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

[sonew123]

Like Ive been saying I will keep 10 for another few weeks after the rest to let them grow out more since they are on the smaller size

 

[willheveland]

IMHO I think 22% is perfect. It sounds you are doing great. Hope you're feeding only during daylight hours. I smell roasted chicken. Will

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
I am-I listened to all of you very well-I feed from 7am-7pn then they get cut off completely... Makes me feel bad but I know its best for their health and my freezer! Man I would think for little fatties they couldnt run very fats but when I was locking them up in their coop tonight ( they are still coop stupid) trying to catch 26 of them breaks me out in a sweat!

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Who needs zoomba you got meaties! I have ducks... who are very coop stoop as well... I love them though

 

[Dacy Meadow Farmer]

Quote:
You sound about the same as me. Mine will be 7 weeks tomorrow and I'm into my seventh bag. My only prob is that I have five weeks to go. The freedom rangers are not economical unfortunately. But I still like the idea behind them. Also they have more brown meat which I like better. I'm getting my feed from Ward Lumber because Aubochons kept running out. I think 22 percent is the typical percentage. My free ranging layers are only going through one bag per week right now. The crickets are all over right now. It was hilarious as I was mowing my lawn Sunday. Alot of happy chickens

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Quote:
Oh great.

I never got to close to any of the meaties I've raised, except for the turkeys.

Turkeys? I have 2 midget white -breeder pair. Dingbats too. I got too close and now I cant process them. I am keeping them to hatch out more next Spring-then Im filling my freezer with turkey!

My three male turkeys CHASED me this morning, they will be lucky to make it to November at this rate.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Turkeys? I have 2 midget white -breeder pair. Dingbats too. I got too close and now I cant process them. I am keeping them to hatch out more next Spring-then Im filling my freezer with turkey!

My three male turkeys CHASED me this morning, they will be lucky to make it to November at this rate.

ooh turkeys Katy? are you raising them for eating or breeding??


also I need to rant..So for the first night since I got the meaties I was not able to get home until 9pm tonight. So I asked DH who got home at 6:30ish to feed the meaties as soon as he got home and put them in their coop and lockdown.

I get home and ask well??? how did it go? He sadi I was rediculous and he wasnt chasing down 26 meaties-so he put half in one new coop with the broody hens and babies!!! and the others he tricked into their coop.. WITH THE BABIES--will they hurt them???? Im sick about this...the coop floor space is 8 x 8 -Im going down to move them I think! Im afraid my mille fluer bantam will get killed and her two chicks they sleep on the floor???

Then I said you fed them right? he said No! NO??? he got to busy when he got home and forgot! so I said did you at least collect the eggs from today-NOPE!

Ill be back I have alot of chicken stuff to do before I go to bed now!!!

 

[sonew123]

Im back-Ok so I was tweaking-all was ok but there was no food or water in that coop either! Im telling yah..Before I left I satarted dont forgeet this and dont forget that and I was told " I know hunny" not so much! so I fed and watered them and went into huge coop adn fed and watered all of them-found my favorite bantam outside coop! put her in her favorite hidy hole and locked them up too. This is why I cant go anywhere after work-I knew this would happen-not that Im an angel but I NEVER go to bed until I know my birds are all comfy in bed with lots of food and water. I was told " it wasnt my responsibility in the first place" WTH!!! neither is it mine to bring coffee with a kiss in the am-not tomorrow I tell yah!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Nope, that is clearly the woman's job. Just sayin... Lucky bastage.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

lol, I have a wonderful husband and a very happy marriage - part of that is because I know better than to expect help with my chickens. Oh he would agree to help, but the job would be done as badly as yours was. Just sum up what he's good at and leave it at that

Turkeys . . . well yes I got 4 hoping to keep a male and a female over for breeding next year. Well the three males killed the little female trying to breed so now I have three raunchy males trying to mate with the chickens (roosters included), the ducks, and me. NOT FUNNY!!! I really like them at first, but I thought they would be a little more wild and range further out on the property, NOT!!! they are permanent fixtures on my front porch and they insist on sleeping on top of my chicken coop, meaning they poop on all below. I think I'm just going to butcher them all in late October and call it good. In the future I may get just one BB to grow to good size then butcher for Thanksgiving, but we only eat turkey once a year so I think that's enough for me.