pictures of my Rangers

[HillCountryMomma]

Gee, thanks a lot Grey.

I thought part of the point of a forum like this was to gather information. If that's not the purpose, then please point me in the right direction. I'm not posting about the Rangers in every thread. I'm posting about them in the few threads where it's relevant (a couple *I* started to ask specific questions) and the questions/complaints/issues I have can be answered.

I'm not real pleased with the Rangers. I feel they were represented and pushed as something they just are not. I feel the quality of service from the original Freedom Ranger company was poor, to put it nicely. I know you like them. I don't. You post lots of great Ranger lovin' posts, let those who are having problems do the same. Maybe that information will also help others.

As I've said before, I've raised layers for years and have always had very nice healthy birds. My layer girls are big, healthy, beautiful birds that lay when everyone else's tend to quit. It's been a rather odd experience for me to have chickens that do not perform as expected. Since meat birds are new to me I'm trying real hard to figure out where the glitch is. I also need a place to vent my frustrations, and no one else 'gets' it.

I have to say I do appreciate all the info I'm getting from folks about methods of raising birds and the nuances of the different types of broilers. Eventually here I'll get it all worked out. Hopefully with a little help from others I won't have to waste money ordering lots of different types of broilers.

Liz

 

[greyfields]

Thanks for your input.

 

[HFC]

I'm sorry they're not working out for you hillcountrymama.

I'm shocked that nobody has broiler feed anywhere near you. I can think of 8 or 10 around here, and not one feed store that doesn't. Regardless, I would recommend the turkey starter instead of the chick starter. If size is critical, let them eat only that. No scratch, no corn, no treats.

Based on what you've said, I think you might try the cornish rock Xs. I probably wouldn't start them in June or even July, but I have raised them without the problems that they get a bad reputation about. Pullets seem a little easier to tolerate to me.

 

[blue90292]

LOL. sorry, i had to laugh. i think i have a weird streak in me sometimes where i find such things humorous. sorry.

anyway.....

please don't take offense, but it was like getting a blow by blow on how the water wasn't boiling. i really feel for you and understand your frusterations. i know how its also hard in that no one around really understands since if you just mention chickens, my friends, their eyes roll.

please don't take me wrong, it's great to hear how others are doing with the different types of broilers and how they are raising them. it's the only way we COULD learn about these breeds and how each type of broiler from different hatcheries grow. i mean, i didn't know that MM had cornish X and cornish roasters and that they are different from each other.

i truly enjoyed raising the FRs and so did my friend nancy. i know my neighbor roddy also raised them. we saw from nancy's birds that they didn't put on their final weight until about 10 weeks and it really was more about enjoying these birds, watching them BE birds, than waiting for them to get fat. i know nancy said the FRs tasted better than the cornish she raised 6 weeks prior but then she hated those cornish, so...lol.

it definitely sounds like the MM roasters are the way to go for you. from what i read from other threads of people who raise the different types of broilers and have had frustrations with either kind, you really have to enjoy what you raise or it just becomes work and i'm sure that would spill into the meal you create. no matter how good that chicken may taste, you'll have that frustration built behind it and the meal will become average.

also, you need to understand, most birds around my area that are sold at local markets are 4 pound dressed birds. at $3 a pound, people don't want to pay more than $12 for a whole chicken no matter how organic or free range the birds are. does that make sense? so if they're only 6 pounds at 8-10 weeks, it's okay for us. but if you want a small turkey at 9 weeks, cornish x or jumbo cornish is the way to go. just don't expect them to act too bird like.

oh, i had to edit because of your comment about corn. those birds are going to eat the corn before they eat the feed. the corn does not have enough protein in it to make those birds fat. all they'll do is eat that corn and not eat what's really going to put that weight on them. if you want fat birds, you give them plenty of protein. the kids around me who show at the fairs, they feed their broilers turkey show chow. it's 28% protein. and it's $17-$20 a bag, but those birds weigh 10 pounds by the time they're 6 weeks old and they don't range so they don't burn off any of that energy.

 

[HillCountryMomma]

HFC, I called every feed store in a 30+ mile radius. I live pretty rural, so choices are limited. Nobody has broiler feed and a couple places acted confused that I was even asking. I'm starting to think people just don't raise broilers around here! I did have one Purina dealer tell me that they can special order it in for me. So, I may go ahead and do that next time, although I'm not a huge fan of Purina feeds in general. The other thing I noticed is that no one carries unmedicated chick starter. I've been having to get my feed at Tractor Supply because they're the only ones that have an unmedicated starter. Sure not the cheapest place.

