Is anyone else raising fall broilers? Our chicks came today: 8/18

[Pearce Pastures]

Just about any chicken can be used as a meat bird, but some are much more suited to that purpose. There is a good chance that other people are using those same chickens/eggs for their dinner somewhere - especially the roosters.

x2

A lot of people who breed chickens will use extra roosters for dinner. After having watched my first batch of meat birds grow though, they develop more meat in less time than my egg layers, and probably consume less feed then too since they are ready to go in the freezer around 8 weeks.

 

[finnfur]

Now down to 19 birds out of 26 starting on ship date of 8/29 [ Runt wasn't growing and could not walk - another was growing but on elbows which were continually raw ]
Moved remaining in the chicken trailer to forage. They are all on FF but its not high protein . Just plan on keeping them extra week or so.
The remaining are doing well in there new apartment . They love to forage in spite of the rainy 45 degree weather.

 

[Huntress78]

Question for you more experienced folks. When I did the roosters, they were older and we learned that we needed to let the meat settle for a few days in the fridge to soften up before either freezing or cooking. Given these are so young, do we need to do that or can they go straight to the freezer?

I let mine rest, on ice or in the fridge, for 24 hours to let rigor pass....then into the freezer with em!

 

[SIMZ]

Well, the remaining 16 from our first batch are going to be processed this weekend. I broke all the rules with these guys - I named them (well, one of them), I befriended them, and I LIKE THEM!

I guess I shouldn't have picked the friendliness chickens to grow to roaster size, right? lol They'll be 8 weeks when we process and there are some big chickens in that group. This has been my favorite group of meaties that I've raised, but, even so, I'm looking forward to filling that freezer. So it goes, right?

Pearce Pastures - we always let our rest at least overnight. When they are flexible again I put them in the freezer. Also, your set-up is GREAT! Let us know how things go when you process your birds.

 

[pichuris]

I'm a little late on my update of my little guys. Hatched 9/25, this is Week 1 weights & feed. I weigh them again tomorrow for Week 2.
Pre-brooder weight: 27 ounces

Week 1:
I had two loses one was just not gaining but eating and pooing fine. The other almost appeared constipated but no pasty butt. So now I have 23 from the 26 I started with.

1 @ 2.1
3 @ 2.6
1 @ 2.8
4 @ 2.9
3 @ 3.0
1 @ 3.1
3 @ 3.2
1 @ 3.3
1 @ 3.4
4 @ 3.5
1 @ 3.6
Total weight: 70.3 ounces
Total feed consumed 18 cups measured dry. Using a 20% broiler feed and then fermenting it.

 

[pichuris]

Now down to 19 birds out of 26 starting on ship date of 8/29 [ Runt wasn't growing and could not walk - another was growing but on elbows which were continually raw ]
Moved remaining in the chicken trailer to forage. They are all on FF but its not high protein . Just plan on keeping them extra week or so.
The remaining are doing well in there new apartment . They love to forage in spite of the rainy 45 degree weather.

I love it! Does the fence really keep them in? Or is it more so for the predators?

I really want to some how free range my flock 24/7. They have a huge run but it went bare after a few weeks. They free range when I'm home or won't be gone from home long. We have 3 neighbor dogs which aren't typically over here but every so often they come over and have and will kill my chickens. I'm not so concerned about the bald eagles but its just the dogs.

 

[wsmoak]

Mine stay inside their electric netting once they get big enough to not fit through the holes. Before that, they will squeeze through and go wandering.

However... I have never managed to get my netting that high and tight, so I have larger holes closer to the ground than they should be.

finnfur, what's your secret to setting up that fence?!

As for Fall broilers... I am expecting a call from the post office in the morning... I fell for the Meyer Broiler Bargain someone posted last week.

-Wendy

 

[pichuris]

Mine stay inside their electric netting once they get big enough to not fit through the holes. Before that, they will squeeze through and go wandering.

However... I have never managed to get my netting that high and tight, so I have larger holes closer to the ground than they should be.

finnfur, what's your secret to setting up that fence?!

As for Fall broilers... I am expecting a call from the post office in the morning... I fell for the Meyer Broiler Bargain someone posted last week.

-Wendy

I'm thinking of more flying over it. Hmm, got more thinking to do.

Yay for baby chicks! I'm a push-over when it comes to bargains. Just wish it wasn't the Cx. The only other ones they offer is the Rainbow rangers and those actually come directly from JM Hachery. Meyer is by far my favorite hatchery.

 

[pichuris]

Here are the results for Week 2 and after you will see the running results from the previous weeks.

Week 2: 23 Fuzzy Butts
1 @ 3.6
2 @ 4.7
1 @ 4.8
2 @ 5
2 @ 5.3
1 @ 5.4
1 @ 5.5
2 @ 5.6
1 @ 5.8
3 @ 5.9
1 @ 6
2 @ 6.2
1 @ 6.3
3 @ 6.4
Total weight: 127.9 ounces
Total feed consumed this week: 30 cups measured dry

Pre-Brooder: 25 chicks @ 27 ounces
Week 1: 23 fuzzy butts
Total weight: 70.3 ounces
Total feed consumed 18 cups measured dry

 

[SIMZ]

Isn't it incredible how much the little things grow in such a short amount of time? Great record keeping!