Straight Run vs Male vs Female

[JJSS89]

The younger they are the more tender they'll be but unless you don't have teeth, anything under 9-10 wks should be plenty tender.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you want the greatest return for your dollar, I'd spend the extra $ to get males. But, there is no one size fit's all answer here. Try straight run one time, and all males the next time.

 

[JJSS89]

How are males the best return on investment?

not trying to be difficult... If you want the biggest birds then definitely go with cockerels but they eat a proportionate amount to get that much bigger.

 

[lazy gardener]

Just my opinion: If the males cost you 20 cents more, but yield 2# more meat and do it a week or two sooner, that'll be 1 - 2 weeks worth of feed that you'll not need to buy for the males which are in the freezer, while you are still feeding those slower growing females, who still may not achieve the dressed weight of the males. They sell the males for more money, because, economically, they are worth more. YMMV!

 

[JJSS89]

Just my opinion: If the males cost you 20 cents more, but yield 2# more meat and do it a week or two sooner, that'll be 1 - 2 weeks worth of feed that you'll not need to buy for the males which are in the freezer, while you are still feeding those slower growing females, who still may not achieve the dressed weight of the males. They sell the males for more money, because, economically, they are worth more. YMMV!

Yes they yield more but they have to eat more to get that much bigger. If the males grew that much bigger without incurring a higher food cost then hatcheries could charge twice as much.

 

[CrazyTalk]

How are males the best return on investment?

not trying to be difficult... If you want the biggest birds then definitely go with cockerels but they eat a proportionate amount to get that much bigger.

It's not that simple.

At a given time period, females have slightly better feed conversion, but they produce significantly more fat (and less muscle) - IE if you grow birds out for 10 weeks, your males will be significantly larger than the females, and have eaten a proportionately larger amount of food. They'll have less body fat.

The problem is that feed conversion goes down as birds get older, so if you're looking for 5lb broilers, the males hit that point so much faster, and so much earlier on the feed conversion chart that they're significantly more efficient.

It's complicated.

http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/77/6/859.full.pdf

 

[duluthralphie]

Interesting thread....


I have CX's, I raised to batches last summer. I raised one batch the way the "instructions" say too.

The second batch I raised slower and withholding feed. I fed them only 20 minutes twice a day for a week or so, then just morning and evening and forced them to forage, in a tractor and free range depending on my plans for the day. They mainly free ranged from 2 weeks on.

I lost a few birds the first time to ascites, leg problems and who knows what else. I butchered them at around 42 days. The chickens tasted good but were not much different than Tyson of Golden Plump chickens. I had straight runs both times. I liked having different size birds in the freezer.

The second batch I did not lose one bird to a fast weight gain related disease, The only ones I lost were in accidents, (my over reacting elderly mother and a fishing net and a eagle.)

I butchered most of the second batch at 13 weeks, I ended up with clean, tasty large birds. I had birds between 7-11 pounds dressed. They are tasty, way better than the first batch. They are tender even though people here said they would be tough if left to free range. I found the 2nd batch to be active birds chasing bugs and grass hoppers and playing like all chicks do. They did not sit and eat or drink in their poop like the first batch.

I still have 3 CX's from my second batch. Bert and his two girlfriends. They are great birds, docile yet active even in winter they take daily walks. They run out for their treats. They are huge, about as big as a 5 gallon bucket. I am hoping to breed them and raise chicks from them. Because some here say I cannot call the babies CX's. ( I know I surely cannot call them RIR's) I am calling the new unhatched offspring "frogs". I am excited to see what the frogs will be like. I want a slower growing big bird, hopefully the frogs will be that.

I am going to cross Rainbows with CX's also, but I am getting off topic.

If you want all birds the same size get all the same sex, if you want varying size get straight runs.

I do not have any idea about "feed Conversion rates" nor do I care, If you are raising a few birds like I did (25 at a time) it will mean pennies is all. (IMHO) if you are raising thousands then the pennies add up. If you just want good home raised meat, then whatever you do will work. Just do not over crowd them.

