Raise only females and kill half for meat?

[deerman]

Quote:
With dual purpose breed they are larger, as hatch and butcher rooster at 12 weeks.

I understand butchering hens at 18 months,and replacing them yearly.
Hen best laying start at 6 months, and slow down after 18 months.
Plus I love chicken and dumpling from old laying hens.


Thats is how all the big laying farms do it.


Larger than just the laying breeds, not the meat birds.

 

[ninjapoodles]

What breeds is he wanting? We have butchered extra White Rocks and Buff Orpingtons, and found them delicious. Not super-meaty, but decent, at about 3 lbs. dressed out at 12 weeks.

At that same age, the pullets were way smaller.

I say, go ahead and let him do what he wants. My thinking is that after he goes through all the trouble of killing and plucking a few, then sees how little meat is on the carcass, he'll re-think his master plan.

Just bite your tongue when it comes time to say, "I told you so."

 

[PurpleChicken]

I didn't read this entire thread but I agree with what MissPrissy said.

Hens are tiny and consume a lot of feed. Plus it takes up to six months
just for them to start laying. Even heavy breed roos take a while to
grow and a still small.


You could try a straight run of Range Broilers from jmhatchery.com
I'm not sure how the hens would lay but the roos would be huge and
then hens would be at least worth it for meat.


However, being that I too am a husband (and pig headed stubborn too),
you may want to just let him figure this out on his own. He should be
here researching this with you.

P.S. You are gonna fall in love with your chickens. My wife was in a
very similiar situation as you.

 

[FarmerChick]

ok norahsmommy
this is a matter of what he wants....at some point I truly don't think it would hurt to give in and go with the flow of what he wants. He has something in mind, is set in his ways, and hey, thru all of life we have to compromise.

and what is the worst that happens....if you do process some hens and then they aren't as meaty, so what right? He will still have the joy of raising his own! and have that accomplishment.

and if he ends up not processing ANY of them.....lol.....then you have a wonderful flock of laying hens.

So pick out a good dual bird......I can't think of what to recommend right off the bat but we know so many people on here know the best meaty/egg layer dual bird there is to buy.

hey, sometimes we just make more out of it than we should. I say he has loved your coop plans, your ideas, etc. and has been a support to you basically and sounds like an all around great guy!!!!

so go for it and just enjoy the experience, cause hey, life is short to worry too much about a small flock project. live and learn right?

best of luck in what you guys decide to do!

 

[norahsmommy]

Oh, I know I am going to love my birds. I love every animal that comes our way. I am going to think of them as pets with benifits and so will my kids probably. But hubby sees animals as food. His dad used to raise rabbits for meat, as well as chickens and pigs. They deer hunt and do all that man stuff. I know all my meat used to have legs, and if he really wants to slaughter chickens I can get used to it, but I really think that its the roos that should get the chop, primarily at least. Although if the big day comes and he 'chickens out' so to speak, I'm not doing it!

Quote:

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
It's so funny how similiar our situations are, just that I'm sorta like your
hubby and you have the same feelings as my wife. It sounds to me
like you both have healthy, yet different perspectives on this.

My wife won't swing the hatchet but she will do everything else. She
ABSOLUTELY WON'T let us slaughter any of our laying hens. They are
pets with benefits, exactly as you said. She won't eat deer either.

Somehow your Hubby has to figure out that he is better off with laying
hens and meat roos, or just order the appropriate breeds.

Try showing him the meat birds at meyershatchery.com or jmhatchery.com
He may see them and be convinced immediately.

Then tell him to get to work on the coop.

 

[dancingbear]

The Cornish-X's are freaks, and I won't raise them, myself. The ranger broilers from JM are different, though, very healthy, vigorous, active, good foragers, and look like little basketballs with feathers. They act like real chickens. He may not mind those at all. They don't take much longer than Cornish-X, either. Some butcher CX's at 42 days, but most home growers wait 8 weeks. Rangers take 9-10 weeks.

Letting him learn by experience is definitely an option, and maybe the best one. If he does back out and not butcher any, and you have too many, laying hens are pretty easy to sell.

 

[FarmerChick]

yea I never raised Cornish X's but from what I have read on them they are freaks. I know it is a bird I won't be raising. So many meat farms are raising good old fashioned "barnyard" birds for meat now with great results.

 

[deerman]

Have raised many Cornish X Rock cross. Great meat bird ,but need butcher before 10 weeks, very low roost.