Picking up first ever meaty chicks tomorrow! All processed***PICS***

[Sunny Side Up]

That's a long way to have to drive for an order of chicken! I wish you the greatest of success with them.

 

[paridisefarm2009]

That's a long way to have to drive for an order of chicken! I wish you the greatest of success with them.

Naw , I did it last time I did the meat Birds They call me to tell me they arrived and give me the option to pick them up or wait I didnt want them to go all weekend in the post office , with who knows what mean people are doing to the box of peeping birds , I don't want to take the chance too much money to loose , , will post photos as they grow and process

 

[halo]

Last week I just put the last of my Cornish in the freezer, and swore I wouldnt do these again until fall.

Now Im thinking I want some more, after seeing these pictures!

 

[TriciaHowe]

Mine are 5 1/2 weeks now and I still think they are cute. The waddle over and lay on my feet. I turn the litter every few days and haven't had any smell at all. They are very personable and friendly. I have tried very hard to not get attached but gosh it's been hard. I am already thinking about keeping one of the hens. The worst part is how much they eat!! Oh my gosh those boogers can chow down some food LOL!

They go to the fair in a few weeks (8 of the 19) and then it's off to freezer camp!
New pics coming soon!! It's raining today, blah!

 

[TriciaHowe]

Okay, they will be 8 weeks on Monday. Eight of them are headed for the live stock fair tomorrow for 4 days. I have not weighed them, but they are in the 7-8 pound range.
Here are some pictures from today

 

[TriciaHowe]

And here is one more... They are really sweet birds, I am going to be sad when camp day comes....

 

[TriciaHowe]

Had 4 pens of meaties and got blue ribbons on all of them. Had someone offer $5 a bird. How do you act not insulted?? LOL! I have more than that in just food in them!! Plus, they are going into MY freezer, thank you very much. But I could see a 4-H'er who just raised them for the fair with no intentions of processing them and wants to sell them.
As for the rest of our birds we got total 8 blues, 1 red and 2 Reserve Champ Class (american class and AOSB) with our Delaware hen and NN hen.

 

[jdywntr]

TriciaHowe, did you limit their feed or leave food with them 24/7? I am new to meaties and yours look great!

Oh and congrats on your wins.

 

[TriciaHowe]

I used Purina Flock Raiser (20% protein) and left them with food 24/7. They are lazy birds, but even one of the hens did a funny little hop/fly thing the other day LOL
I really liked doing these in the winter - being in Fl it's not that cold - as apposed to the summer when I think the heat, flies and smell would have been really bad.

 

[jdywntr]

Okay thats what I'm feeding too. I am torn between leaving them with or without food 24/7. Did yours have light at night?

With the heat I know I am pushing it especially this year (kept dragging my feet about ordering). I had actually ordered some from a hatchery but they wouldn't be able to send them until the end of the month and I did not want to process at the end of May or into June

. I found some locally about 10 days ago that were about 1 week old when I got them so I got a bit of a jump on age. I have 17 and am thinking I'll process half as game hens and the others as roasters.