Schlecht Hatchery Results

[Raven Lane Farm]

I just had my 29 broilers from Schlecht Hatchery processed on Wednesday.

I ordered 35 they sent 37.

I lost 7 birds at 2.5 weeks from our heatwave when I moved them from the brooder. (hind site is 20/20)

1 was lost from a hawk.

Free Ranged inside PoultryNet Plus from 2.5 weeks to 8 weeks. Consumed approximately 520lbs of Kalmbach unmedicated poultry starter/grower (20% protein) fed once daily. Smallest pullet was about 4 pounds dressed, largest cockerel was exactly 7 lbs dressed. They ranged inside their enclosure till the last day, I saw one jumping for a bug at the end of week 7. I did not have any with leg problems or any of the other conditions associated with Cornish X. On the last day, I thought I lost one to flip but he had just tipped over. I put him on his feet and he made it to the processor.

I am completely satisfied and will be ordering from them again in the spring. If anyone has not tried using free range with their meat birds it is definitely the way to go. Once they were in the enclosure, I spent 5 minutes a day feeding and watering and occasional moving their shelter. The birds were very clean and our processor asked if they were a fair project. I raised 5 golden comet pullets with them and they ranged all day even in the rain until I filled their feeding troughs, I never had a feeder stampede.

 

[Life is Good!]

Good to know!

Enjoy the "fruits" of your labors!

 

[MikeG]

We received 75 last week from Schlect Hatchery. I forgot to count before I put them in the brooder and can't get them to stand still long enough to count. Figure I can count on processing day. Lost 1 yesterday to unknown causes. The price and service was great and they seem healthy and full of vigor.. Plan is to process at 11 weeks.

Have the brooder in the tractor barn and I'm scared to start the tractor as they'll all have heart attacks!

So you moved them to pasture at 2.5 weeks?

 

[Raven Lane Farm]

Yes, ours were out on free range pasture at 2.5 weeks. I was worried about the heat in the barn and moved them out early. I brood laying chicks with the broilers as they seem to teach the broilers how to forage and act like chickens, it is beneficial to the layers as I don't have to keep them under the lights very long because the broilers keep them warm and i move the pullets into the laying flock as soon as the broilers are processed. I use the zero turn and tractor around the chicks and it doesn't seem to bother them to much.

 

[Sandrachx]

i just ordered poultry net plus last week. i thought little chicks would get through the fencing? did you experience that? also, did you shoosh them into the coop in the evenings?

i ordered 35 freedom ranger chicks and received 56 (!) - their error, my blessing! they are now 2 weeks old and in the coop with the other 35 black broilers (4 wks old). so the fencing should arrive just in time. that's 91 chicks to shepherd and i'm a tad concerned.

 

[jdc]

The chicks can squeeze though till about 4 weeks so make sure it is always on or when you are feeding you don't scare them near the edges. I don't even worry about what they do at night our only losses have been due to a hawk. They do use the shelters (ours look like short tables) to get out of the rain. I put our fencing under the trees and they will forage most of the day unless it is really hot.

 

[beckyjo]

I wanted to say that I also ordered from Schlect last year. I ordered 50...received 53. 2 died within the first week. That was it. All were in awesome health at processing time. I processed between 8 and 10 weeks and they were HUGE. I only weighted a few the first week. The boys were around 8-9# live weight at 8 weeks. For the cost ($1+ cheaper each than McMurray)...I thought that the quality was excellent. I was going to try another hatchery as a comparison as I heard a lot of "you get what you pay for." But why mess with excellence. I do plan to order all boys this year since I found them to be less fatty and less slippery to process because of the lack of fat. Thanks to those who suggested Schlect to me!
Becky

 

[redsoxs]

I just checked out the Schlect website...loved their prices. I might consider them on my next Cornish X order.

 

[CarriageStone]

We've received two orders from Schlecht. Etta was always very nice to deal with and the chicks were great. Our last batch, processed at 8 weeks old last July 4th were flying over the 2' tall tractor sides on processing day. Healthy birds! Will always order from Schlechts until they get so busy from these recommendations that they can't fill my orders.