size of tractor for 25 White Rock (cornish X)

[RUNuts]

be careful using a small bucket. A 5 gallon may be better so they don't hop out. I'm puzzling the same thing and saw a 5 gallon bucket with the fish scale working on utube.

I attempted 10, wound up with 5. Congratulations on having all 25 make it! 20 is my nest goal. Cockerals first round of butcher and hens next.

 

[Minky]

I did all males. This was my 1st time, and they were great- although gross and poopy- but friendly and calm. I figured all males would give me a bigger bird.. worth the extra .30 cents.
I think the small bucket would work better. They cant hop out, I tried it. Mine are too fat and take up the entire bottom of the bucket. The tall 5 gallon pails would work too though. I wouldn't think a lid is needed.
I want to try the hanging hook scale since the bucket covers the entire bathroom scale and you cannot read the weight. Also, in the sun (I do it in the orchard) the digital scale was so hard to see.
Here is one at 7 weeks 6 days. This guy was 10.2 lbs. Going for processing tonight.

 

[Minky]

Ok, got birds back. They were exactly 8 weeks. Largest is 7.04 lbs. Smallest exactly 6.
To me they all look really big compared to the store birds!
The other 11 are going in two weeks.

Had my first death, found him upside down in the tractor yesterday morning.
In other news-- my "lame" bird is doing great. Still hobbling about, and getting fed breakfast outside the tractor each day so he can take his time. Hoping to get him a bit bigger. He looks like he's halted at about that 6 lb live weight size.

I think next year I'll bring them all to 9 weeks. 10 maybe too long??

 

[Northern.Ontario]

Ok, got birds back. Largest is 7.04 lbs. Smallest exactly 6.
To me they all look really big compared to the store birds!
The other 11 are going in two weeks.

Had my first death, found him upside down in the tractor yesterday morning.
In other news-- my "lame" bird is doing great. Still hobbling about, and getting fed breakfast outside the tractor each day so he can take his time. Hoping to get him a bit bigger. He looks like he's halted at about that 6 lb live weight size.

I think next year I'll bring them all to 9 weeks. 10 maybe too long??

Was the dead ones comb and waddle purple? with purple skin? I had one that died a few days ago from ascites (fluid build up in the chest and abdomen cavity). Or yours could have been sudden death or "flip over disease". I'm aiming for 7lbs post processing. Mine are 5 weeks old now but only weigh around 3 lbs...

 

[Minky]

I didn't notice any purple, nope. And it was alive at bedtime (10) when I covered the tractor with a tarp. Feet outstretched and in the air. Weird. I didn't even notice until I reached in to fill water. I found a BIG jump in size form 6 weeks to 8 weeks. At 6 weeks mine looked like chickens, at 8 weeks, like fat little "turkey birds".

 

[Northern.Ontario]

I didn't notice any purple, nope. And it was alive at bedtime (10) when I covered the tractor with a tarp. Feet outstretched and in the air. Weird. I didn't even notice until I reached in to fill water. I found a BIG jump in size form 6 weeks to 8 weeks. At 6 weeks mine looked like chickens, at 8 weeks, like fat little "turkey birds".

Did you record any weights between weeks 4 to 5?

 

[Minky]

Below is a post of mine I found that talks about weights, But if I remember correctly I didnt weigh them after they went out into the tractor. Not for a few weeks. I think 3 weeks -1.5 lbs, 4 weeks 2.5 lbs, 5 weeks -3.5-4 lbs, 6 weeks, 6 lbs, 7 weeks, 7.5-8 lbs, 8 weeks 9.5-10 lbs That would be my guess.
______Ok, here they are!... so they are almost 4 weeks old. (Ive had them 3 weeks 5 days). I weigh every Wednesday. Last Wednesday the average weight was 1 lb 12 oz. Biggest was 1 lb 14 oz, smallest was 1 lb 3 oz. So I'm guessing they are 2.5 now? I dont know if that's average, or small-- certainly a lot smaller than some!! We'll see on Wednesday. They forage like nuts when I move the tractor in the AM. I will start moving it twice a day next week. They are still feathering out, but its coming along. They are all males. In the background you can see the box I gave them to cuddle under. Seems to be working. Nights are about 5-7 degrees Celcius here.
It is shocking how much they eat. I feed them 8 am and 5 pm. They get any leftover scrambled eggs, or bits of fruit too, and a few oats here and there. And I give them a handful or two of turkey starter each day ..and about 20 scoops of organic feed.
I try and keep them full enough so that there isnt a crazy frenetic feeding frenzy, but so that their trough is empty by the time I feed them again. They are drinking about 1.5 gallons a day. There are 25 still!____________

