Meaties ARE dirty, Red broilers are slower

[maf2008]

I have about 20/25 meat cornish x from Mcmurray's and 5 or so assorted roos to be processed this Sunday Monday. This is our 1st batch! ( we will take them to a processor)

I will be sure to rest for 2 days in salt water/fridge and then freeze.

Feed has been turkey starter/turkey show food 22% and lots of veggies and fruit from the local farmers market. (free in the garbage bin) The chickens look like huge!

14/16 lbs walking.... so I expect about 8/9 lb dressed?

Because of the HEAT in Texas.....

I put a water fountian in the run and spray the chickens and covered run with water in the afternoon to cool down. This will keep them from dying in the heat.

Problem. The chickens are soooo DIRTY

really dirty. the other chickens are in the same run, and they do not look dirty at all. the meaties "lay down" more. Should I wash the chickens or clean them before taking to processor?

I do have "red broilers" in the next batch and I think I will like these better. They grow 1/2 as slow and eat half as much and take 2 times longer... but I think overall I am OK with a slower grower if they grow out to 8 lbs dressed even if it takes 16 weeks.

What is the biggest size anyone has grown for a red or black broiler?

By the way... someone at the hatchery told me these are dark/light cornish over RIR and this will give you a red broiler. Does anyone breed your own red broilers?

 

[Bossroo]

The chickens other than Cornish X will take up to 2-3 times longer to grow, however they will consume the same amount of feed or MORE as their Feed Conversion Rate is lower due to their genetics. It just appears that they consume less feed in comparison at the time. The increased labor and holding costs will be much higher ( like 2X more). Also time IS money. While the Cornish X was bred to gorge as much feed as fast as they can and convert it to meat in the shortest time possible. They don't waste energy by running around much so they convert the calories consumed into meat fast. The entire broiler industry is based on these facts and are raised by the MILLIONS at a profit. I would consider tweeking my management methods, not my type of birds.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

Does anyone breed your own red broilers?

would love to know this also! we kept 2 of the smallest hens from our red broilers from Ideal and are hoping they will lay at least some eggs... and the rooster was out there givin one of them the 'what for' so i'll be watching for eggs which will go directly into the 'bator

anyway - would love to hear about this

and while bossroo is 100% right - he's leaving out the 'ick' factor. we thought the reds were weird enough and i just dont know if i could do the cornish x's. its not any kind of cruelty or whatever objection (eye roll here) it just doesnt fit in with our farming methods (get out there and free range b/c its free!). out of a small batch (15) we had one franken-chicken who had the weird leg thing...and honestly, she grosses us out so much that neither of us would even consider eating her. she'll be chow for the dogs and such once we cowboy up enough to go and butcher her (picture us hiding in the barn and clutching each other in terror).

not arguing the point just tossing it out there. our red were spectacular when we dressed them and we'll get more next year...unless those little hens get busy and start laying...

looking forward to other responses...​

 

[FarmGirl01]

Quote:
I totally agree. I did the cornish X's and the red broilers. The quality and quanity of meat was better in the Cornish birds. What I liked about the red broilers was they tend to range around and forage for themselves. I like that in a bird. But like was said before. Time is money. I didn't mind spending a few more weeks and a few more bags of food on them. If I were to do it again, I would go for the cornish X. In and out fast.

 

[FarmGirl01]

I went back and read the post again. The reds were more cleaner than the cornish.