meaties are **3 weeks** today!

[LindsayB]

My 6 little Meaties are 1 week today! they have doubled in size already...Its crazy how fast they are growing. All of them seem pretty healthy except they lay around more, even when they eat. I think thats normal for them though...
Anyway, here are some pics I took a few minutes ago. I'm probably going to post pictures as they grow each week and then end with processing photos.

 

[chickened]

Don't name them.

 

[LindsayB]

Oh don't worry, I'm not attached...These are strickly for meat. I wouldn't even try and keep one alive beyond process date. Not really fair to the bird in my opinion. We're hoping they will be big enough to butcher in 6-7 weeks. And once they get enough feathers they will be outside in a 'mini' tractor.

 

[chickened]

They are truly a marvel of modern breeding and I appreciate that about them but IMO they are not good for much else.Glad to see people raising their own food though.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Mine are one week today too! It's amazing how fast they grow. Do you weigh yours? It would be interesting to compare weight gain from different sources.
Congrats on the healthy looking chickies! Hope they taste good

 

[LindsayB]

I know the day I picked them up all 6 together weighed 9 oz. I'll go weight the biggest one real quick....

 

[LindsayB]

okay, the biggest one is 5 oz and the other five weigh 4 oz. not bad for 1 week old I guess?

Are you going to weigh yours now? lol

 

[backyardmenagerie]

That works out to about 1.5 oz each, right? Mine were 2 oz, but I got them at 3 days old. Just weighed a few, they all weighed 4 oz. So doubled in weight. Definitely not bad!

 

[LindsayB]

cool, so ours are about the same size then. I haven't been withholding their food, I'll wait and do that once they are outside in the grass and can forage. That might slow their growth alittle.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

I haven't been withholding their food either. I think rather than withhold, I'm going to calculate how much they need each day and not refill when they finish it off. I had read about doing that somewhere on BYC, and found this chart:

So looks like we're right on track, just a little over the average for 7 days. At what age do you plan to move them out to the tractor?
This is will be interesting to compare results!