Slow growing Red Rangers

[ijon]

I raised Freedom Rangers from their hatchery. They really tasted good. Smaller than frankin chickens, but more healthy.

 

[Betsy57]

I raised Freedom Rangers from their hatchery. They really tasted good. Smaller than frankin chickens, but more healthy.

How are they more healthy? The chickens themselves or healthier for people who eat them? Never heard that before if they're healthier for people eating them.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

 
I raised Freedom Rangers from their hatchery. They really tasted good. Smaller than frankin chickens, but more healthy.

How are they more healthy? The chickens themselves or healthier for people who eat them? Never heard that before if they're healthier for people eating them.

They themselves are healthier. Cornish Cross get so big, so fast they have many health problems. If they are healthier for people it would be due to less body fat on the bird. My Cornish Cross were very fatty.

 

[Betsy57]

My husband and I decided to go with Red Rangers this year for meat birds as they looked to be the middle ground between heritage birds taking 6 months to mature and cornish crosses that looked to be feathery lumps. This is our third year raising birds, our first year we had barred rocks as our meaties (they were the other half of our straight run we ordered to get egg birds). We were pretty disappointed by the carcasses. Very little breast meat (but the thighs and legs were good sized). The meat tasted great. Last year we went with Buff Orpingtons because of their reputation for good temperaments and being bigger birds than the rocks we were hoping for a little bigger birds. Well, that was a no go. Horrible temperaments, CONSTANT fighting and aggressive toward us. Some birds were being so badly bullied they couldn't get off their perch to eat or drink. The bullies were so busy being bullies and chasing everyone else around they did not gain weight like they should have either. We split everyone up into small groups, but then THEY would fight. It was a nightmare. We gave up and slaughtered everyone at five months. Disappointment yet again. Now this year, hoping for a little better carcass we went with the Red Rangers. They are almost 6 months old and have not really put a lot of meat on their bones. They are heavy birds, but I can still feel their keels pretty prominently and the legs/thighs aren't much better. They eat a 22% protein meat maker crumble (available at all times) and have access to forage in a field all day. They are put into a large secure coop each evening with a lot of places to perch. Everyone is bright, alert and active, eating well and stools look good.

What I'm getting at is, has anyone else had this problem with red rangers? Am I expecting too much of a difference in the carcass of
a red ranger to that of a heritage breed? Should I keep feeding them hoping that they'll "fatten up" or cut my losses and butcher the lot?


This is one of the little roos at about 4 weeks old.

Gee, I've never had aggressive Buffs. How terrible!

 

[Betsy57]

Huh, I have generally heard pretty good reviews of cackles birds but I'm sure they have certain breeds that are better than others, they are a hatchery after all, not going to always be paying attention to all the details, but for meat breeds that is not acceptable at all, the whole reason for buying them is to produce meat quickly, if they don't do that then they're not worth having around. That is very odd behavior out of buff orps we used to have a couple old hens they were the gentlest birds ever

I buy from Cackle Hatchery and never had a problem with one death or issues with their birds as far as behavior. Never had a buff be a problem.

 

[Betsy57]

I did notice when butchering the Red Rangers, they didn't have the interior cavity odor the Cornish Xs did. That was a positive!

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I did notice when butchering the Red Rangers, they didn't have the interior cavity odor the Cornish Xs did. That was a positive!  

Really? I have not butchered my red Rangers yet, so do not yet know how comparable they are. Just hoping for a healthier more active bird then the Cornish x. I freerange my birds, and had the hardest time getting them to move. Partially my fault, I kept them penned to long, but I like active birds.

 

[Betsy57]

Really? I have not butchered my red Rangers yet, so do not yet know how comparable they are. Just hoping for a healthier more active bird then the Cornish x. I freerange my birds, and had the hardest time getting them to move. Partially my fault, I kept them penned to long, but I like active birds.

I let my meat birds free range in their fenced-in yard. They moved around pretty good but not as much as the egg gals. They did start having some hard times walking but still waddled around pretty good. I did limit their food to try to get them to not grow too fast and think I butchered them starting at 7 weeks and the last one butchered at 9 weeks. They were 5-6.5 lbs if I recall correctly.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I have vicious cats, so I need to keep the chicks seperate from the cats. I allowed the Cornish Cross to stay in the brooder room too long.
This year I got a broiler pen and let the birds out as soon as I can get them away from the heat. I thought I would get a couple more Cornish x and see if with better conditions I like the birds better. But really they were too big for my family anyway. Something smaller would probably suit us better.

 

[ijon]

I am talking about the chickens. Chickens were the subject.