Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Beekissed]

Has anyone tried raising 2-3 meaties with layer chicks? I was debating on getting a few this spring, as a trial run of sorts, to see if I want/can do a bigger batch later on.

I've done it...the layer chicks do just fine with the meaties until they get a little bigger and then you'll want to have separate feeding stations for them and feed the meaties first. Or have a trough long enough that all birds can easily fit on it without any crowding.

 

[Tomtommom]

We got 10 meaties and 6 Black Giants (Jersey Giants) at one time, they were fine in the brooder for the first 2 weeks, and then I moved ours to a coop area where they were on sand and had a lot more room. We gave them a pile of hay to sleep in and they had no problems, the meatiest grew faster but I think their heat production helped keep the BGs warmer, if was normal to find the BGs laying in the middle of, or on top of, a pile of meatiest right up till butcher time. There was a great size difference by 3 weeks but it didn't seem to matter as long as they had room to move and find a preferred sleeping area. If you are going to do it, I would suggest a larger breed of layer, but I raised the CornishX, I don't know the growth rate in comparison with the Freedom Ranger type meaties... they are more likely to be regular LF bird size for a couple weeks longer as chicks.

I would get a few cornish x from the tractor supply. They had them last year for $1.99 Just as a trial bird, seeing if I can just raise them for slaughter purpose only. I would want freedom rangers or something less gruesome looking if I did a larger group in a tractor type setup. I can stand to look at a few frankenbirds for 8 weeks or so

The fact that cornish x will keel over dead if you dont slaughter them in time would make a good motivator, I would imagine.

I only raise LF, so that should be ok. I got room to separate if it gets to be too much for the layers.

OMG, I have sure been around a couple of them!

(though they were usually very loving, just not the brightest bulbs!)

Yeah... should meet my accidental dogs. *sigh*

The whole thing is a bad situation. I've actually asked my husband to just take one to the vet and have the poor thing put out of it's misery. They can't be socialized, they can't be rehomed, they can't be around the kids, they flip out when they're separated and they fight when they're together

.... One is pretty sweet. The other is food aggressive and dumb (seems there's a predisposition, his dad had to be put down after he bit my step-son on accident.. rabies shot had expired, which means brain autopsy here). They're NEVER out of food, they have two bowls 20+ feet apart, big yard, no chains, two dog houses and he's still a total butt to the other dog every time he tries to eat. It's like an abusive relationship: wife wont leave, but really shouldn't stay.

I had to take them inside because this winter is harsher than usual. They wailed ALL night. They just don't get it when you try to help them.

*sigh* I hate to see them outside, just sitting there, staring at the door. They get super excited when they see us, but every attempt to socialize them and try to have them mellow out some is in vain. They jump, scratch, chew, pee on stuff and just go NUTS. I could possibly rehab ONE, but not together. Can't split them up, because they go balistic (try to chew through the chainlink etc.)

Anyone want a stupid dog?

(I like chickens better. You can eat problematic chickens)

 

[jajeanpierre]

fisherlady, thanks so much for the link!!!

jajean-- didn't recognize you at first with the new avatar, pretty bird! Good to know about the Malamutes! I've never actually been around them, but I've seen pictures of these massive fur balls & loved them. I don't dislike dogs by any means, but I'm much more of a cat person, so I definitely can't be having one of those come after my cats!!! The cat I have now is a massive 28lb rescue cat that's 8 years old & he thinks he is my chickens' watch dog. He tries to chase off predators& hangs out on top of the coop. I think the 2 years he spent in a shelter with dogs before we got him he know thinks he's actually a dog-- goes to the bus stop every day and waits for my son to get off the bus, no idea how he knows when to go there, but he does haha.

What a great cat!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Amazing how experiences can differ. I was showing my girl about 12 years ago, and I was stunned at how behaved all th dogs were waiting ring side for the next class. My b----- was a sweet heart as was her mother. Just lovey dovey dogs. I'm not convinced that staring any dog in the eye is a smart idea-- unless you are working with the dog and creating a relationship. Judges don't have time for that. It is all they hype that has made me turn away from the rotties. THey are still my favorite dog.

Gordon setters are also a guard type dog. ANd I have met labs that stop intruders-- would love to have one just like that dog again. Loved kids, and a guard dog rolled into one.

What did you think of the CCR?

A friend of the family raises corgi's for show and my kids just love QUinn. But like all good herders it is in the blood, and I hated getting nipped by our Old English. With chickens and sheep I too am leary of any of that type of herding dogs.

(Quinn was invited to that big show in Feb for a special award; so I guess he's done good!)

