Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[MamaShell]

Yes, I am sure. Their hatch/ship date from Meyer was March 24th. I also have 18 CornishX broilers left from the same shipment, I would be in BIG trouble if they were 10 weeks already! They are very well feathered, I don't know if its the quality feed I'm feeding or the fact that they've been outside since day 4. I don't keep chicks in the house, I have a grow out coop to raise babies in.

They definitely look healthy! Great job!!

It seems that some breeds are more feathered out and larger than others at that age. My Buff Orpingtons looked so much bigger and more feathered than my Golden Buffs at 4 weeks. I, also, have a Delaware that was half the size of the other 2 at that age - I think her growth was delayed a bit because she had such bad pasty butt the first week. At 7 weeks, she is now almost the same size as the other two. The one Rhode Island Red that I thought was a roo, does not act like a roo and his/her comb has not gotten any redder or much bigger in the past 3 weeks. Maybe it is a hen after all that got a head start from the others? Time will tell. The point is - there are a lot of variables and, although you might know what most chickens should look like at a given age, there are always going to be exceptions! That is part of the fun.

 

[NanaLynn]

I thought I'd post current pics of my BLRWs, they are 6 weeks old. It looks like both splashes are cockerals and I have three pullets.
Splash #1

Splash #2

Black

Blue #1

Blue #2


I'm excited to see how they will feather out with their adult feathers. I really hope that the blue with lots of red ticking will even out with better lacing but we shall see.

Wow, such great coloring!! Yup it looks like you might have a couple roos in the mix!

Worried about one of my EE's... way to friendly. Jumps in my hand as soon as I put it in there... boy?

I wouldn't worry too much yet unless you see three rows on her pea comb. Both my EE's from my last batch were very friendly, one more then the other. My one Ellie is super friendly still and has always been a sweet chicken. Greta is still friendly but not as much as Ellie.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

I'm okay with two roos, I ordered 3 pullets and 3 st run. I did have one of the pullets die weeks ago, she never grew.

 

[MamaShell]

I'm okay with two roos, I ordered 3 pullets and 3 st run. I did have one of the pullets die weeks ago, she never grew.

So sad about the one pullet!

 

[christine9]

Has anybody tried raising meat birds? I've read so much about it, but am still on the fence about it.

 

[MamaShell]

Has anybody tried raising meat birds? I've read so much about it, but am still on the fence about it.

My 7 week olds are my first birds, but, raising broilers is something that I would like to work up to! We eat a lot of chicken and it would be great to know exactly where they came from and how they were raised! I hope you try it so I can learn from you!

Anyone ever get started pullets from Meyer? I really want Easter Eggers but I don't know that I want to do the chick thing so soon. I could get 2 Easter Eggers at 16-20 weeks old around the time my little ones turn 10 weeks. Do you think they would integrate well?

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Has anybody tried raising meat birds? I've read so much about it, but am still on the fence about it.

I started raising meat birds in addition to my laying flock two years ago. Last year, I raised 175 birds. This year, I hope to raise over 200 total, in batches of 25-50 birds. I don't support any factory farms anymore, unless we eat out at a restaurant of course. I raise all my own chicken, lamb, and beef (we don't eat pork since I'm allergic). I free range my meaties after they are feathered enough to tolerate the weather (usually 2-3 weeks) and I only raise them in the spring/summer/fall.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Okay, here are pictures of my current meat chickens, I have the CornishX broilers and Freedom Rangers. Healthy humanely raised meat. I also started butchering myself since I was not happy with the treatment of my birds at the packers place.

And of course the finished product

 

[NotableNancy]

Wow, such great coloring!! Yup it looks like you might have a couple roos in the mix!

I wouldn't worry too much yet unless you see three rows on her pea comb. Both my EE's from my last batch were very friendly, one more then the other. My one Ellie is super friendly still and has always been a sweet chicken. Greta is still friendly but not as much as Ellie.

I guess it's because none of my first EE's were friendly and only one of these 2 are that I'm thinking that. Hopefully not. I was thinking of naming one of mine Greta also... I didn't know you had a Greta. I've always wanted a 'Lola' but I think a Lola should be real fluffy like a Cochin. (I was just eyeing up those Silver Laced Cochins at Meyers... they are so pretty!)
My Cream Legbars aren't friendly at all, they really stick together too. And one of my Brabanters is friendly (ZsaZsa) and the other, Eva, not so much.

My 7 week olds are my first birds, but, raising broilers is something that I would like to work up to! We eat a lot of chicken and it would be great to know exactly where they came from and how they were raised! I hope you try it so I can learn from you!

Anyone ever get started pullets from Meyer? I really want Easter Eggers but I don't know that I want to do the chick thing so soon. I could get 2 Easter Eggers at 16-20 weeks old around the time my little ones turn 10 weeks. Do you think they would integrate well?

I think as long as you have a place to put them so they can see each other for a little while before putting them together you'd be ok. Really that's from what I've read no experience here. But if you're getting 2 older girls and they are the 'new' ones and putting them with a bit younger maybe it wouldn't be so bad? Do you live close enough to pick them up? I'd like to start with older ones next time too. Even around 12 weeks would be nice.

Okay, here are pictures of my current meat chickens, I have the CornishX broilers and Freedom Rangers. Healthy humanely raised meat. I also started butchering myself since I was not happy with the treatment of my birds at the packers place.




And of course the finished product

Wow, that's fantastic!! So jealous. Great set up and they look really happy!! I have so many questions... Do you notice a difference in taste between the 2 breeds? How much land do you have and how come hawks don't eat your chickens????? And no fox there?? We see the fox around here morning noon and night, they'd hop right over a fence and chow down here. And hawks, forget it! I guess electric fence would keep out fox? It must be so rewarding to do that for yourselves. Very nice

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Wow, that's fantastic!! So jealous. Great set up and they look really happy!! I have so many questions... Do you notice a difference in taste between the 2 breeds? How much land do you have and how come hawks don't eat your chickens????? And no fox there?? We see the fox around here morning noon and night, they'd hop right over a fence and chow down here. And hawks, forget it! I guess electric fence would keep out fox? It must be so rewarding to do that for yourselves. Very nice

Well we live on the beef farm that my husband works for, so its not *technically* my farm but there are about 300 acres behind the house, about 10 acres of that is grass filter strips that I can use. I have put the chickens out after the wheat crop was taken off in July. My hubby is going to plant oats for me in the one 5 acre field for the chickens

Yes, I SWEAR by the electric net fence. We live 2 miles from a decent sized river so there are raccoons, opossum, skunks (really bad the last 2 years), fox, weasel/mink, coyotes, wild cats and free roaming dogs. We also have hawks but mostly they only watch the flock when they are really hungry late winter and I've had a few attacks last fall. I use a solar charger for the fence so I can take it anywhere. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it, and yes it is very rewarding, especially to have enough to share with my family and friends.