If you want more info from people that raise CX's, I suggest you go to one of the CX threads on my profile page/threads.
GoodLuck!

 

[JJSS89]

It's not that simple.

At a given time period, females have slightly better feed conversion, but they produce significantly more fat (and less muscle) - IE if you grow birds out for 10 weeks, your males will be significantly larger than the females, and have eaten a proportionately larger amount of food. They'll have less body fat.

The problem is that feed conversion goes down as birds get older, so if you're looking for 5lb broilers, the males hit that point so much faster, and so much earlier on the feed conversion chart that they're significantly more efficient.

It's complicated.

http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/77/6/859.full.pdf

You are right, I am somebody who generally holds all their birds until they hit a pretty high weight. For those wanting to butcher at a small size, pullets are not the way to go. I guess my bias for a big fatty bird for roasting came through.

Biggest point I've tried to make is that for a personal operation - straight run

The same is true for beef cattle too.

 

[lazy gardener]

It's not that simple.

At a given time period, females have slightly better feed conversion, but they produce significantly more fat (and less muscle) - IE if you grow birds out for 10 weeks, your males will be significantly larger than the females, and have eaten a proportionately larger amount of food. They'll have less body fat.

The problem is that feed conversion goes down as birds get older, so if you're looking for 5lb broilers, the males hit that point so much faster, and so much earlier on the feed conversion chart that they're significantly more efficient.

It's complicated.

http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/77/6/859.full.pdf

Well stated CT. I found that when I butchered my birds (Pioneer straight run all butchered in the same week) that while the females were smaller, they had gobs of fat in their cavities, and their livers were also fatty, while the roos were nice and lean.

Interesting thread....


I have CX's, I raised to batches last summer. I raised one batch the way the "instructions" say too.

The second batch I raised slower and withholding feed. I fed them only 20 minutes twice a day for a week or so, then just morning and evening and forced them to forage, in a tractor and free range depending on my plans for the day. They mainly free ranged from 2 weeks on.

I lost a few birds the first time to ascites, leg problems and who knows what else. I butchered them at around 42 days. The chickens tasted good but were not much different than Tyson of Golden Plump chickens. I had straight runs both times. I liked having different size birds in the freezer.

The second batch I did not lose one bird to a fast weight gain related disease, The only ones I lost were in accidents, (my over reacting elderly mother and a fishing net and a eagle.)

I butchered most of the second batch at 13 weeks, I ended up with clean, tasty large birds. I had birds between 7-11 pounds dressed. They are tasty, way better than the first batch. They are tender even though people here said they would be tough if left to free range. I found the 2nd batch to be active birds chasing bugs and grass hoppers and playing like all chicks do. They did not sit and eat or drink in their poop like the first batch.

I still have 3 CX's from my second batch. Bert and his two girlfriends. They are great birds, docile yet active even in winter they take daily walks. They run out for their treats. They are huge, about as big as a 5 gallon bucket. I am hoping to breed them and raise chicks from them. Because some here say I cannot call the babies CX's. ( I know I surely cannot call them RIR's) I am calling the new unhatched offspring "frogs". I am excited to see what the frogs will be like. I want a slower growing big bird, hopefully the frogs will be that.

I am going to cross Rainbows with CX's also, but I am getting off topic.

If you want all birds the same size get all the same sex, if you want varying size get straight runs.

I do not have any idea about "feed Conversion rates" nor do I care, If you are raising a few birds like I did (25 at a time) it will mean pennies is all. (IMHO) if you are raising thousands then the pennies add up. If you just want good home raised meat, then whatever you do will work. Just do not over crowd them.

If you want more info from people that raise CX's, I suggest you go to one of the CX threads on my profile page/threads.
GoodLuck!

I believe that if I'd with-held food from my pioneers, the females would have dressed out better. You should have great success with your frogs. I expect that this new generation of birds will be an instant hit, as they'll not need to be plucked.

 

[rosinsk1772]

Do the males crow before butcher time?