Rotties are supposed to be nice sane dogs. When I was really active showing every weekend in the 80s and 90s they were horrors. Of course a judge has to look in a dog's face! How else do you look at their expression, the shape and color of their eye? A show dog that can't cope with that does not belong in the show ring or breeding kennel. These are show dogs, not some dog that a judge just goes over. I mean, how many pet dogs are going to tolerate their testicles being handled, yet every male show dog has his testicles handled by a judge every time he walks in the ring, regardless of whether it is for Best In Show at Crufts or the Open male class. How a pet dog behaves and how a show dog is expected to behave are not the same.

I didn't like the few CCRs I saw. I didn't like that really aloof temperament. I tell you, I'm a Sheltie person at heart. I love my pit bull to bits, but I personally am not crazy about the mastiff-type temperament he has.

 

[fisherlady]

Tomtommom.... as a reference, I found this picture of the group of BGs along with their flockmate CornishX, by the date stamp on the picture I figured they were about 23 days old or so at the time.

That is one of the smaller Cornish we had and as you can see it is already nearly twice the size of the BGs, Beekissed made a good point in mentioning the separate feeders... the Cornish will overwhelm any other chicks with them when it comes to feeding time!

 

[Beekissed]

Here's a comparison of 4 wk old free ranged CX pullet and a DP cockerel, fed the same feeds:



And below is what happens if you even have them with a full grown flock of layers at feeding time if you don't give them their own feeder and feed them first...a little ways away from the layer flock. They are like sharks in a feeding frenzy and they don't care if they get pecked or hurt in any way, they will just continue to eat~while your layer hens stand there and watch helplessly.

 

[dutchbunny83]

I keep mine all together. I've never had an issue with fighting. I also put chicks right in with the layers, I've never had an issue with pecking, though they have a lot of room. My pair of turkeys had their own pen & they started putting themselves to bed in with the chickens, I think they were lonely just the 2 of them. I've kept ducklings in with my chickens too.

BUT my one time with the broilers, they were super gross & pooped everywhere & made a mess. The other chickens didn't like that I had them separate. I switched to freedom rangers. When I have a bunch they are in separate pens.

 

[Beekissed]

I keep mine all together. I've never had an issue with fighting. I also put chicks right in with the layers, I've never had an issue with pecking, though they have a lot of room. My pair of turkeys had their own pen & they started putting themselves to bed in with the chickens, I think they were lonely just the 2 of them. I've kept ducklings in with my chickens too.

BUT my one time with the broilers, they were super gross & pooped everywhere & made a mess. The other chickens didn't like that I had them separate. I switched to freedom rangers. When I have a bunch they are in separate pens.

Just got to raise them a little differently to get different results....mine had a coop you couldn't even smell in the hottest part of summer because the only time they spent in there was at night and I used deep litter, as well as fermented feed. Mine were quite pleasant to keep and not much different than any other chicken once I moved to fermented feeds.

My first batch were a little stinky but then, most of their poops were out on pasture too, and I didn't know about fermented feeds back then. They were still very clean and not a bit super gross.

 

[dutchbunny83]

That's good.
I only tried once & I hated them. Ended up selling them at 3 weeks old at a loss just so they'd be gone.
The next time we did the freedom rangers & I was really happy with them.
I'm trying some Black Rangers from Ideal this Spring, they're supposed to be like the freedom rangers, just darker.
They take about 12 weeks to mature & have the texture/taste of a heritage without all the time.
Any "regular" chickens I grow out to be roosters all go to freezer camp too.
I did fermented feed with the rangers & my turkeys and it definitely made a difference on the amount of food going to waste, that's definitely the only way I'd do it from now on.

 

[Tomtommom]

Just started my first batch of lacto-fermented feed. Just layer pellets with a small bit of cultured buttermilk and lactobacillus powder (Culturelle). Hoping my birds will perk up some. Winter has not been kind to them. I've also ordered some barley to sprout, since we've all been lacking in the 'getting our veggies' department. We've got plans drawn up for two large grazing frames, will probably make them in the next two weeks.

It does show me which birds are going to be keepers and which ones are going to find a new home. They ones going are not unhealthy by any means, they're just not glossy and awesome looking like they were last summer. Their skin looks a tad try and a bit flaky and one of my white rocks is eating feathers by the bucket load (keeping her though) even though they get lots of protein... starting to think it's lack of green stuff, hence the barley.

All this new food stuffs oughta make for some tasty meaties that don't stink too much.... if I get the hang of it all!

So much to learn still, so little time. It gets overwhelming at times, wanting to do it all and do it right the first time.