Ranger Grow-Out Journals

[wholehearted]

Hi Everyone!

We are raising our first Freedom Rangers, and would like to join in on this journal thread. I have found it very helpful so far! I enjoy seeing the pics too. I am happily surprised at what nice looking birds the Rangers are.

Our chicks are 2 weeks old today. Going to have to find a new way to weigh them soon. They are growing very fast. In fact, I posted a separate question/thread about whether it's too fast. The little box on the scale isn't going to hold them much longer!

Number of chicks: 26
Cost of chicks: $50.00 + $10.00 shipping
Hatch Date: 20 April 2011
Feed: Hiland Naturals Non-GMO Starter 21%

27 April 2011 (one week)
Weight: (lo/hi/ave): 4.2/5.7/5.02 oz.
Feed Consumed: (current week/total) 9/9 lbs

04 May 2011 (two weeks)
Weight (lo/hi/ave): 9.7/13.5/11.73 oz.
Feed Consumed: (current week/total) 22/31 lbs

(Finished up starter feed and transitioned to Hiland Naturals Soy-free Grower 19%)

11 May 2011 (three weeks)
Weight (lo/hi/ave): 17.8/27.8/23.03 oz.
Feed consumed: (current week/total) 30/61 lbs.

18 May 2011 (four weeks)
Weight (lo/hi/ave): 26.8/43.9/35.95 oz.
Feed consumed: (current week/total): 45/106 lbs

25 May 2011 (five weeks)
Weight (lo/hi/ave): 33.6/58.1/45.73 oz.
Feed consumed: (current week/total): 59/165 lbs.
Note: this was the first week outdoors in the tractor

1 June 2011 (six weeks)
Weight (lo/hi/ave): 42.3/78.7/60.68 oz.
Feed consumed: (current week/total): 85/250
Total Weight: 1577.8 oz. (98.61 lb)


Looking forward to adding to this as the weeks go on.

 

[TimG]

A few comments:

1) These pictures of mature FR are similar to what mine look like. I think these are the "red" and "yellow" (buff) versions, there is also a "tricolor" version that as the name suggests is a less uniformly colored bird.

2) I have one rooster and one hen that made it to a full year. My flock of about 12 experienced a lot of "flip" -- I would find a dead FR on its back, so I assume "flip". They got 20% feed for the first 7-8 weeks and layer feed after that -- I was not pushing their growth.

3) I had three pullets when I started collecting eggs, but I think only one of them was laying. She laid almost every day. Either I had one good layer and two-non layers, or the three of them were each laying an egg every 3rd day. I NEVER found two eggs on the same day when they were isolated. I don't think my hen has been laying this spring. Though I did find one speckled egg yesterday that I think is hers. Anyway, my experience has been that they are not good layers.

4) I have 6 second generation FR that are ready for the butcher. I have not weighed them in weeks, but will at least report dressed weights after they are processed. They grew much slower than their parents, but I think a lot of that was a result of their feeding habits (they buried their food in shavings so that they didn't have access to feed 24/7) and being raised in an unheated barn from a few weeks of age.

5) I have basically given up on the idea of raising FR for two reasons: mortality rate, not in the first few weeks, but in the 6-10 month old range; and poor egg laying. I will buy FR chicks and raise them for meat in the future, I just won't be trying to maintain a sustainable flock.

6) I think my second generation FR started hatching on day 20, but that has been typical of my non-FR hatches too. I don't have enough experience to declare that it is breed specific.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Thanks for the update, Tim. I've been wondering how your new ones have been doing.

 

[RHB]

Thank you, your work has saved us a lot of time and engery. Thank you

 

[Pineywoods Peepers]

Wholehearted,

Your chicks are growing at a phenomenal rate! At three weeks your smallest is bigger than my biggest! I'll be interested to see how they turn out.

Our chicks were 9 weeks yesterday. I updated my post on page 16 to include weights from this week and last week.

We plan on processing at least 1/2 on Saturday. If I had my druthers I'd like to get them all done this weekend, but the folks I'm splitting them with are only planning on processing 25 of them.
They may be in for a surprise come the weekend. hehehe

Honestly I'm tired of having to take care of these guys! They're so much more work than my layers!! And they STINK!!

 

[brandislee]

I have a question about changing their feed... I don't plan on keeping any past processing (if I Do FR, I haven't ordered any yet, but may after I finish up this batch of CX) so this is just for my own curiosity and knowledge.

Doesn't a lower protein feed lead to more fat gain? That's what I had gathered from various sources. So wouldn't switching to a lower protein layer feed for these meaties cause them to put on more fat, and possibly contribute to high rate of flip? I was under the impression that the higher protein for meat birds wasn't to speed up growth, but to keep the weight they put on from being fat instead of muscle tissue (more protein= more muscle/meat, less protein/more carbs= more fat). Am I wrong?

So would it possibly help the mortality rate to keep them on a higher protein feed and then supplement calcium once they start laying? I know, the only way for me to find this out would be to try it, and while I'm curious I'm not THAT curious... I don't have enough housing to try it just to satisfy my lust to know everything lol

 

[WildflowerJLH]

I am curious to know what others have been feeding their FRs! Mine seem to be growing so much slower than any others that I have seen data for. Mine were 3 weeks yesterday. Here are the general weights so far:

Week Hi Low Avg
1 2.7 oz 1.5 oz 2.1 oz
2 4.3 oz 2.0 oz 3.1 oz
3 7.4 oz 3.2 oz 5.0 oz

 

[Pineywoods Peepers]

That does seem like rather slow growth, Wildflower. My birds started out on 20% protein chick starter for the first two weeks then we switched to an 18% grower for the 7 weeks. Earlier this week I mixed their feed 50/50 with corn. I meant to do that sooner, but I had planned on processing at 10 weeks, and these guys are ready to go down now.

Are you feeding free choice? We did. I know some folks with CX do 12 on and 12 off, but we just left food in with the FR's around the clock. I usually have to fill up their feeders a couple of times a day. If/when we do this again, I'm putting 2 more PVC feeders in the movable pen, so hopefully I won't have to fill up food bowls twice a day.

 

[WildflowerJLH]

I am not restricting feeding in any way. We are feeding Modesto Milling Soy-free organic starter 22% protein. We special ordered this to get the high protein recommended by the hatchery.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Quote:
My five 3-week-old FRs are still on 18% chick starter/grower. Four of them range from 17-21 oz. There is a smaller one but I haven't been able to catch him to weigh him lately.

Wildflower, have you checked your scale for accuracy? It's not unusual for a scale to be off by a few ounces.

What is the weather like? My two 7-week-olds, hatched before spring really arrived, grew a little slower than these ones but now they are growing at a faster rate. Your Rangers could pick up their appetites and have some growth spurts.