Questions on raising meat birds.

[OSUman]

I have a couple questions about meat birds:

Where do you order them from (cheapest/ most productive)?

How easy are they to sell (do you do presale or just wait til you have them butchered)?

How easy is it to raise them just on the pasture (like Salatin)?

Do you keep them in pens or let them out durring the days?

Thanks

 

[jaku]

I order from Townline Hatchery, but it doesn't really matter- order from the closest to you. I sell them to mostly people at my work and at my wife's work. It's getting pretty popular at both places. I presell, like Salatin. I also pasture raise them- it's tougher than layers, and requires a few minutes, several times per day, but it's not bad. Mine stay in the pen all day.

 

[OSUman]

Do you dont feed them at all you just move them around the field right?
I was thinking about ordering from Sunnyside have you heard of them or there quality of meat birds i think its the same strand as MM but its alot cheaper at $1 for any amount im only going to get 25 - 50

 

[willheveland]

Quote:
They won't live on grass,if they even eat any at all,you have to feed them broiler feed or they will starve. Will

 

[OSUman]

is that how salatin does it i have some people that want it done that way and i thought it was posible

 

[jaku]

Nope- you have to feed them- A LOT. I've never found a single blade of grass in the crop of a Cornish X. Joel Salatin feeds his birds his own mix of broiler feed. There's a chapter dedicated to it in his book. They will starve quick unless fed.

 

[OSUman]

WOW i totally misunderstood his methods i thought it was purely grass

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I wish! Although with the amount they eat, they would probably mow your yard down to bare dirt in a week! Many people have gotten their birds to eat grass- in fact, my layers love it. Never the broilers though, at least for me.

 

[OSUman]

What do you think about sunnysid hatchery??

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Hey for a $1.00 / bird your looking at a decent price.

Meyer Hatchery is having a good deal right now on their broilers... check them out...

If your good you can get 30% of their diet in just what they find out on pastures...

I havn't even came close. With side by side comparisons.... I'm at about 18%... I'm starting to think 30% is a bit high.

Anyhow... good luck.