my first meaties raising experience-with pictures now 1st post:-)

[sonew123]

Hi all,

Im a tad late on starting this-but better late than never.

My wanting meaties all started a few weeks ago when My Dh and I built a chessy wizzbanger-love it by the way-. It sped the process of the dirty deed so much. Then I thought hmmmm..Im hosting chickenstock at my house Oct3rd and we are already having a processing station set up to teach people how to process-so why not kill 2 birds with one stone and order meaties to be ready to process that weekend? LOL

So after searching some poultry sites ( and huge help from katythechickenlady)I decided on Meyers hatchery for my meaties-I got a 15% girl Cx's ( email special) and 25 chicks were just shy of 40$-That and they were generous enough to donate for chickenstock prizes too!!! gotta pay it back you know??

All 26 arrived happy and healthy and have been ever since. They are 10 days old now and growing like weeds-I have not gone through my first bag of crumbles yet though. They go through 1 gallon of water a day.

I ordered a scale to weigh them and I hope it comes soon as I would love to document weights as they go.
This weekend they will go into a grow out run to freerange some. Also starting them on scraps too yah!!

I will take photos tonight and from now on every week. I might keep 1/2 of them to process out at 10-12 weeks instead of 8 weeks to keep track of growth and maximum benefits of the meaties-without harm and bodily problems to them...

me getting ready for my big adventure-building a meaty pen and processing day too!
built a roosting set up first

framing top and bottom portion of tractor

-yes those are roofing nails-dont say a word I like them!!!
finished box tractor

got this huge wooden crate box from work for the coop

two and two together!

white midget being nosey

now mind you this stupid project took me all day and I dropped a few F bombs too-but I did alone with no help-poor hubby let me loose in his shop!

lessons learned
1.) I dont see how Im going to get those fat buggers in that box at night-today a locking door is going on!
2.) ask hubbie for help next time-suck it up and put pride to the side!
3.) do this long in advance-before getting meaties!
4.) drink more beer while doing it
5.) pack more bandaides


Next group of photos was me getting my set up to process a few roos too

wizzbang I made with Dh

the head choppers DH gave me for Mothers day--that's right ladies...he's all mine...lol...I wanted them!

3 small roos soaking after processing! took me 40 minutes to catch until the end in the bucket!

meaties in their run

PURPLE CHICKEN here's your's branded and ready for you

I marked 5 more too-tried the butts but I was afraid of getting SQUIRTED

 

[chickensrfood]

My first 4 cornishxs are 3 weeks old today and are noticeably larger every day literally. I feed them twice per day.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Can I aski, I think you are feeding them turkey crumbles, right? What is the protein p ercentage? I have my five on gamebird starter at 24% so I don't know if I should =switch them to something else in a ferw weeks?

 

[SteveH]

Good luck sonew .

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
yup they are on turkey crumbles-Ill go down and look at the bags and see

I did put them out in their tractor for the first time today-I noticed their legs were pudgy so Im not waiting anymore-outside for movement! They are loving it and sheesh they muct weigh 1lb apiece fatties! very sweet too-hope the processing will be easy!

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
thanks so much!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Hey there I was just wondering how it was going for you! How did it come about that you are hosting a chicken stock? I sthere some official agenda to follow? I've never been to one and don't think there are any out here . . . one more thing for me to take on!

 

[chickensrfood]

my 3 week olds

 

[PurpleChicken]

The girls will live longer and be smaller than the males. I wish I knew you were doing this sooner. I would have asked you to raise six for me and I would have sent you some cash for feed and processed on saturday before the CS.

Now that you have a whizbang you will need to lead the processing demo. I'll assist.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Katy you need to get your butt on a plane or have a road trip to come!! Iveb got people coing from TX, FL, CT,MA-etc... I went to the PA one and had an awesome time and met everyone you can imagine! I got back and someone??/ I forgot mentioned having a Fall one. So I volunteered my house for a Fall one if we could keep it small not 200 people! So I think there will be less than 100? WHo knows but It started from there and POW Im knee deep in meatie poop-ordering foods-coming up with menus-soliciting Companies for the 50/50 and raffle prizes-getting teh BYC banner-Tshirts made-setting up the processing stations-you name it were doing it!