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

[kelpieschick]

I just took my first lot of 25 to the processors today. They feel much smaller than last time so I believe that is from mixing too much barley in with their grower ration. It's okay as I had lots of requests for smaller birds but it is something I will keep in mind for next time and will do a ratio with much less barley. I am doing the remaining 25 next week. I'm not sure that I like raising 50 at a time as much as I liked doing 25. They seem much more aggressive and competitive and there were lots of roosters in my batch so there were endless rooster dramas ha ha. When I was trying to gently and calmly put them in their crates early this morning one guy kept running up to me to attack and trying to protect his friends. Poor guy, I can't really blame him!

 

[finnfur]

Finally got to process the Ideal Black broilers that shipped 8/29. Started with 26 and ended with 16 . Had some problems with chicks and lost several.
Then Hawk got two before I put the Scarehawk out. Then my son was feeding them for me and his dog got two.
The sixteen remaining totaled dressed weight of 57 Lbs at a cost of $2.01 per pound. Except first four weeks these were grass ranged and FF.
Not the best results at our first attempt at meat birds but a learning experience.
I think our next attempt will be heritage dual purpose . Maybe Delaware
Tom

 

[Oregon Blues]

Not the best results at our first attempt at meat birds but a learning experience.

You will do better next time. Some of your losses could have been avoided and you know how to prevent that next time.

I'm sorry to say that in our new economy if you can put top quality meat on your family's table for $2 a pound, you have done very well indeed. $2.50 a pound is my cut off point for buying cheap meat for my dogs and I am having a difficult time getting it that cheap. You simply can not compare your home raised birds to the commercial birds on sale at the super market. Some raisers of quality birds are selling for $4 a pound, so at $2 a pound, you have done great.

So, a pat on the back and a "Good Job!" for you.

 

[SmokinChick]

Wow! 14.5 weeks for a 3.5 lb bird. Lot of work. Sorry about your losses. Hope things work out better for you with the next batch.

 

[SIMZ]

Congratulations on finishing your first batch!

It's a great feeling to put that meat in the freezer, isn't it? It's always a learning curve, and you'll probably find you're always improving and changing things to get better results.

Dual purpose are fun (and very tasty) if you aren't concerned about the noise and time it takes to get them to a decent size.

 

[finnfur]

Thanks for all the kind thoughts and encouragement . Would have been a better if we hadn't lost so many birds at the end. That would have made our cost lower.
Not really that much work except the beginning at chick stage. Once they are at free range stage its not bad.
I can move the enet and coup by myself in 30 minutes. 10 minute to food and water daily .
Losing chicks that are deformed , can't walk, runts and just start panting and die concern me.
Never lost any egger chicks in 3 groups. Only lost two adults in 2 years .
Last 3 months have been leaning toward heritage , maybe Delaware.
Still might do Meaties again. I never say never. LOL
Thanks , Tom

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I am sorely tempted by one of the hatchery offers.. 200 chicks for basically $0.35 apiece. They are DP.(that's including my shipping) But 5-6 months to reach weight. I went 3 months for the last round of CX. Very tempting... Thoughts, anyone?

 

[Huntress78]

But 5-6 months to reach weight.

That would mean butchering mid-May to June. It might be nice to butcher in warm weather instead of the freezing rains of October. Which hatchery has the offer?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

That would mean butchering mid-May to June. It might be nice to butcher in warm weather instead of the freezing rains of October. Which hatchery has the offer?

http://www.mthealthy.com/store/948458/product/bargain2
Oops its actually $.40 each. This is really tempting...

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hey, just wanted to post an update on tank and lilX, my summer CX girls we kept. No eggs yet, however they are integrated with the flock. Still healthy, alive and well. Tank is HUGE. LilX is a LF bird, but is maybe 3 pounds now. There's nothing too her, she isn't bony, but not fleshy like a normal CX is. Will post if the POL occurs, kind of curious if they will.