Raisins Meat Birds

[Stoney22]

does anybody know where i could get some chicks to raise and hopefully butcher around Autumn time in the concord, nh area?

 

[ferniebubba64]

Freedom Ranger chicks grow great and are good big birds for eating. They are good egg layers also. Google JM Hatchery. You can find them that way

 

[snowfarm]

some feed stores will pre order but atleast in my area, this is usually in spring & all chicks are already delivered.
i've used mcmurray hatchery [chicks will arrive in the mail] with success, but they do have a minimum.
i got my meat birds in mid may & they will be ready for butcher at 8 - 10 weeks [mid to late July]. I've some 8 lb roasters by that age, so if you plan to keep them until Autumn, you may need to let them free range to keep some weight off. Otherwise, they are known to get so heavy, they cannot walk.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Deffinatley suggest Freedom Rangers for the summer raising and fall harvest.....but you can do a batch of Cornish starting around Labor day and butcher them easily before Holloween.....

 

[LilyD]

If you are looking for quick meaties cornish crosses are grown out in like 8 weeks to about 5 pounds dressed out. You can order them from welp hatchery and I have had nothing but good service from them so far. We have ordered both meat birds and layers.

 

[BarredBuff]

I plan to do 25 Cornish rocks and butcher in October. I just have to order them.......

 

[LilyD]

I am on my second batch for this year we order three batches through the summer months and finish up around October or November with our last batch then we have enough chicken to make us through until the next years processing.

I am going to try Brahmas next year. I hear they are slow growing but both the roos and hens dress out at over 6 pounds by 6 months so they should make a good meat bird without the problems that you have with the faster growing birds.

 

[krcote]

Quote:
I happen to be IN Concord NH, the East Side to be exact! I got my Freedom Rangers from Freedom Ranger Hatchery Inc. Great company to deal with. Mine are 3 weeks old and doing great. I ordered 50, they sent me 52. All were alive and strong on arrival. I lost two within the next week, so I am down to the original 50. Can't beat that! I highly recommend ordering.

 

[Jschaaff]

Hello! I'm in Barnstead, 30 minutes from you!

I use Chichester Blue Seal, on Rte 28 for cornish x's. They run about 1.65 a piece. Their number is 603-435-6942. If you call, they can give you a schedule of when they will be ordering chicks through out the summer/fall. I found it was a lot cheaper for me to order from them, per bird, then to use most online sites.

There is a person in Barrington right now, though that's a ways away from you, maybe 45 minutes, that is selling 3 week old Cornish for 3.00 a piece... I know that doesn't help you out this fall..but anyone else local that is looking to grab them now... the ads been on craigslist nh the last couple of day.

Tractor Supply Company on Rte 4 (Chichester too, I think) right before Concord , often has chickens available in their store. Their number is 603-798-4424. They also have a flyer there that lists all the poultry they sell, and their prices, and you can order almost any time I think, and pick up at the store, though I might be wrong..they may have set days throughout the month. I think they are a bit on the expensive side, but they have a great variety of breeds, incase you are looking for something other than cornish X.

You will need to purchase your dual purpose birds asap if you are looking to slaughter this fall, but if you want cornish, like another poster said, they are usually butchered by 8 weeks, so you could purchase in August/September and butcher in October.


Good luck!
-Jessa