Welp. first time with meat birds

[Timmy59]

Your kicking tail B-G enjoy the good eats..

 

[B-Goock]

Welp 5 weeks and we have a few smaller ones and a few larger ones. Guess I know who goes first. Our plan is to butcher in 2 or 3 batches 8 or 9 weeks to 10 weeks....... maybe sooner.

Our scale has a tare option so the basket was zeroed out.

 

[Timmy59]

roos are probably the heavies and hens light..

 

[B-Goock]

These welps are growing like weeds. Ive reduced their feed to 16% layer feed to attempt to slow their growth rate. Maybe not recommended but I'm going to have to start butchering early. They should only be around 6lbs. Even the small ones are bigger than 6lbs.

 

[Xouie]

These welps are growing like weeds. Ive reduced their feed to 16% layer feed to attempt to slow their growth rate. Maybe not recommended but I'm going to have to start butchering early. They should only be around 6lbs. Even the small ones are bigger than 6lbs.

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Awesome! Those are excellent weights. So excited for you! (And maybe just a little bit living vicariously waiting for next meat bird season. ) Keep updating as they progress.

 

[B-Goock]

Awesome! Those are excellent weights. So excited for you! (And maybe just a little bit living vicariously waiting for next meat bird season. ) Keep updating as they progress.

I can't believe how quick they are growing. Wish they would free range some but winter here leaves very little to nibble on. Ive taken them out but they just walk straight back to the grow out shed.

 

[B-Goock]

I forgot to post Week 6 on the scale. Not like they fit anyways. Several are around 8lbs. Most are more than 7lbs. So time to start.
I did 7 last night. Wife wanted boneless skinless breasts, leg quarters, & wings. They averaged about 4-4.25lbs of meat per bird. Boneless skinless breast averaged 2lb per bird.

 

[Xouie]

I forgot to post Week 6 on the scale. Not like they fit anyways. Several are around 8lbs. Most are more than 7lbs. So time to start.
I did 7 last night. Wife wanted boneless skinless breasts, leg quarters, & wings. They averaged about 4-4.25lbs of meat per bird. Boneless skinless breast averaged 2lb per bird.
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Your weights came up like mine — over a pound per week of age. How well feathered were yours? My biggest cockerels all looked like plucked turkeys at that age. It was like they put zero resources into feather growth and all on muscle development.

 

[Timmy59]

Your weights came up like mine — over a pound per week of age. How well feathered were yours? My biggest cockerels all looked like plucked turkeys at that age. It was like they put zero resources into feather growth and all on muscle development.

Our birds were sparsly feathered too, but at 50 days they were just big chicks..

 

[B-Goock]

I missed week 7 due to work. No butchering and not much time for anything but chores to maintain & sleep.
Weighted several today 8.8lbs.
My plan with 16% feed to slow their growth rate instead of the recommended 18% may be helping to slow them a little.