Meat birds- purchased as eggs?

[bhawk-23]

I had 1/2 CX eggs hatch under a br from a townline hatchery CX pullet.

I'm trying to translate here. Lol
I think you had 1/2 cornish X (half a different breed?) hatched successfully by a Barred Rock?

Totally new at this still

 

[aart]

I had 1/2 CX eggs hatch under a br from a townline hatchery CX pullet.

Were those chicks raised for slaughter?

 

[Molpet]

Were those chicks raised for slaughter?

I'm trying to translate here. Lol
I think you had 1/2 cornish X (half a different breed?) hatched successfully by a Barred Rock?

Totally new at this still

I had a rooster of unknown lineage and bred him to a CX pullet. I had a barred rock go broody and hatched 3 cockerels and 1 pullet from the union. She laid 3 eggs a week. She quit laying shortly after starting for the winter. She died before she started laying again at about 1 yr.

I used 2 of the cockerels for breeding. The 3rd was hated by the hens and they wouldn't let him breed or expelled the donation. So when he was about 2, I put him in the pressure cooker.
The pullet laid double yolk eggs mostly. I did hatch one cockerel and used him for breeding, he died about 18months

The cockerels dress out 5 to 7 lbs at 16 weeks

 

[Morrigan]

Do you have a local feed store that sells chicks? Often you can place a special order with them for some small number of broiler chicks and then go the foster route. I've done that before when I've had a broody.

Moyer's sells cornishX and colored broiler hatching eggs. Moyerschicks

I've bought their speciality broiler eggs twice -- I'm clear across the country from them, so it's always taken 3 days for the eggs to arrive. They are very well packed and my hatch rates have been 4 of 12; and 9 of 12. Those were satisfactory hatch rates for me, and I liked the broilers that hatched. Easy, fast growing birds. That being said, the air cells were a complete mess upon arrival and I incubated and hatched them in an upright position. I'm not sure how they would have faired under a broody and would not wanted to try.

 

[RUNuts]

Do you have a local feed store that sells chicks? Often you can place a special order with them for some small number of broiler chicks and then go the foster route. I've done that before when I've had a broody.

I've also special ordered the chicks that I wanted through the Feed Store. He is happy to get the business and I'm happy not to pay shipping or small order fees. I buy all my feed through him, so I'm a regular at a small independent store.

Find a small independent feed store and talk to the manager/owner and see if you develop a business relationship.

Other option is to advertise and see if you can find people to go in with you on a large order to split. I've done this also.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've also special ordered the chicks that I wanted through the Feed Store. He is happy to get the business and I'm happy not to pay shipping or small order fees. I buy all my feed through him, so I'm a regular at a small independent store.

Find a small independent feed store and talk to the manager/owner and see if you develop a business relationship.

Other option is to advertise and see if you can find people to go in with you on a large order to split. I've done this also.

The only problem I've noticed with going in on orders with people not in your household is that sometimes you end up giving the wrong birds by accident and then they or their kids get attached and don't want to trade properly again. Or they might not want to order an extra "buffer" chick for their breeds and then you let mad at you if not all of their birds make it the first few days. Part of the reason I just get minimums and then sell extras

 

[RUNuts]

The only problem I've noticed with going in on orders with people not in your household is that sometimes you end up giving the wrong birds by accident and then they or their kids get attached and don't want to trade properly again. Or they might not want to order an extra "buffer" chick for their breeds and then you let mad at you if not all of their birds make it the first few days. Part of the reason I just get minimums and then sell extras

understood. I think I said, order me X of whatever you are ordering. Keeps it simple since a CX looks like a leghorn looks like a yellow whatever. In my case, I hadn't finished the brooder and his had rats. Didn't get as many as I ordered, but we worked it out. Much simpler with a feed store, I agree.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

understood. I think I said, order me X of whatever you are ordering. Keeps it simple since a CX looks like a leghorn looks like a yellow whatever. In my case, I hadn't finished the brooder and his had rats. Didn't get as many as I ordered, but we worked it out. Much simpler with a feed store, I agree.

ah, okay that makes sense

 

[JCaseyHammond]

We have a broody who hatched and raised 12 fertilized eggs. That is the only way we will ever raise chicks again! Are we not candidates for meat birds then?

Just eat the extra cockerels

 

[bhawk-23]

Just eat the extra cockerels

We did!! It was the best tasting chicken and noodles and bone broth I have ever made!

It was extremely tough and overwhelming for us being our first time culling. But as the week has passed we are slowly coming around to the idea of meat birds. Something was oddly satisfying about knowing how our dinner was raised, it's living conditions and treatment and ultimately how it was killed. And having a deeper respect, connection and appreciation of where our meal came from was a comforting feeling.