New batch of Meaties!Updated Pics

[Jschaaff]

Update with 2 week pics, in post #14

Here is our new batch of 25 little guys and gals.
They are Cornish X and will be one week old on Wednesday.
Last batch we waited until they were 1 1/2 weeks to let them run around, but the weather has been nice enough that they didn't seem to miss the heat lamp for one second while they were outside yesterday. We had them out for about 3 hours. Will be putting them out again, weather permitting, each day until they are 2 weeks old, then out of the brooder and into the tractor, free ranging from 7am-9pm, with access to a heat lamp until they are 3 weeks, or feathered out.

The last batch came out very large, and I think, if these guys grow just as well, that we will cull some early. I love the big roasters, but really want a few smaller fryers this time too.

Here is the little buggers first field trip to the grass:

These guys were run aways, and kept taking off a good 30 feet from the totes. I'd bring them back, and ziiiip...gone again!

This one decided he/she was going to come over and make a phone call

They all come over, gobble some food down, and then zip back off... its really entertaining!

They had so much fun exploring. I gave them a few teeny worms, and they ran around just like my older layers...everybody chasing trying to get the darn worm!!
Nobody ate them though, eventually they just lost them in the grass.

These guys were having so much fun!

A few of them kept running over to check me out. These guys dont seem as skittish as my last batch.

Back into the brooder, about 3 hours later.
They didn't eat much while they were playing outside, so it was a feeding frenzy for a few minutes when I put them back in.

About an hour and a half later, everyone is settled in for the night.

Happy chicks

-Jessa

 

[itsy]

It's amazing how plump they are at such a young age. They look like happy chicks, indeed! I would limit phone usage to three weeks, however. You don't want them running up your bill.

 

[krcote]

It is so fulfilling to see your food so happy isn't it?! I took some similar pictures a few weeks ago of ours:

 

[Jschaaff]

Quote:
AW They are perfect!

How many do you have and are they cornish? There wing coloring looks different than mine! Looks like you've got a bunch of them!!

-Jessa

 

[Denninmi]

I really like your brooder. Very nice. If I had any carpentry skills, I'd make something like that myself.

 

[Jschaaff]

Quote:
Thank you

We didn't build this one, though I have a feeling if I keep this up, hubbys going to have to build a duplicate! My dad built this for us when we first started raising the meat birds. He said it was exactly what he built for himself and my mother, more than 30+ years ago, when they first started! It has drawers that go in the bottom which make clean up sooooo much easier, but unfortunately when there was no one in the brooder, we didn't have it tarped during a couple major rainstorm, and the drawers are all swollen and mis-shapen now, so they dont fit, which is a little frustrating.

If we build another one like this ourselves, I will definitely use pressure treated wood, have a place inside to clip a heat lamp to, and will also use 1/2 hardware cloth around the sides, instead of chicken wire...those little peeps can get their heads out of that chicken wire a little too easy for my liking!

-Jessa

 

[bwmichaud]

It's nice getting the meaties when it is warm out and they can go out and play right away instead of staying cooped up indoors for the first few weeks. We just processed our Cornish x's that we got in April 2 weeks ago. The Freedom Rangers are arriving Friday and I can't wait to take them out right from the start.

 

[chickenfeverforever]

Our meaties are running free to. They are now 2-3 weeks old.

I know its doesnt look like they have grass but we have tons of grass but for some reason we cannot get any grass to grow under the tree and we wanted the meaties to have plnty of shade

Our Silkies running around

 

[Jschaaff]

Quote:
That is awesome!!! I love it!!! Thank you for sharing

-Jessa

 

[mcf3kids]

I love seeing these pictures! Our brooder is an almost duplicate of the one you have pictured except one side can open at a time which does allow the light to be clipped in the middle of the brooder. Sooo is it difficult to catch the chicks when you want to bring them in? I haven't let my 6 week old hens out of coop/run set up yet because I am afraid I won't be able to get them back. (they are my first chickens). Looking forward to watching my dinner start growing when my 25 meaties arrive!