No more sleepovers for the broilers...

[EggsForIHOP]

Well...I've cleaned out and put up my "temporary brooders"...that means NO MORE SLEEPING IN THE DINING ROOM FOR THE BROILERS!!!

They turned 3 weeks old on Wednesday, all together weigh in at 25lbs (which is an average of like 1.3 pounds I think) and have a good majority of their feathers...they are now on their own until processing day out in the tractor. I have all of them in a 5 x 8 tractor right now...and as they get bigger will split them up more...but I figure they are better off if it does get chilly having each other over nothing to huddle up with.

Our night time lows the next 7 days will be: 63, 68, 60, 52, 53, 51...by the time it's in the 50's they will actually be 4 weeks old...I have nothing to worry about right?

I'm just happy the little buggers can go out and STAY out the next couple days. I can deal with the stink, cause they were starting to get stinky...but it's the CONSTANT PEEPING that was driving me BATTY!!!

We ate dinner in the dark the last 2 nights so they would stay quiet - my husband calls it the "parakeet trick" - turn off the lights and they stop singing! It was 34 one night and around 50 the next - I would rather deal with them inside than setting up a heat lamp outside - crazy, why yes I am

it's still amazing to watch how fast they grow and how much they eat! They LOOK like their little crops are just gonna pop! I will admit, even though they are still only 3 weeks old, they very much act like "normal chickens". They run, scratch, peck, chase bugs, beat up on each other (the little roos are EXTRA manly and feisty!)...I really was kind of half expecting boring little eating machines, not entertainment such as we have had with them.

Now I have to decide when to start the next batch...I've already had "dibs" called on many of these by friends of ours...it's a good thing they grow so quickly! I will admit, I kinda under feed mine...they aren't getting 12 hours of food, it's more like 8 - 10...but I'm okay with growing them out a little longer if they have less leg problems. I REALLY like raising these broilers though! It's got it's challenges, as does anything, but it's not all that bad really

 

[ladyride]

You go girl

 

[ScottyHOMEy]

I thoroughly enjoy the daily routine of tending my layers. The desire to have such a routine again is a large part of what led me to get back to raising chickens.

That routine aside, I've got to say there was something extra in the way of satisfaction of tending my first-ever batch of meat birds this year. Time and circumstances kept me from producing the second batch I'd hoped to, but lessons learned will allow me to pull it off next year.

They are a breed unto themselves. The laying flock hatched at the same time is just starting to produce. Those rewards are obvious, if hard earned.

Watching a flock of CornishXs grow? I almost feel guilty, as my nature is to grab those in society who demand instant gratification by the napes of their necks, to shake them back to reality.

So it's almost. no real guilt. To me, it's about finding the balance. The CornishXs are a lot of work but, as they find their way from the brooder to the yard, and on to the freezer and my plate, the work is worth it, to the point that it almost seems too easy.

Plug the daily chores of keeping up the layer flock I keep at the same time . . . it's rewarding work all around.

Having the layers there still doing their thing the morning after processing the meat birds helps to keep everything in the right perspective.

 

[SIMZ]

Oh, man - and I was glad when I got our broilers out of the GARAGE! LOL I'm sure you are thrilled!

I totally "get" what you're saying ScottyHOMEy.

 

[EggsForIHOP]

Yup - they may be faster than a DP chicken - but there is still something exciting about the wait, even if it is shorter! And it is VERY gratifying to watch them grow and know you did the work...its changed our perspective a LOT on where and how we come by our food. I'm so much less likely now to "forget" leftovers and then just throw them away - before it would have been nothing to do so...but when you had to raise and process that chicken...well...you just don't let it go to waste too often. Not like before when it would have been nothing - now it has more meaning for us. I like that...plus the "look what I can do" factor...it's just nice...

I am kinda sad for 'em though...as it gets darker they are lined up by the door of the tractor - ready to come in for the night! I'm gonna have to go out and break the news to 'em real gentle like...bet they're mad about it too! I'll leave a night light on for them though...poor little critters!