over 16 lb cockerel

[3 NH reds]

MY Ranger cockerel is just over 16lbs and he is 11 months. He is part of my experiment to see what kind of birds I want to raise for meat. I have some Jersey Giant/ Ranger chicks now and some second generation Rangers and Pure Jersey's in the incubator. oddly enough the ranger hens are good layers that are laying every day.

 

[brahmabreeder]

If you don't mind me asking where did you get him from?

 

[Backyard Bob]

I would definitely use him as one of your main breeding roosters.
What is he?

 

[travifive]

Not only is he huge but he is also gorgeous! Definitely put him into the breeding stock. Have you had good results from your rangers? I'm hoping to have a batch come in this week. I've raised CX for the past 5 years and I think I'm done with it. They are just too fickle and I don't think the taste is enough of a difference to me worth the hassle. I'm hoping the rangers will be easier and tastier since they are better foragers.

 

[3 NH reds]

We got him from our local co-op he is a Red Ranger. He is the one for the Ranger breeding and I may try giving him a Jersey hen just to see what the results would be. This is after the ranger/ranger hatch and the Jersey roo/ranger hen hatch, I will have to keep a note book just to keep up on what brewed and size they were. Rangers are easy birds and do not need attention. I am able to leave food 24/7 for them with no one getting fat or developing leg problems etc. The meat is good, the two other cockerels were good meat and had a good size at 20 weeks and would have been ok at 16. Not the 8 weeks to freezer camp but not having all the trouble CX's are known for is worth the wait. I really want to see what generation 2 looks like.

 

[travifive]

That's great news. Red rangers is what we have coming. I would like to start processing the big ones at 14 weeks. If I could get a 6-7 lb live weight I would be thrilled.
Please post the results of your hatching. I'm very interested to see what hatches out and how well they put on meat.

 

[3 NH reds]

I will post here as they grow and may put some chick pics here just to compare 2nd generation to the 1st.

 

[BCMaraniac]

He is gorgeous! How big are your RR hens?

I have Red Rangers coming next month along with White Rock, White Orpington, and White Giant cockerels(which I plan to caponize), so I am looking forward to raising them. I have a converted horse stall pen and can let them out to free range during the day.

Have you harvested any Red Rangers?

 

[3 NH reds]

Ive only taken cockerels, his smaller brothers and they were around 8 lbs. The hens I would guess to be around 8lbs as well good little brown egg layers. As soon as MY Jersey Giants Hatch I plan to try to fill the incubator with Rangers, I am not sure the life span of Rangers so I want to get it going and build a small flock for meat.

 

[3 NH reds]

Well I had a bad hatch rate, 1 of 9 but the one is huge. I hatched some Jersey giants at the same time and had a good hatch rate for them. The ranger towers over them.