Moyers Conventional Broiler & Hatchery Choice Broilers Ordered!

[jolenesdad]

I have 10 red royals left to process in a few weeks. Question is as I have 9 cockerels and 1 hen. I was thinking of possibly keeping the hen. Has anyone done so successfully?

I have one hen too. @Compost King has kept freedom/red Rangers.

I have not met anyone who has kept back a Royal Red or freedom ranger color yield. I’m contemplating holding my female back she is the only one I had. She isn’t quite as big as the males. My males of the royals move a tad awkwardly and were sort of lazy but the female isn’t like that. I may try as well! I think I’ll hold a robust white back too.

 

[Newyorkrita]

I vote you both hold back those hens!!

 

[Compost King]

The down side of keeping a Meat Hen around for breeding... They eat a lot of feed. If you are not regularly producing Meat chicks then you are feeding a hen whose feed to egg conversion might not be ideal. Although they will lay giant eggs (most meat breeds) but not big enough to justify all those feeder fill ups. I still do it, its fun to experiment and i like to have a steady supply of cockerels around to eat. I tend to keep the females for further breeding.. which means even more feed going to over eating hens. I produce Compost so high feed bills = More Nitrogen in my compost piles. It fits with what I do but I thought I would present the down side of what I suggest.

 

[Newyorkrita]

The down side of keeping a Meat Hen around for breeding... They eat a lot of feed. If you are not regularly producing Meat chicks then you are feeding a hen whose feed to egg conversion might not be ideal. Although they will lay giant eggs (most meat breeds) but not big enough to justify all those feeder fill ups. I still do it, its fun to experiment and i like to have a steady supply of cockerels around to eat. I tend to keep the females for further breeding.. which means even more feed going to over eating hens. I produce Compost so high feed bills = More Nitrogen in my compost piles. It fits with what I do but I thought I would present the down side of what I suggest.

But so much fun to keep some around for breeding. And I still like the idea of ginormous eggs.

 

[Compost King]

It is fun, I do it. But I like to put the negatives out front. I wouldn't make a good salesman but I would try to make a good honest friend to mankind.

 

[LilyD]

I have 10 red royals left to process in a few weeks. Question is as I have 9 cockerels and 1 hen. I was thinking of possibly keeping the hen. Has anyone done so successfully?

I think as long as you regulate her feed a bit if she's not too heavy she should be okay. They don't lay very much but you should be able to breed her back to a heritage roo to get a hybrid between meat and heritage that might be more hearty.

 

[jolenesdad]

I went ahead and kept my single female royal red. I was sorting last night, and she kept RUNNING around and jumping on things while the other few red roosters left and all the Cornish were just staring at me and making me pick them up. I felt like she showed some great agility, and then when I loaded up the birds this early morning, she was roosting with the layers, so I think that was a good call.

What did you decide to do???

 

[RoosterML]

What did you decide to do???

It’s not final yet but I believe I’ll end up keeping her.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I kept the 2 hens out of my red broilers I got from privet hatchery. I think they are laying and to look at them they fit in really well with my flock if they weren't a different color I wouldn't be able to pick them out of my flock. They ste maybe a tad smaller than my Delaware hens but otherwise a good size I think. I plan to keep them as long as they last, they are currently in with my Delaware mix rooster... now to figure out what egg they lay so I can hatch em.... lol

 

[RoosterML]

Bringing an old Thread back !
I have 50 Moyers Hatchery Choice Specialty broilers on order I should have them next Thursday the 30th. Not bad 50 meaties for $78 bucks including shipping.
I can’t wait to see what they actually send me! I hope it’s the reds. Awesome birds and In regards to a previous post I did end up keeping a red hen. She is a beast that lays Jumbo eggs. I think my rooster likes his ladies with alittle junk in the trunk because that’s his favorite.
I’ll post once this order comes in.
I made yet another brooder this one down and dirty, all from scraps I had. I figure it should work for 2 weeks 42”x48”