My Spring 2013 Meat Bird Journal

[charthorn]

My experience with Schlecht's has been ok at best. My first order went great, birds arrived in great shape and I never lost a single bird. The second order I ordered a couple of turkeys with the chickens. I ordered two BBW and received BBB and one was dead on arrival. My third order of chicks was sent to the wrong address, causing a large delay before I could get them to water and feed. I'm sure it was this delay that caused the high mortality I experienced with this shipment. I'm getting to ready to order this year's birds but not sure who I'm going to go with.

 

[barrettdrka]

I am raising some cornish crosses this first part of the year to try and see how they are compared to Red Ranger/Freedom Rangers. Anyone have any experience and or suggestions with this?

 

[SunnysMama]

I have always ordered my broilers from McMurray and have had very good luck with them. I hate the fact that they charge double everyone else though!! I heard that last years Welp chicks didn't do very well on growth. Curious on the Schlecht birds. The only thing I found that I didn't care for is that you couldn't order just pullets on most of their chickens.

 

[Anna-MN]

I have always ordered my broilers from McMurray and have had very good luck with them. I hate the fact that they charge double everyone else though!! I heard that last years Welp chicks didn't do very well on growth. Curious on the Schlecht birds. The only thing I found that I didn't care for is that you couldn't order just pullets on most of their chickens.

I ordered both egg layers and cornish cross from Welp and they both did EXCELLENT. My CX hens reached an average of 8 lbs butchered and my males reached an average 8 1/2 lbs butchered at 8 1/2weeks. They were actually pretty good foragers and zero leg problems too which I didn't have with the birds from McMurray. My McMurray birds seemed a little more fatty though. It depends on the quality of feed you give them and the protein content. I guess it was just the luck of the draw last year!

 

[Anna-MN]

I am raising some cornish crosses this first part of the year to try and see how they are compared to Red Ranger/Freedom Rangers. Anyone have any experience and or suggestions with this?

I'm pretty sure there is a different thread on here where someone did the comparison. I'll see if I can track it down...


Found a couple different ones. They are both pretty informative, too.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cornish-cross-vs-freedom-rangers#post_9297183

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/728496/cornish-x-vs-rainbow-freedom-rangers

 

[Anna-MN]

My experience with Schlecht's has been ok at best. My first order went great, birds arrived in great shape and I never lost a single bird. The second order I ordered a couple of turkeys with the chickens. I ordered two BBW and received BBB and one was dead on arrival. My third order of chicks was sent to the wrong address, causing a large delay before I could get them to water and feed. I'm sure it was this delay that caused the high mortality I experienced with this shipment. I'm getting to ready to order this year's birds but not sure who I'm going to go with.

I've heard that turkey's are one of the hardest birds to ship because they are so sensitive as chicks. I would suggest going with a hatchery that is closest to home. I only ever order birds that will get to me the next day or same day they are hatched.

 

[Anna-MN]

I lost 1 chick last night. He was totally trampled. So down to 102. These guys have eaten 40lbs of feed in 5 days....and they only weigh a matter of ounces. They go through 3 gallons of water a day. I have been desperately trying to find someone to take 20 or so but my brother called last night and said he was reserving 30 birds for people at work. Looks like I'll be expanding the coop. I can't really complain though, he sold them for $10 whole and $11 halved.....and 25 of these "reserved birds" are supposed to be halved. Since I got 43 birds free, I might end up making a pretty good profit, even though I don't pocket any of the money. I save it to make my meat bird projects self sustaining.

 

[Belinda's Funny Farm]

I received 26 Meat Pen birds from Meyer Hatchery on 2/20/13 and they were hatched on 2/18/13 so they should be the same age as yours. I ordered all male. This is my 2nd time at raising them and last time I had mostly females and the males grew so much faster that I decided to get all males. I also got 5 Dark Cornish males and 5 White Plymouth Rock females (which I still can't tell apart from the meat pen birds). I plan to pick out a rooster or two and put him with the White Plymouth Rock females and my Delaware females and see how the babies turn out. I know they won't be the same as the meat pen birds that you order but if they are even close I will just raise my own in the future.

I also didn't keep very good records of my costs. I hope that by subscribing to this thread I will do better at keeping track.

Here is what I have in it so far - I am not counting what I will be using for the other chicks cost of other chicks and I split the shipping in half. I also had plenty of feeders and waters already on hand.

25 +1 - chicks - plus shipping = $48.69
1 bag chick starter - $16.99
1 heat lamp - 9.99
1 box red bulbs (2) - $8.00
1 bag pine pellets for bedding - $4.99
COST TO DATE: $88.66

I also built the brooder box for them with scrape materials so no cost there.

 

[Anna-MN]

My birds were born the 20th, so pretty darn close! I build my brooder, too. My dad is a carpenter and had a bunch of old plywood laying around at his place. It will be interesting to see how our experiences compare.

 

[Belinda's Funny Farm]

I will be feeding fermented food. I am just now starting to switch them over to it. My layers have been eating it for about a year now. It really cuts down on the smell so I am hoping the meat birds will be more tolerable in that area too. It will be interesting to see if they grow as fast.