If you keep meat birds and dont process them whats their life span?

[Bock_Bock]

My grandma and grandpa was wanting to get some just to feed all their food scraps to, so i was wondering how long could they live or since they grow so fast do they cull themselves?

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

awesome question! i want to know too

 

[cassie]

I kept one for a few months. I didn't know any better. He got to be huge. About the size of a small turkey. He keeled over at about five months or so. I don't remember exactly.

 

[Bock_Bock]

ok so we got the age at 5 months, does it defer from diffrent meat birds such as the diffrent cornish x or are they mostly the same?

 

[Bock_Bock]

another side question are they flighty birds or is it they grow so fast they cant pick their wait up?

 

[jaku]

Seems like a layer breed would work much better for that purpose- plus it would give you eggs.

 

[Bock_Bock]

i was just thinking meat birds as they eat alot more lol and would make great compost for gardening is sorda a win win situation, also what age do they lay eggs, i know they have to as more chicks have to be hatched i am new to this whole meat bird thing cant you tell

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Haha, I've never met a layer that wouldn't eat all the scraps you could feed it! I don't think a Cornish X would thrive in that role because they need a specific diet, and they need a STEADY diet. I think it would be more trouble than it was worth trying to keep them on table scraps. Also, most will die of natural causes before they start laying.

 

[coffeelady3]

There are people on here who have kept meat birds for more than a year or so, but it's quite a chore. You have to monitor their feed and LIMIT what they eat so their weight is kept under control. This seems counter productive to what you're trying to do. I would think layers would be a better option. The can (and will) eat anything you throw at them, the poop up a storm, and they can live a nice, long, healthy life. (And you get fresh eggs to boot!)

 

[Bock_Bock]

ok layers it is i was just wondering because the feed storwe around here only had meat birds no more chicks so i was just wondering of getting a couple for grandma and grandpa, but now i think of it giving them a meat bird is so setting them up for disapoitment thanks for talking me out of it lol thanks