too much corn????

[Folly's place]

It makes total sense to raise your own birds, and select breeding stock who are doing well where you live, and for the purposes you have for them. Individuals who do well with your management style and the available diet is what you want! Then, predators happen, and you find yourself almost starting over. UGH!
Hatcheries do well in producing birds who lay a lot of eggs, but that's the priority most of the time. Temperament, longevity, and breed characteristics are usually not considered much, if at all.
Mary

 

[VanUnamed]

aaart : Yes, even more.
Mary, I agree. My rooster is my most prized "possession". His offspring no matter the size of the hen, come out huge. Some boys were 14lb at 4 months,

 

[EggSighted4Life]

the fat is a biefelder of large weight, I know for a fact the father weighs no less than 20lb.

Hmm... I'm waiting for Bielefelder chicks to be delivered in the next day or so.

I did read they were giant gentle beasts.. hopefully they will be fun birds. I love Rock's for their personality and straight comb but wanted something slightly less common. Hopefully they won't eat me into the poor house.

 

[VanUnamed]

Hmm... I'm waiting for Bielefelder chicks to be delivered in the next day or so.

I did read they were giant gentle beasts.. hopefully they will be fun birds. I love Rock's for their personality and straight comb but wanted something slightly less common. Hopefully they won't eat me into the poor house.

Well, if you don't end up with a mean rooster, they are. Henry is huge (my rooster) but he never pecks people, hens, nobody, is very kind and gentle. Here they call them "heavy grey" and they are indeed very heavy, I would define "dense". The offspring also is quite heavy. even the GIRLS, weigh no less than 9lb.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Well, if you don't end up with a mean rooster, they are.

No worries about "mean" roosters here.

While I don't keep birds that don't match the standard of perfection... demeanor is my first and foremost criteria selected for, and Stew Piddasso's always get escorted to freezer camp.

Thanks for sharing your concern about obesity or excess fat with us, so we can discuss what is a normal amount of fat verses abnormal. After 10+ years of keeping chickens... I'm still learning new things every day!

Now I understand your 40% supplement and that you are mixing it. I have seen some rations like that here in the US as well. Kiki's calculator is probably going to be a lot of help in getting (or keeping) your numbers figured out.

If you have the opportunity.. maybe you can post pics at your next processing for comparison. Or maybe weigh the fat compared to the bird, like how the other posters' numbers kinda put it in perspective with what seems like a large fat pad being only 2 ounces of the total weight. Aside from fat adding flavor, *SOME* (not excess) could also help an individual during times of stress being essentially a sort of survival tool.