Why meat birds?

[Compost King]

My thoughts exactly. Also, it can be fairly cost efficient to raise your own. My first year, I tracked all the soft costs -- chicks, shipping, feed and bedding -- and came out to about $1.7 per pound which is an OK price for any chicken and a steal for a so-called free-range supermarket chicken. I fermented their feed, they had access to a large yard to forage in, and got a lot of garden produce tossed in, so that helped. We also do our own butchering, so there was no added costs there.

I realize its not a product to most people but the manure is a valuable commodity.. Then combine organs for pet food (unless you eat them yourself which some do) I can see someone highly skilled actually coming out ahead and get better tasting chicken.

 

[ChickenThunderdome]

Some awesome replies!
I understand quite a bit better now. Thanks for the education!

 

[LilyD]

My thoughts exactly. Also, it can be fairly cost efficient to raise your own. My first year, I tracked all the soft costs -- chicks, shipping, feed and bedding -- and came out to about $1.7 per pound which is an OK price for any chicken and a steal for a so-called free-range supermarket chicken. I fermented their feed, they had access to a large yard to forage in, and got a lot of garden produce tossed in, so that helped. We also do our own butchering, so there was no added costs there.

Up here it's about 7.89 a lb for free range chicken and the place they grow the free range chickens is about the same as you would expect to see in the Iowa chicken growing facilities. Big barns and loads of chicken poo and nastiness and they never go outside. They do leave a barn door open about 2 feet but since the birds are franken chickens and don't understand that outside is good they still stay right next to the food and water instead of going out at all. Personally I would go freedom rangers or rainbow broilers so they are less meaty and better about free ranging. Not very happy with them. I had the door to my grow out coop open all day and the heritage roosters were going in and out fighting and flying all over the meat chickens just laid on the floor lol. Going to try taking them for a walk with the food bucket tomorrow night.

 

[Morrigan]

I worked out a system to keep my meaties moving. They spend their nights sleeping in a shed. In the morning, I put their food outside and open the doors. They rush out and the I close the door. During the day I toss some sprouted grains and produce in the yard -- at the opposite end of where their shed is -- so they have to move about looking for it. They don't get chick feed again until right before dusk, when I put their food in the shed and open back up the doors. They rush back in.

This also gives me the chance to shovel out the soiled areas of the shed and lay down some fresh straw so the birds have a clean place to sleep each night.

 

[LilyD]

I worked out a system to keep my meaties moving. They spend their nights sleeping in a shed. In the morning, I put their food outside and open the doors. They rush out and the I close the door. During the day I toss some sprouted grains and produce in the yard -- at the opposite end of where their shed is -- so they have to move about looking for it. They don't get chick feed again until right before dusk, when I put their food in the shed and open back up the doors. They rush back in.

This also gives me the chance to shovel out the soiled areas of the shed and lay down some fresh straw so the birds have a clean place to sleep each night.

Mine are currently on the 2 acres I use as horse pasture so if I put food out around the yard chances are the horses will eat it not them lol. The fry pan bargain chicks are eating out on the pasture already the meaties (cornishX) are just sitting back and watching them by the feeders.

I currently am feeding them at night and doing waters once in the morning and once at night before I leave. In the morning when I do waters I leave the grow out coop door open so they can free range in the horse pasture. It's 2 acres fenced with field fencing and 19000 volt electric around the perimeter so nothing's getting in to get them. At least nothing has tried yet.

The idea would be that they eat the ticks in the horse pasture as well as the fly babies in the horse poop and keep my horses tick and fly free in the spring summer and fall and then in the fall I will process them getting a new batch ready in spring the following year once the snow has thawed. This way it offers us a natural tick control plus meat for our freezer in a natural way.

 

[Morrigan]

It's 2 acres fenced with field fencing and 19000 volt electric around the perimeter so nothing's getting in to get them. At least nothing has tried yet.

That sounds like a great set-up.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I am so impressed with you meaty raising folk! I would love to do this someday!

Truthfully, I'd love a full on mini farm with a couple goats, hens and meaties and some ducks and geese. Oh, and as long as I'm daydreaming a few bunnies, too!

 

[jolenesdad]

Mine are currently on the 2 acres I use as horse pasture so if I put food out around the yard chances are the horses will eat it not them lol. The fry pan bargain chicks are eating out on the pasture already the meaties (cornishX) are just sitting back and watching them by the feeders.

I currently am feeding them at night and doing waters once in the morning and once at night before I leave. In the morning when I do waters I leave the grow out coop door open so they can free range in the horse pasture. It's 2 acres fenced with field fencing and 19000 volt electric around the perimeter so nothing's getting in to get them. At least nothing has tried yet.

The idea would be that they eat the ticks in the horse pasture as well as the fly babies in the horse poop and keep my horses tick and fly free in the spring summer and fall and then in the fall I will process them getting a new batch ready in spring the following year once the snow has thawed. This way it offers us a natural tick control plus meat for our freezer in a natural way.

I didn’t realize you were keeping them with the horses. Brilliant. (Well.... for the DPs )

I kept my yearlings around the chickens sharing pasture and it was the BEST desensitization ever. The chickens scratched through the manure immediately which was great for parasites but in my humid area there were still areas flies hatched. I have yet to find a chicken that efficiently goes after flies once they’re buzzing around.

I had more horses in less space though so that was my problem, so I moved them to a bigger field.

To the OP... for me it was my laying hens. I appreciate and respect my chickens and as I did more research on the meat chicken industry, I realized I would personally feel better eating chickens I raised and was in control of the process.

Whether or not it’s healthier for me I cannot tell, but I know mentally I feel enlightened and the mind can do incredible things for the body. I know for sure the chickens are happier and for sure it’s cheaper than purchasing any kind of chicken raised to any sort of standards close to what I can do, while maybe not cheaper than the rotisserie birds at the grocery store that have been dipped in bleach.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

good question.

i raised a batch of meat chickens, main reason was to get good quality meat that was humanly raised, not the factory crap you can buy for what a dollar or two a lb. yes its more money but still better then the cheap stuff you can buy.

my main issue was the killing part, turns out am not a big fan of killing a bird i have raised from chick to meat. so if i ever decided to go and raise meat birds again that is something i would have to really think about.

i much rather hunt for my meat.

 

[BantyChooks]

It tastes better and I know how the birds were raised. I am not a fan of the way commercial farms run; I'd rather eat a bird that I know lived and died well. Yes, it's more expensive; I still don't raise all my meat by a long shot. I process old hens, extra roosters, and I just got 10 CX yesterday. Mmm, chicken nuggets.