

[Sussex19]

What do you want for them? For example, there are Cornish X which from my reading (I have never had them) are very fast growing and ready to harvest in 8 weeks. Because of that, they can get leg problems and heart problems.
Or would you prefer something more natural, slower growing and with a slightly more flavorsome meat?
With the CX types, what people normally seem to do is have them in a tractor after they don't need heat any more, so they can be moved around, so it is less stinky.

 

[Rocky Pine chicken chick]

Something more natural

 

[Mwhit]

If you want something more natural, consider New Hampshire chickens from freedom ranger hatchery.

They will breed true and give you a finished bird in 10-12 weeks. Very inexpensive and hardy to both disease and weather. The meat is better than Cornish cross but has a similar lightness to it.

https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/shop/product/new-hampshire-gmo-free-chicken/

 

[Rocky Pine chicken chick]

Ok thank you so much

 

[UluLaté]

I want to get started on raising meat birds but I have know idea where to start? What breed is best? Can I free range them? What kind of brooder/coop do they need?

For meat buy the cornish cross or broasters from the farm supply store. Feed them high protein chick feed, non medicated. Leave them free access to feed and water. In 6-8 weeks, butcher and put in fridge.

If you want your chickens mobile, rather than sitting in their own fecal matter, feed them the high protein (game bird feed), once a day like you would a layer. If you do this they will grow more slowly, but be more sound and in my opinion, healthier (and happier). I let mine free range.

If they grow more slowly it takes them longer to reach full size, and if they free range they will have denser (tougher), meat. Brining before freezing helps a lot. Freezing also makes meat more tender

 

[UluLaté]

btw,
broilers don’t tend to need a roost.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

For meat buy the cornish cross or broasters from the farm supply store. Feed them high protein chick feed, non medicated. Leave them free access to feed and water. In 6-8 weeks, butcher and put in fridge.

If you want your chickens mobile, rather than sitting in their own fecal matter, feed them the high protein (game bird feed), once a day like you would a layer. If you do this they will grow more slowly, but be more sound and in my opinion, healthier (and happier). I let mine free range.

If they grow more slowly it takes them longer to reach full size, and if they free range they will have denser (tougher), meat. Brining before freezing helps a lot. Freezing also makes meat more tender

Interesting about the game bird feed 1x/day + free-ranging thing. How long do your birds take to get to processing size (whatever size that is for you) using that method?

 

[UluLaté]

I butcher at 10-12 weeks ideally.

I’ve kept others well over a year, because I wanted to see how long they would live. I’ve never had the issues others complain about.