Meat birds that won't die at 10 weeks....

[dave3877]

actually a good portion of the meat birds you get are fast growing cornish rocks. they have a slow growing variety as well. if you want them to live beyond 10 weeks then do like i do. give them asprin with their water. plenty of soluble vitamin (powder doesnt dissolve well and is loaded with salt i reccomend red cell - horse mineral) and restict thier diet. ive kept them for 8 months before i finally butchered them. im going to try to keep some indefinite. heres a hatchery here in texas that sells both variety
http://www.xtremegamebirds.com/Meat Birds.html

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Our 27 meaties are being raised in a 4x8 ft area and we have had no problems with lameness yet. They are on 12 on 12 off, and are EXTREMELY active. Not at all like many people describe, sure they're disgusting, and I change the bedding once a week (They stay out all day Saturday and I clean out the living space) but I can go a week without having to change them. Currently they're 4 weeks old, and around 6-8 weeks we'll take out the roosters, and at 10 weeks the females. We ordered 25, and got 27 ...all have survived so far, all are thriving. They have the vitamins in the water too

I agree it may have a lot to do with their surroundings and husbandry, but REALLY I think that some meaties are just healthier than others, and some hatcheries are just better than others.

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
You don't really need to vaccinate meat birds, and especially if they'll be indoors, such as your air conditioned garage. That could be a good part of why you had no problems. Most people don't have any way they could reasonably keep a flock of chickens in A/C comfort, though.

So if you skip the vacs, that would be some cost reduced, and if you learn to process your own, even more. I would not pay to have birds processed unless I intended to offer them for sale to the public, then I'd have to. But for my own use? No way.

Of course, I live in an area where it would be a considerable expense to get them to and from a processor, (not to mention the time, and hassle) there's none near. But even if there were, I can't see paying $3 a bird for what I can do myself, for free + cost of bags to freeze them in.

 

[jamieneenah]

Quote:
So what are they correctly called?

Jamie

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

So what are they correctly called?

Jamie

Broilers​

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Duplicate post deleted

 

[THunter]

In regards to feeding, I have only been feeding my 6 broilers twice a day. They have grown fast and are ready for slaughter next Saturday. Don't see any reason to feed them continually and run up huge feed bills. I guess we'll see how it turns out once I cook one. I've raised them on wire with no problem.