If given the choice....

[jessicayarno]

I know some people use tractors, but I wasn't able to because it is too cold right now and I need them in a coop that would keep them warm at night and because of that, I have to continuously put down straw and no matter how much I put down they still poo all over and stink so bad, and will lay down and poo.. It is kinda sad watching them too, they can't take more than a few steps before they have to lay down.. They do play sometimes and try to run, but not like normal chickens.. People that say they won't forage are wrong, they will and mine go crazy over bugs that they find in the run, but would much rather lay in front of the feeders.. I raised the red broilers before these and they are way more active, the red broilers foraged and ran around..

 

[gallopingfrog]

This all makes me feel much better because, here I am, thinking, "What in the heck am I going to go with the BR meat when they've lived out their life?!?!" LOL

Like I said, I think I'll try the Freedom Rangers as a "Let's see if I can't kill them all and have some practice with processing as well!" You know? But the next go around I'll get dual purpose. What is the difference in time to grow, let's just say as an example, BRs as meat birds? I know the meat birds are quick - like 2 - 3 months. And how do you feed your meat birds - mix your own feed or buy commercial feed?

I know, so many questions, but thank you for helping me out!

 

[galanie]

Dual purpose birds take something like 18-20 weeks to get to butchering size as a general rule vs 6-8 weeks for a cornish cross. People that mix their own feed usually need a pretty big operation to make it worth their while. I feed commercial food.

 

[gallopingfrog]

Quote:
That's not bad! I was thinking in terms of months and months (I must have our beef cattle on the brain which we raise for 24 - 26 mo.) I figured commericial food was the way to go. The only thing that might change my mind is that I have most feeds around for horses and goats and cattle, so it would be accessible. But I probably will start out on commericial.

Thank you for your advice!

 

[jessicayarno]

I buy my feed from a local feed mill... You could have a good size BR roo by 20wks, maybe even less if you breed them yourself.. Oh I forgot to tell you that another good meat bird that is a DP is the turken (ugly as sin) but my turken X BO babies are bigger than the other BO X babies by quite a bit. They are the same age as my meaties and no where near that size, but they are a good size for their age and they are on the same food as the meaties 20% broiler grower..

 

[Kobey]

So I've been sneaking around here for many weeks now...reading in a sort of shot gun fashion gathering bits and pieces from everywhere all at once.

Having said that I too have been looking for the "all-in-one" for a beginner and liked what people said about “Freedom Rangers”.

And it was this article that I found which has made me break my silence as it were. Again I have no real knowledge much less any practical experience. Even so I thought this might be of some use to others as I found it helpful myself.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/happy-homesteader/wrong-about-freedom-rangers-zb0z10zgri.aspx


Oh...and Hi!

 

[Fred's Hens]

I've raised White Rock for meat birds for over 50 years. The cornishX requires roughly the same amount in feed costs, IF you account for the mobile White Rock's ability to forage better and IF the range is rich enough to supply 60% or more of the calories. With those qualifiers, the longer time involved doesn't concern me. A commercial enterprise doesn't have the time we can take. Fair enough, but one batch of meat birds is all a homeowner might want each year, so the longer time isn't a burden. The White Rock does need to be from a large framed, bulky strain and there are plenty offering of that strain as the WR remains a popular meat bird.

That you can order straight runs makes the chick price lower. Then hens are also either great to process, keep as fair layers, or sell at a solid price.

 

[gallopingfrog]

Does anyone know where I could get standard White Rocks from that aren't hatchery stock? Honestly, I'd like to keep replenishing my own stock so I'm not buying birds every 6 months or so (we eat a lot of chicken! LOL). I know it probably won't be until Spring at this point...

Kobey -

Thank you for the article! I still think I'll try out the Rangers, just to get a handle on how to do it, and not have to worry about them growing right...seems all they do is grow...lol

 

[Chinchilla2]

Quote:
I hatched out some Cornish X for a friend of mine and brooded them for all of about 2 weeks before I could NOT handle them anymore. They eat like there is no tomorrow and produce the same amount of poop. If they could, they would eat 24/7 and only move when the poop pile got high enough to bump their rumps. They are messy in the extreme. However, if you can handle it, they make one heck of a good dinner.

 

[dandydoodle]

What about Orpingtons? Is that a good breed to go with? What does everyone think of using them. How about Marans? Sorry for jumping in on your question but, this is a situation I have been trying to figure out myself. :0)