should I get meaties?

[prncssprplfrog]

I've got my laying hens & new chicks hatching to supplement that flock. I was thinking about getting some meat chicks next time I go to TSC to get butchered this summer.

I searched through the archives & can't really find something general about raising meat birds. Are they different than raising layers? I do know they grow faster, need feed w/ more protein, but what else?


I'm thinking of getting 5-6 cornish or cornish X.....Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

 

[joletabey]

I wouldn't mind answers to this, as we, too, are thinking of getting some Cornish Cross -

 

[ChickBond 007]

You will get all sides of the fence on this question, but my opinion is: keep them seperated from your regular flock. They are a much more aggressive bird and programmed to eat, eat, eat which will make feeding time very competitive. They can be prone to leg or respiratory problems once the weight goes on fast. I keep my seperated, provide unlimited feed for 12 hours, then remove for 12 hours. Mine last only 10 weeks before they are butchered. They taste wonderful.

 

[prncssprplfrog]

Why do you provide food 12 on & 12 off?

The way I'm redesigning my coop, I have a corner that is sectioned off for a bachelor pad/young brooder section. I could easily build a meat cooplette for 4-6 meaties. Someone else also suggested not to let them roost as they could get injured.

 

[Shifty Joe]

I just picked up 11 fatties (cornish crosses) to give them a go and here is my experience at two weeks:

1) They eat ALOT and poop EVEN MORE. Providing feed control is important because with the way they eat, they will out grow their legs before they hit five weeks.

2) They are getting much bigger than the other chicks I bought and if left together the fatties would dominate the food and water. Also, really is there any reason anyone should get attached to these birds?

3) No perching. This is just a side note, but the fatties don't do anything other than eat, drink, poop, and laydown. You need to make sure their pen is setup for this.

 

[prncssprplfrog]

Fatties!!!!

Certainly don't intend to get attached to them that's for sure! So- if I put food out while I'm at work- say 7 am-4 pm- every day would that be too much?

 

[tomlinson]

Putting feed out while you are at work would not be too much. Just relax and do what works for you. We all do things a little differently - nothing has to be precise.

Last year we raised 40 Cornish X for the freezer - we kept food to them 24/7. They are lazy, poop machines. We only had them for 12 weeks but we were SO glad when it was over...the end product was SO GOOD, we are doing it again this year. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever be asking my husband if we could raise meaties again. :-/

I plan to adjust the food this year - I like the 12 on 12 off suggestion made here. We did not experience leg problems but it seemed like we were shoveling 50# bags of feed out of the coop - if we could save 50% on the feed bill it would reduce the end cost of our birds substantially.

We have a moveable pen (chicken tractor) this year for them I think this will be much better as I hope they will eat more grass/bugs and not 100% feed. Trouble is getting the fatties to get up and move along with the pen..that is yet to be seen.

Wishing you the best.

 

[Shifty Joe]

That's about what I do. In the morning before the refill they are all around the empty food dish like they have lost all meaning in life. With my current experiences, I don't think I'll get these again... they just seem to be such doomed birds. Even though the next brooder over is filled with "normal" birds which the majority will also being joining the fatties in the freezer migration, at least they are happy little birds that will have a change to enjoy the next five and a half months... Fatties just want more feed to make more poop.

 

[prncssprplfrog]

Next question: Do you all butcher them yourself or do you have someone else do it?

 

[SamG347]

Better question isn't SHOULD YOU.....it is HOW MANY....

I butcher myself if doing a few but I don't have a plucker and just found a local Menanite butcher who can do a bird a minute for $2.00....taking this batch of 20 to him Memorial Day!