When do you suggest starting fall meaties (New England)

[aclee]

I want to do another batch of Meaties in the fall, and since we have two large brooders, and then the pen all set up in the shed, I think it will be even easier this time around. We'll have two midget White turkeys in the shed at that point, but I think another set of maybe 50 cornish would be fine in there too. I'd like to do them as late in the year as possible, but the shed is not heated (thought we could run electric for a light and water fountain I guess. When could I get them so that at process I wouldn't need to heat them? Would they do ok if I got them in Mid-October and processed them in late Nov/Early Dec or is it too cold by then for them?

Thanks

 

[blueskylen]

i did fall CX a year ago, had them sent 1st week of Sept and processed around the 1st week of Nov. - it was still pretty warm, and I don't think that I had a light on them after they feathered at 4 weeks. it really be based on the weather and temp at that time of year. you probably would need a heat light some nights until they feathered out.
i always worry about them getting sick, so try to keep them warm and not bunching together too tightly.

Good luck

 

[jaku]

As long as it's airtight, do them as late as you want. They do well in the cold, and with heat lamps, they do GREAT. This past fall, I finished a batch at the beginning of December. I had them out into the tractor at two weeks in October in Michigan with heat lamps. If it weren't for processing in December, I'd do it that late every year.

 

[Peruvian]

I raise two bathes of CX each year here in VT - one in the spring/summer, one in the summer/fall. I like to process the fall birds by mid-Oct. since I do it outside and it gets cold with wet, bare hands. I've run an extension cord for a heat lamp to the tractor on very cold nights (sub 40 deg) but generally their body heat is enough once they are feathered.

 

[chicken ridl]

Last year we butchered 10 weeks and 3 days from the day we got the birds.
I had all hens and they were all about 5-5.5 lbs. And I had one that went 7 lbs.

 

[aclee]

Sounds like I will do best to get them mid sept to early Oct and process 8 weeks after that. Maybe I'll do all cockrels so I have a shorter processing time...

 

[quercus21]

I'll get our fall batch at the end of August and process them from mid to the end of October. We should be getting our first batch for this year next week.

 

[willheveland]

For my area I would get mine no later than the 3rd week in August. Will

 

[aclee]

We're gone for 10 days from the end of August till after Labor day, so the soonest I would get them would be for delivery when we get back. That would have them processing in early Novemeber which would hopefully miss the rush at the processor for Thanksgiving...

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Quote:
Question? What am I missing? Why would cockrels have a shorter processing time? I skin my birds and it always seems that the hens go faster than the cockrels. Maybe I let my boys grow out to long but I need to see their structure, combs and personalities.