The Meatie weigh-along!

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Quote:
It may be slow growth, but that's a big jump from last week! They'll catch up, it's just going to take a little longer. And at this rate, you should still have a good 4-5 lbs by week 8

Thanks, I needed that! I was starting to think I was starving the boogers...

But, just poked my head outside and took a "look-see" at their coop and two of the biggest meaties are laying IN the feed dish eating/resting... they still have a heat lamp for now...to conserve calories versus shivering...

....okay, I'm justifying the heat lamp because I don't want them cold...

 

[tgrlily]

It's my weigh day!!
I have one girl -- she is the smallest at 48 ounces! (3lbs)
The middle weight roos are 58 oz, 60 oz, 62 oz & 62 oz.
The largest is 64 ounces! (4 solid, meaty lbs!!!!!)

It's just crazy ---- I knew they grew, but that's a lot! Everyone still seems healthy, too.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Quote:
Thank you, I got you added to the new chart! And I forgot to ask in the OP, but what is your meaties' hatch date?


Quote:
Got it added.

Great weights for 4 weeks! Looks like that gamebird feed really does the trick!

 

[averytds]

Sorry, things are nuts around here right now. We moved them out Sunday afternoon and weighed then. 10.2lb for 10 birds. They hit 3 weeks Sat, so I'd say approx 1 lb each at 3 wks.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Quote:
Thank you, I got it updated.

My meaties are 4 weeks today!

My biggest was 2.25 lbs, and the smallest was 1.75 lbs. The average was exactly 2 lbs. I moved them outside this week, and it's been a little chilly, so I expected to not see as much growth, as they were expending more calories staying warm. I also switched them to 22% gamebird starter, so hopefully this week as the temperatures go up, they'll really put on the pounds!

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Quote:
Ok, as of 3/30 (will weight the fatties tomorrow)

29 CX
Mt Healthy, hatch date of 3/9.
75% Dumor 20% protein, 25% Purina 18% protein.
12 hours on, 12 hours off feed.
In a tractor during the day, catch 'em (have kids for a reason) at night, pop them in the stall with a heat lamp. Smelly beasties.
Smallest is 18 oz. Largest is trying to be the size of a turkey and is 30 oz. Average for the group is 24 oz. 3 girls, rest are fatty boys. Girls may be getting put in with the next group, they are getting pushed aside by the fatty boys.

2 possible CX, raising with EEs.
Mt Healthy, hatch date of 3/9.
90% Purina 18% protein, 10% (give or take some) Dumor 20%.
Unrestricted.
Playing during the day in the baby tractor, in the brooder at night.
The two are 15 oz and 13.2 oz.
Not sure they are CX or not. They aren't doing the starving baby routine like CX are prone to doing. They do eat more, but they run around with the EEs happily. They are also HUGE vs the EEs.

New group...

25 black sexlinked cockerals.
Mt Healthy, hatch date of 3/28.
100% Purina 18% protein
Unlimited
Brooder babies still
No weights yet. Will be capon testing on these boys, 2 will stay intact for base line. The rest will be the guinea pigs for the learning curve, hopefully at least 1 lives.

 

[Matrix Escapee]

I'm in.

My chicks were hatched last Wednesday, and I got them on Friday morning. I assume all calculations are done from when you start feeding, not when they are hatched.

If so, I will weigh them on Friday when they have fed for a week.

# of chicks and breed: 100 cornish cross
Hatchery source: Welp
Brand and protein % of feed: Nature's Best Organic chick starter 20%. Plan on adding tomorrow: Fertrell NutriBalancer (vitamins and minerals and SeaLac (fish meal)
Whether you are restricting feed or not: No Feed restriction, birds will be on pasture for 5-6 weeks, so they will experience night-time and should self-witholhold feed while they sleep.
Housing (after brooder): 10'x12' daily move pen.
Weights for each week (if you have them): Haven't weighed yet.

GL to everyone. -Matrix.

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

Quote:
It may be slow growth, but that's a big jump from last week! They'll catch up, it's just going to take a little longer. And at this rate, you should still have a good 4-5 lbs by week 8

Thanks, I needed that! I was starting to think I was starving the boogers...​

Mine are all over the wall also, but they are new from TSC recently. They were getting 26% gamebird I think, but some were getting pushed aside - who I think are girls.

I've ALWAYS gotten them onto 18% in the 3rd/4th week because they do better - we don't lose any to leg problems or heart attacks, even if we let them grow to 14 weeks for HUGE roasters - as in 14-16 pound monsters. At 8 weeks, they run around 5-6 lbs, which is a good size.

However, these fatties will be sent to freezer camp at 8 weeks because of the 26% start and they are FAT. However, despite the drop in protein, they aren't acting like starving babies, they happily eat like pigs and run on the grass and eat bugs and such. The food is on one side, the water is on the other - they HAVE to move some.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Just had to butcher one of my meaties...it was a middle weight in the bunch and it was going down with suspected heart failure. I noticed that it didn't eat this morning and seemed lethargic, and when the other three rushed for food this afternoon and it just sat on its chest with eyes closed and was breathing hard, I felt like it was time. I was right! The heart seemed rather enlarged for it's age and the crop was empty. The chick was otherwise healthy and seems comparable to a cornish game hen size...but it was a rooster...

Anyway, it's now resting in the fridge and I have to say that the processing was the EASIEST I have ever done! Planning to eat him either Friday night or Saturday!

My scales may be off but pre process weight was around 2 1/4 pounds and after cleaning was 1 1/2. LOTS of meat on a small frame...I don't feel nearly as bad for the slower growth because this chick was very meaty for its bone structure.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

Just had to butcher one of my meaties...it was a middle weight in the bunch and it was going down with suspected heart failure. I noticed that it didn't eat this morning and seemed lethargic, and when the other three rushed for food this afternoon and it just sat on its chest with eyes closed and was breathing hard, I felt like it was time. I was right! The heart seemed rather enlarged for it's age and the crop was empty. The chick was otherwise healthy and seems comparable to a cornish game hen size...but it was a rooster...

Anyway, it's now resting in the fridge and I have to say that the processing was the EASIEST I have ever done! Planning to eat him either Friday night or Saturday!

My scales may be off but pre process weight was around 2 1/4 pounds and after cleaning was 1 1/2. LOTS of meat on a small frame...I don't feel nearly as bad for the slower growth because this chick was very meaty for its bone structure.

I'm glad you were able to process him before he died. Sounds like everything worked out well. Have any pictures?​