starting a meatie flock?

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I have my first batch of cornish now. I set up an additional small coop with a yard, and I treat them just like I do my other chickens. They have food 24/7 but don't eat at night when it's dark, they come out to free-range during the day, and I haven't lost any. They are kinda ugly, but SOOO friendly and will come sit in my hands and love to petted. They act just like my other chickens, running around, flying, dust bathing, etc. I think it helps A LOT that I have a small number, only 6. Anything over 25 would be a pain from all the poo. I like them a lot, but am going to try Freedom Rangers in the spring just to see the differences.

Just my experience so far.

There are basically 4 options with a meatie flock;
1. Cornish rocks
2. Freedome Rangers
3. Some Dual purpose breeds
4. A dual purpose breed mixed with one of the above.
5. And of course you can eat any extras from a laying flock, there just wont be as much meat and they will take MUCH longer to get to the weight to butcher them.

Here are mine with some other chicks the same age. They are 5 weeks and 3.5 pounds already.

 

[shaft0463]

Granted I'm not raising mine on commercial feed, and it took me until about 4 weeks to figure out just how much they really could eat, but I've not had any issues with mine just sitting around. They eat grass, scratch for bugs, take dust baths, etc. They have food 24/7 now (sleep at night), and they will take breaks from the feeder to play or nap in the sun. I also keep water in front of them 24/7 by letting the hose drip into their water dish.

Of course it helps that I take them treats, and they are right outside my back door. So every time I walk out the door they come running over to see if I brought them anything.

 

[abhaya]

Thanks for all the replys

 

[Bossroo]

Think of it this way... you are in the widget (meat) business. You can produce 4 widgets (4 lbs) in 6 weeks. Or you can produce 4 widgets (4 lbs) in 12-14 weeks or another choice is to produce 4 widgets (4lbs) in 16-24 weeks. Eather way you get to eat 4 widgets. The variable is TIME between meals and that depends on one's attitude and management abilities.

 

[twister]

my first experience w meaties has been very positive. I do house them in a tractor, separate from the layers. That tractor needs to be moved 2x daily now that they are in the 7wk. Up until the 6wk, you can get by w moving it just once daily. Consider that you need enough pasture to move it that many times over 8 or 9 weeks.

from this first experience, one thing I KNOW i will never do is raise them spring /summer.... i could not imagine the smell or flies.