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

[SIMZ]

This is for anyone:

What is your feeding plan for your chickens?

Where will you house your chickens?

At what age/weight do you plan to butcher them?

 

[kelpieschick]

This is for anyone:

What is your feeding plan for your chickens?

Where will you house your chickens?

At what age/weight do you plan to butcher them?

I'm fermenting chick starter and then grower/finisher mixed with barley for them, they have a large coop with an outdoor run attached, and we'll do them at 8 weeks again.

 

[SIMZ]

Have you done the fermented feed before? It sounds so interesting but I'm somewhat scared to try it.

 

[Huntress78]

I picked up 62 chicks this morning. My first time doing meat birds. After only one hour I had to change the paper towel in the brooder...wow, those guys sure can get things wet!

What is your feeding plan for your chickens? Nothing special. Just broiler feed and for the first week or two yogurt.

Where will you house your chickens? Right now they are in a 15 square foot brooder. I don't think it will be too long before they are going to the coop floor. If the weather holds here they may do some time outdoors.

At what age/weight do you plan to butcher them? My plan is to butcher 20 in 4 weeks or so (whenever they get to 'Cornish hen' size. Then do 30 more at 7-8 weeks. If they are not having any health problems I'll hold the last 10 to 'roaster' size and butcher them along with the all the Brahma cockerels I'm culling.

 

[catnipchickens]

What is the website for the black meat birds, I have not heard of them either and I am interested in checking them out. Thanks,

Found out there are Red Broilers and Black Broilers. They're crosses of Jumbo Cornish and RIR (Red ones) and Jumbo Cornish and Austrolorp (Black ones). They grow a little slower, can be good layers, and have fewer heart and leg issues. Looked online and found them on the Ideal Hatchery web site at
https://secuservices.com/ideal/newideal/selectproduct.aspx?qty=1&ID=RDBSP&Product=1597
and
https://secuservices.com/ideal/newideal/selectproduct.aspx?qty=1&ID=BLKB&Product=1604

They're on special now between $0.90-$1 ea if you buy 25, but you better get them while you can. Hope this helps and take care.

 

[SIMZ]

Wow - that says you can have a 6 lb. broiler in 7 weeks or less? That's really good and you can't beat that price! I'm really curious how those do!

 

[nunlef]

Hi
I can let you know in a few weeks

I usually just lurk around here, but I got my black broilers from ideal this morning. I have planned on getting meat chickens for the past year, but was waiting for the right time. I have ordered from ideal several times, and have been happy so far, when I saw the deal on broilers (without buying 100), I jumped on it.
I am raising them for myself, my mother, and a few extra for her friend that has offered to help with processing (she won't take payment, so I will "accidentally" have afew too many)
Anyway, several people around me raise them, they are like rainbow broilers, free rangers, etc... Really meant for meat, but a little slower growing (2 weeks more) and not quite the breast of cornishX.

Good luck in your decision, a fall season here can be 90 or 50, so I'll see how this goes

 

[loanwizard]

I have 150 Freedom Rangers going to the butcher August 29th. They will be 12 weeks old.

I have been told 1 ton of feed for 100 birds, but I have used about 1/2 of that which I suppose is why it takes me 12 weeks rather than the 9 recommended for this bird.

As far as raising them, I have a 4x8 enclosure (3 sided) on a utility trailer that I use as my brooder. They go from the box (Freedom Ranger Hatchery) to there. I have 2, 5 gallon buckets with 4 nipples each in them that they drink from. I have a pizza platter that serves as a feed tray for them. I used to dip their beaks one by one, but after the first batch they were on their own and have done well.

They are in the brooder for 3 weeks then out to pasture (40x40) moveable electric fence by premier.

 

[finnfur]

Just ordered 25 of the Black Broilers. Good deal at $.90ea + $7 ship

Loanwizrd
you keep 150 birds in a 40x40 . do they have shelter and if so what.
We already have two premier fences - one is 165' and one 100' .
I presume with broilers you don't need roosting facility but I presumed some shelter .
Just wondering how much ?

 

[SIMZ]

I'm wondering, too. We raised 50 this spring in a garage pen that was about 10X10 (with access to outside during the day). The pen size seemed fine and we didn't lose any to piling. This time we'll be raising 65 outside in a 8 X 10 shelter and premier fence. We'll probably butcher half of those by the time they're 5-6 weeks.

I'm wondering if I we need to put 15 into a second smaller shelter we have and leave 50 in that big shelter. It concerns me that they'll start smashing one another at night when they crush up against the sides. What do you think?