Meat bird development (Week 9) - 10 lbs 11oz! Done. Whew!

[tomsgonefishin]

Yeah, a trip to FL does sound pretty fun. Could probably get in some fishing after processing your chickens.

 

[tomsgonefishin]

Week 6!! Actually 6 weeks and 3 days old.

They weigh .....drum roll....... 7 lbs 5 oz!!!!!!!!!

I posted a couple more pics and you can see the whole growth cycle on
http://picasaweb.google.com/tomsgonefishing/MeatBirdDevelopmentWeekly

 

[TerrasCritters]

Thats amazing, eventually I will get mine!

 

[GwenFarms]

At what weight are you planning to butcher them? You all have done a great job documenting this. It was a nice project. You should try to schedule a field trip to a commercial farm that raises these. I'd be curious to see if they grow as well in that envirnment as your home environment. How impressed have the kids been with the project?

 

[tomsgonefishin]

I think we will process three of them at around 8 lbs, and maybe the other three a week or so later. At this rate, it will probaby be this coming weekend! I'm really curious to see if I let them go another couple weeks how big they will get. They all seem pretty healthy now and I'd hate to have one of them die due to their growth rate. We've been fortunate so far and I don't really want to press my luck.
These meat birds don't really do any foraging around their pen. They are outside and they have access to grass but all they want to do is sit around. They pick at the gound occasionally but don't eat much grass. Kind of pathetic actually. They are so heavy that they waddle like a duck to get around and I don't think they could run very fast if they had to catch a bug.
Tomorrow they will be 7 weeks old and we'll weight them again.

The kids have really enjoyed raising all our birds. It will be something they will never forget and hopefully cherish one day.

 

[basicliving]

Hi Tom - I'm brand new here, but wanted to let you know this is a great thread and I'm really enjoying following the growth of the birds. Whatever happened to the chicken with the bad leg? Did you do anything to heal it?

Thanks,
Penny

 

[tomsgonefishin]

Hi,
The one with the bad leg was not getting around much, in pain, so we processed that bird early. So we have 6 left.

They are now 7 weeks old and they are right at 8 lbs. Actually our smallest is about 7 lbs and the biggest is 8lbs 2 oz.

I have added an updated pic, but they don't look any different from the 6 wk photo.

Glad you enjoyed the post! I went to your area in VA a couple years ago and really enjoyed it.

Tom

 

[Southerngirl]

We ordered our first batch of Jumbo Cornish from MM this year. They should arrive on Monday !!

I love your pictures and my DH is amazed how truly fast and large these birds grow. He wants to cross a Dark cornish rooster with a Jersey Giant hen and see what we get as a meat bird. I am going to let the kids keep up with the weights also !! Great summer project ! Now I have to get DH to build my chicken plucker !!! Keep up the great work!!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Wow - what a difference from week 4 to week 5!

I have Freedom Rangers and they are now 2 weeks old so I'm following this post closely. Mine look just like yours at 2 weeks. Good luck with the processing. Would like to hear your stories about that too; I've never done it but will in 7 weeks!

 

[DouglasPeeps]

Wow! It is sure fun to see their progress. We are considering doing this in the fall, so I appreciate the pictures.

What an amazing project for your children.