Size pen and feeding for finishing meat brids???

[ESofVA]

I have several roosters that are almost 4 months old that I want to slaughter for meat (Actually I would like to kill them right not for stalking chicks!...but I will wait). They have been on pasture during the day and penned at night. I need to know if I should start keeping them in a small pen? If so, how much space per rooster? What and when do I feed them? I use SS All Grain Broiler Maker...do I need to add anything else? They also get vegetables that are too big from our garden and table scraps.
Anything else I need to know??? This is the first time I have ever raised chicks for meat and the first time in 35 yrs I have had chickens!!
TY for any help you can give me!!!
Debbie

 

[bobbi-j]

I can't say how many feet per bird - just be sure they have some space to move around so they're not over-crowded. You'll know if they are by their behavior. Constant fighting, picking, etc. I have 13 cockerels in a grow-out pen myself. It's an attached coop/run. Coop is 5'z7', and run is 12'x16'. The feed is out constantly, so they get free choice. It's a finisher feed. Mine free ranged up until a week or so ago. They are about the same age as yours and had started chasing the pullets around constantly. The breeds I have aren't a real meaty type, but hopefully they'll build up a little more before we butcher.

 

[ESofVA]

I can't say how many feet per bird - just be sure they have some space to move around so they're not over-crowded. You'll know if they are by their behavior. Constant fighting, picking, etc. I have 13 cockerels in a grow-out pen myself. It's an attached coop/run. Coop is 5'z7', and run is 12'x16'. The feed is out constantly, so they get free choice. It's a finisher feed. Mine free ranged up until a week or so ago. They are about the same age as yours and had started chasing the pullets around constantly. The breeds I have aren't a real meaty type, but hopefully they'll build up a little more before we butcher.

How long are you going to keep them up total before you butcher??? I am tired of watchiing the roosters stalking my 6 wk chicks! My chicks have their own pen inside of the large one but it is open enough for them to come and go and retreat to. I have also placed boards in such a way that they can run behind those in one of the corners. In another place, I have a 5 gal bucket with two openings cut in it so they can run in there and out the other hole if they need to. I have one rooster that watches for them to come out even when it (the rooster) is out in the yard. Another waits at the door of the smaller pen to peck them if they try to go in or come out! Main reason I decided to NOT keep BR's. I have selected Salmon Faverolles and Dark Cornish as my main two kinds to keep.

 

[bobbi-j]

Mine will be able to be there as long as I want to keep them. Maybe another month or so. Depends on whether or not I feel they have enough meat on them. They have plenty of space. If I were you, I'd pen the roosters and the 6-week olds separately. After all, the little ones are going to keep growing and eventually outgrow the openings in their "safe places". Can you put a fence or some other sort of barrier in the middle of your run to keep them separate? So far mine are doing OK in their enclosure. A few squabbles, but nothing serious.

 

[ESofVA]

Yes, I could separate them but then the young ones wouldn't have access to the main door to go out in the yard. I will have to think of something but won't let the freezer chickens out anymore.