Letting my broody raise 20 meaties. Now I have a rooster raising 50 CX chicks~new batch!

[Mrs. K]

I read this whole thing too this morning! How healthy they looked, but I am really glad you told it just like it was, not how you wanted it to be. I did not know about the water issue. I have a broody hen that raised a clutch for me last year of EE's, and she is raising a clutch now, in which 3 are BO's. I love having a broody hen, and really do not think I will ever go back to the brooder.

Hoping my new BO's will be broody next summer, and I might try the meaties. MrsK

 

[DogandPonyShow]

Okay, I'm inspired. I've had a broody Silkie for about 3 weeks who was *very* determined and a feed store who had Cornish Rocks... I just gave her 4, so we'll see how that works out. I plopped them under her and then moved the whole next box out to the meatie tractor. My plan is to keep her in with them for a month or so, then move her back to the flock. Wish me luck!

 

[neftaball]

I've raised Cornish cross with broodies before and it has worked out great. The babies learn how to forage better, and how to get out of the heat also, they grew a little slower for me, but not much at 10 weeks I have them dress out at 4 1/2 to 5 lbs.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
I'm wondering how this experiment went? Post pics if you can!

 

[Lindz]

Awesome thread. I was reading this thread for over an hour.

 

[Mia_]

Bump

I have loved reading 21 pages of this thread.

Anyway, I was thinking of doing this, and I am I glad I found this thread. I will have to wait until my egg birds get old enough. My egg birds and my CX are 8 weeks old, it would be nice not to have to worry about lights, temp, etc. nest time.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm so glad people are finding this thread useful, as that was the intended purpose. When I first started reading about raising meaties on this forum I became quite discouraged about stories of Frankenchickens, the cost of feed, the horrible stench, the high mortality rate, etc. It all sounded so complicated, filthy and expensive and I couldn't imagine myself needing chicken that badly.

As usual, when I don't like the accepted wisdom, I set out to see if there is an easier, cheaper, cleaner and more successfully enjoyable way to raise one's own meat birds...and there was! I hope more and more people use this easy and healthy way of raising those meaties until we don't get anymore threads about chickens with rotting breasts, dying in the heat, eating until they can no longer stand or they break their legs and trimming green, rotting flesh off of wing tips and breast bones.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
While I did not and still don't yet have a broody, I raised my meaties in a large pen on restricted diets in the company of dual purpose chicks last year to use for cross breeding. One roo recovered from bumblefoot at 6 months but ended up lame on the good leg from bearing the extra weight while favoring the bad foot. He dressed at 13 pounds [didn't get a live weight] and was brine cured and smoked. The meat was as tender, juicy, and as flavorful as any broad breasted turkey I've smoked [though I've never brine cured a turkey before smoking one]; in fact those at the Christmas table thought it was a turkey. Like turkey, the leg tendons were inedible but the meat tender and flavored/textured more like turkey than commercial chicken.

Sorry, I didn't think to get a pic after smoking, but here he is after processing. [The missing skin ever the sternum eas removed because I thought it was an abscess, but it turned out to be a callous caused from him resting his weight off his legs; the meat under it was not affected at all.]

 

[California Gurl]

Quote:
While I did not and still don't yet have a broody, I raised my meaties in a large pen on restricted diets in the company of dual purpose chicks last year to use for cross breeding. One roo recovered from bumblefoot at 6 months but ended up lame on the good leg from bearing the extra weight while favoring the bad foot. He dressed at 13 pounds [didn't get a live weight] and was brine cured and smoked. The meat was as tender, juicy, and as flavorful as any broad breasted turkey I've smoked [though I've never brine cured a turkey before smoking one]; in fact those at the Christmas table thought it was a turkey. Like turkey, the leg tendons were inedible but the meat tender and flavored/textured more like turkey than commercial chicken.

Sorry, I didn't think to get a pic after smoking, but here he is after processing. [The missing skin ever the sternum eas removed because I thought it was an abscess, but it turned out to be a callous caused from him resting his weight off his legs; the meat under it was not affected at all.]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44349_chickens.jpg

Wow it really does look like a turkey. If you didn't mention it, I would've thought it was one.

 

[AlienChick]

I really enjoyed reading this entire thread.
I just did my first processing of DP birds and decided to move on to meaties.
I found this thread very informative!