Blue, trust me... I've had to refrain myself! These birds are worse than a watched pot! I don't want monster birds. I want 5-6lb dressed birds. Anything smaller than that won't feed my family of 6. I get 5-6 lbs birds at the store, I'd like to be able to raise a bird that dresses out there abouts. My friends RIR roos dressed out at just under to just over 3 lbs at 12 weeks. They free ranged almost 100% so were cheap meat. Tasted great. If I'm going to be waiting weeks for little birds I'll just eat my excess layer roos. I paid for meat birds, I invested feed in meat birds. Darn it, I want a MEATY bird!! You are very right though in that you have to enjoy what you are raising.

I may go ahead and try a higher protein feed. The birds lives will be so short any organ damage from high protein probably won't show up in time to matter!!

Liz

 

[greyfields]

I just wanted it to be clear your results are not typical. They are atypical. Many members here are having great luck with identical birds.

 

[SimplyAbundantFarm]

Liz -

I know that we all feel bad for the FR people that they had all the troubles that they had when they did -- and I know that the FR people have quite a fan club here -- but I can also certainly understand your frustration from the get-go with the fact that you didn't get what you ordered and that the service was less than you expected. I suspect that probably has a great deal to do with the way that you feel about the birds and I certainly can't blame you. I know that it would for me. If I ordered something and got something else that I didn't order instead, with no apologies and no explanations, I'd be unhappy, too.

I kind of felt that way about the FRs when I didn't get my birds the first two weeks that I was supposed to get them, too. I was disappointed that when my order didn't ship the first time and nobody bothered to call me to say, "Hey, Mary...we're sorry, but there was a problem...your chicks won't be shipped this week." I was even more disappointed the next week when they told me that they would DEFINITELY ship and -- lo and behold -- Friday came and no birds and no word from the FR people again. (In contrast, I had delays on my turkey poults that I got from another hatchery, but the hatchery called me on the same day they were originally supposed to ship to let me know that there was a delay and to apologize for that delay, as well as to confirm the ship date for the following week. I was fine with that. I know things happen...but they did the right thing by contacting the customer.)

I finally gave up on the FRs and went elsewhere and, quite honestly, I am really glad that I did because when they were finally ready to ship them, I got an invoice for a totally different group of birds than I ordered, too -- just like the birds that you ended up with. No wonder you're disappointed.

So...already you were off to a bad start. 'Strike one'.

Then we had the gawd-awful heat that we did -- even up here, so I can only imagine what it was like in Texas. During those days, my main goal was just to keep my birds from keeling over in the heat. Of course they weren't going to grow much then. I think that in my case, it probably set them back about a week -- and we had less than a week of the heat. Just keeping them hydrated, cool and alive was my goal. If it's been hot even longer where you live, yours will likely be set back a bit more.

So...add the Texas heat to the mix and you have 'strike two'.

The only thing that I think that I would have advised you to do differently would have been to forget the corn and to put them on turkey starter and turkey grower if you couldn't get broiler feed. Not because corn is a 'hot' feed -- but only because in order to grow and get meaty, they need protein and the corn just isn't going to put on the meat for you like a higher percentage feed might do.

I have had wonderful success with my Red Bros from JM and could not be happier. The only thing that I am disappointed about is in myself -- for not going to them first. Had I done that, my birds would already be processed, would have been fat and sassy when they were butchered and would be in the freezer right now!

Grey is right. While 'your mileage may vary' on any types of birds you are raising -- from layers to broilers -- your results are not typical...but it's still no fun when you're the one with the atypical results. I just wouldn't throw the broiler out with the bathwater on this one. Maybe try a few of the same birds from a different hatchery next time to see if this was just a bad year for you. If that doesn't work...maybe Cornish X are a better answer for you. But...at least you can say that you tried....

 

[SimplyAbundantFarm]

Quote:
Liz,

I finally had a chance to get my photos from the camera to the computer and thought I'd share this one with you. This is one of my Red Bro Broilers at 8 weeks -- he looks like probably 85% of my group did on that day with about 5% bigger and meatier than he is and about 10% of them slightly smaller.

All of the sudden, they really are starting to 'pop' and they are even bigger and meatier now -- just a week later -- than in this photo. I will be processing them right at around 10 weeks.

 

[PurpleChicken]

HillCountryMomma I would like to say I find this thread interesting and educational.
I've wanted to try FreeRangers myself for a while now and the varying opinions and
results are fascinating.

Thank you for making this thread and having the patience to accept the opinions of
others who are pro this variety of bird. I've learned a lot by reading it.

 

[MissPrissy]

This thread has been realy informative for me as well.

I raise my meat birds in the fall but had been considering trying to get some of the ranger stock to see how they would do through the later summer and into late September. I don't have time or money to expend on chickens that won't prove out in the way I expect.

Thanks, HillCountryMomma, I will be sticking to my cornish crosses after reading your threads.