I think I fed them a total of 1 bag of turkey starter 27% protein, mixed with all of their organic chick starter 22%, then i switched to grower 20% and the last organic grower I switched to was only 18% protein (it was $27 a bag rather than $43).
I bought another bag of turkey feed (grower this time) 25% protein. I will use it on all my chickens (egg and meat) once in a while, a little sprinkling. With all the free ranging I think they need a little extra boost when there arent many bugs out.

 

[Minky]

if your birds have all their feathers they may have been putting some of that protein into building feathers. Mine were inside until 3 weeks, and my neighbour put hers out in the barn with a heat lamp right away--- at 5 weeks hers were way better looking, more feathers, but mine were 25% bigger at that age.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

Below is a post of mine I found that talks about weights, But if I remember correctly I didnt weigh them after they went out into the tractor. Not for a few weeks. I think 3 weeks -1.5 lbs, 4 weeks 2.5 lbs, 5 weeks -3.5-4 lbs, 6 weeks, 6 lbs, 7 weeks, 7.5-8 lbs, 8 weeks 9.5-10 lbs That would be my guess.
______Ok, here they are!... so they are almost 4 weeks old. (Ive had them 3 weeks 5 days). I weigh every Wednesday. Last Wednesday the average weight was 1 lb 12 oz. Biggest was 1 lb 14 oz, smallest was 1 lb 3 oz. So I'm guessing they are 2.5 now? I dont know if that's average, or small-- certainly a lot smaller than some!! We'll see on Wednesday. They forage like nuts when I move the tractor in the AM. I will start moving it twice a day next week. They are still feathering out, but its coming along. They are all males. In the background you can see the box I gave them to cuddle under. Seems to be working. Nights are about 5-7 degrees Celcius here.
It is shocking how much they eat. I feed them 8 am and 5 pm. They get any leftover scrambled eggs, or bits of fruit too, and a few oats here and there. And I give them a handful or two of turkey starter each day ..and about 20 scoops of organic feed.
I try and keep them full enough so that there isnt a crazy frenetic feeding frenzy, but so that their trough is empty by the time I feed them again. They are drinking about 1.5 gallons a day. There are 25 still!____________

I think I fed them a total of 1 bag of turkey starter 27% protein, mixed with all of their organic chick starter 22%, then i switched to grower 20% and the last organic grower I switched to was only 18% protein (it was $27 a bag rather than $43).
I bought another bag of turkey feed (grower this time) 25% protein. I will use it on all my chickens (egg and meat) once in a while, a little sprinkling. With all the free ranging I think they need a little extra boost when there arent many bugs out.

Nicely done. You must be proud of the results. What changes will you make for the next batch?

 

[Minky]

yeah, I think it went ok.

I was surprised they never got better looking. Always bald bellies, you know. yuck.
I think I will have dh make a brooder, rather than try and source out a big freezer box each year to brood them in. I will hang water in pails next year- we made one at about 5 weeks but it just dripped all the time, and then it never got fixed/remade. I dont like coming out and seeing their water is empty or pooped in so they are all thirsty.
I will add another trough for food. We used pvc pipe, and it worked really well, but when they are full size, only 20 can feed at a time. I'd like room for everyone. I would like to sell enough of them so that my costs are covered- and we can eat for free! That is my goal.
Id also like to try and source a local mill or farmer who uses non gmo, no spray grain and get a better price on healthy feed! I think I met someone at the butcher shop who can help me with this.