I have been seriously considering buying chickens but right now I am doing my homework. If I am understanding correctly it takes about 4 weeks before chicks are old enough to leave the brooder. The meat birds I am looking to buy are Cornish Rock and according to Ideal they are ready to slaughter in 4 to 5 weeks. Do meat birds ever get a chance to leave the brooder before slaughter? When can you put them outside? BTW great site, I am learning a lot.
Quote:The meat birds do grow super fast but they don't feather in as fast as they grow. They are usually ready for dispatch around 8 - 10 weeks. 4 - 5 weeks would be a tiny bird for dinner. This time of the year the temps are just too cold to let them go without heat. 2weeks is far too young to take the heat away especially this time of year. In doing so you would have chicks dead and dying with a day or two. At this time of the yea you will have to brood them and offer them a heat source for nearly their entire growing periods. Just because they are fast growers you cannot forget they are still 'chicks' - just giant chicks. Lack of a proper heat source and they will sicken and die on you very quickly. On warm days they can go outside once they get some feathers to them but you still need to be cautious. Wet grows, cold weather = weakened chicks and possibly a cocci outbreak. Better to be safe than sorry and loose the entire flock. If the weather were warmer (above 70) you would need to provide heat for as long but they would still need heat at night.
Thank you Miss Prissy, that was exactly what I needed to know. This will defiantly change the size of brooder I will make. Thank you
