Winter Broiler Projects-share your progress :)

[Pearce Pastures]

Well, thanks to one great BYC member, our family has gotten hooked on raising our own poultry and we went ahead and ordered 50 more chicks (53 actually since they tossed in a few extra). We should be processing around the beginning of December and would love to hear if any others are doing a winter broiler project too.

 

[City Chicken]

yep us too!
we process dec 8th, that will be 8 weeks. but i will sell some live before that time to muslim friends who want to butcher their own halal.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Glad for some winter company.

The last few days have gotten a bit chillier at night. I stuck a thermometer in the brooder pen to make sure it was cozy enough. It was a little lower than ideal so I closed up the top a little by laying an apple flat across the top of the box and tucking an old towel around (not so close as to be a fire hazard of course).

I see feather poking through so soon enough, they should be better able to regulate their heat. I'll probably start weighing in a week or two to keep track more closely this time.

 

[City Chicken]

mine are about 17 days old and already feathering out. i was told that keeping it a little on the cool side (not cold) helps them feather out better. makes sense.
so during the day they don't get a light anymore, they cuddle with each other, but it helps them get used to it. of course, too cold and they will pile and suffocate.

 

[SIMZ]

Hi everyone! Meyer Hatchery is offering free shipping on broilers for next week because of cancellations due to hurricane Sandy.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Hi everyone! Meyer Hatchery is offering free shipping on broilers for next week because of cancellations due to hurricane Sandy.

Thanks for the info!

 

[milleryardchx]

I will be processing 18 cornishx towards the end of nov, 8 weeks would be the day before thanksgiving and with family in town and all I would like to process that weekend after everyone goes home. So Dec 1st. Then I have 12 Delaware roos that will be proccessed the at the end of january or start of Feb.

 

[delisha]

I will be taking this last hatch out to 7 mile fair to sell at the end of November.
I started feeding them FF and they are growing and feathering out quickly. I believe they will be 6 lbs by than. They are 11 -14 days old now



This is them now. Huge chicks! That FF is saving me $

 

[neindiana]

Mine will be 3 weeks on Thursday, this week. Processing date is 12-4. Almost 8 weeks. I've lost 2 out of 48 here in the last 4 days. No idea why though.... No bloody stool or anything. Face down and legs out. This is my 2nd go around with meaties. They are from Welp.

 

[mrsteiner]

We're doing a late meatie project too. Ours are about 5 weeks old now, but we won't be butchering them until 11/28. I have noticed that they are a little slower to gain weight since the weather has cooled off. (Waaayyy off, we have a little snow here in Michigan today, thanks Hurricane Sandy!)

I'm also giving them a little more protein in their broiler ration. For us that's fish meal since I couldn't find any organic soy or peas to add.

I'm really having a tough time this year with loosing a higher percentage of birds than I have in the past. I'm using the same feed, same water, same enclosure, same pasture and same process as last year, but of the 175 I've grown this year, I've probably lost 30 birds. They seem lively and well, and the next time I go out to feed, I find 1-2 dead ones. That will go on for 2-3 days, then it stops and they're fine. I just can't put my finger on what's wrong.

Any ideas?

Last year I lost maybe 5 out of 175 birds.