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Brody

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It's FREEZING outside so I'm sitting by the woodstove planning happily for warmer days

chicken plans include 2-3 layers for the summer - may the fates conspire to make that work as well as it has the last 2 summers (with a LOT of help from my friends - you know who you are ;))

and Tom really really wants to do meat chicks this year - I have about 8 weeks at our summer residence (July and August) if I get meat chickens in June and keep them in the city for a couple of weeks will that work? or am I better to wait til July and only have them 8 weeks? or have someone come and check them daily for a couple of weeks in Sept?
I missed the ordering window last year and despite a verbal agreement to get chicks in July the plans fell apart so I'd like to do it more formally :)

ANY feedback very much appreciated :)
 
I think, as long as you do things gently, the chicks can 'move' with you. The first couple weeks, before they feather out, you want them to be watched carefully, and the last few weeks, if you are not right on top of things, who knows what can happen between 'checkups' from the friend.
 
I agree. You should be able to get them 2 to 3 weeks before you move and just move them out with you. They're hardy little buggers usually, so..

What I do with my chicks is 1 week with 95F heatlamp (in a draftproof area), and then move it down to 80ish over the next week. a little at a time so they get used to it (basically, I watch them to see if they're too cold..then move the lamp back down closer)

My chicks usually feather out rapidly and seem to do well. They'll transport just fine in a closed box or something as long as they don't get drafty. by 2 weeks they're over a lb already, and look like balloons with feathers. :lol:
 
Devon's Mom Lauren":ndodg02b said:
So raising chickens for meat takes about 12 weeks or so?
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Yeah- Cornish crosses- all they do is eat, sleep, and poop. Genetically engineered to grow real fast. Not withouttheir own problems, though- like legs breaking and 'flipping' disease (the chick fallson its back, then suffocates cuz it cant get up. Birds lungs are strange- and tucked along the backbone. They get compressed real easy.
 
Frosted Rabbits":1sytd7bs said:
Devon's Mom Lauren":1sytd7bs said:
So raising chickens for meat takes about 12 weeks or so?
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Yeah- Cornish crosses- all they do is eat, sleep, and poop. Genetically engineered to grow real fast. Not withouttheir own problems, though- like legs breaking and 'flipping' disease (the chick fallson its back, then suffocates cuz it cant get up. Birds lungs are strange- and tucked along the backbone. They get compressed real easy.
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Yes, ONLY Cornish Crosses (or whatever the individual hatchery has named their version of the Cornish X) will grow out this fast!

I grew out some heritage Delawares last year to see how long it took...they were FINALLY starting to feel meaty at about 20-24 weeks. (BIG Difference between the CX and ALL others!)
 
12 weeks if you let them outside to forage. Most that are raised inside a stall or pen, and only eat high protein mixes, are butchered from 6weeks (for a fryer size) to 10weeks max. After about 8weeks they just add fat, not meat. Right around 6 weeks they can start to keel over from heart attacks, too, as well as be too big to stand on their legs (called "going down on their hocks" )

Now..this is the Cornish Rock cross that is sold as a meat bird...cornish Broiler, Cornish giant, Cornish Cross, etc. (cornish crossed with plymouth rock...each breed bred for generations to get the biggest, most efficient birds)
 
Ours are called white rock x, we grow them out to around 9 weeks. The ones we did in the fall we had to wait 10 weeks, not by choice life got in the way. We were lucky we didn't lose any and we had 2 that dressed out at 9.25lbs.
 
ALot more than rabbits! How much do those suckers cost to buy/feed? They can eat mainly garbage (compost kitchen stuff) and bugs, right? Or do they need special food because of how deformed they are? I might look into getting some.<br /><br />__________ Sat Jan 29, 2011 12:33 pm __________<br /><br />Wow, found em online for 1.23 a piece! I am thinking they would be a good investment for a years worth of meat, then freeze and put away! Just figure out how many you want to raise, and boom. Did say you need to feed a super high protien feed though. Would earth worms do the job? Can you range those types of chickens, or no?
 
The crosses generally do not range well. Their metabolism is so high, rangeing them will slow their growth down by quite a bit- if they don't starve first. I've had friends try them once, never again. They claim the chicks are so 'stupid' that if you don't set the food right down in front of them, they won't eat. Theyhave complained about the mess- because the broilers will litterally sit in one place all day, and poop, ending up with some really nasty bottoms.
 
I always raise our Cornish X with other chicks. They learn to range and not just sit in front of the feeder. They actually do go out and eat quite a bit of greens (which gives the birds a WONDERFUL flavor). I found it only slowed them down by a week. We butchered at 8 weeks for the first batch, and they dressed out at about 5 lbs. The second batch was at 10weeks, and they ranged right around 6.5lbs.

the first 4 weeks, they're on 21%to 28% crumbles. Then they all go outside in a hoop coop. There is food available round the clock for them. However, they're kicked out of the coop every morning. A range feeder is set up about 20feet from the coop. They eat grain and grasses.

Somewhere I have pictures of them out and about enjoying the field. I'll see if I can find it.
 
We get ours as day olds and make sure they drink as soon as we get them home. We feed starter/grower for the first 5 weeks, we have never had any problem getting them to eat, they know exactly what to do with their food. At 5 wks we switch them over to grower/finisher which they get til they go to freezer camp. We have a large section set up in the barn for them to run around in but do not put them outside because as they get older they are prone to heart attacks so the less stress the better. We usually order 100 at a time and loose about 10-15% some in the beginning and some near the end. 10x's better than a grocery store chicken at half the cost.
 
Am I the only goofball who giggles each time I see the title to this post? I keep wanting to post something about the perfect brand of lipstick or the latest Nickolas Sparks movie or something....

We have some layers, but we are not doing chicks this year. I do wish we had the space though.
 
eco2pia":2dvp1xai said:
Am I the only goofball who giggles each time I see the title to this post? I keep wanting to post something about the perfect brand of lipstick or the latest Nickolas Sparks movie or something....

We have some layers, but we are not doing chicks this year. I do wish we had the space though.
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:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol

Thanks for pointing that out I did miss that..... :D
 
eco2pia":21cmystx said:
Am I the only goofball who giggles each time I see the title to this post? I keep wanting to post something about the perfect brand of lipstick or the latest Nickolas Sparks movie or something....
.
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Nope-- my first thought "What weird guy on this forum is asking for help getting a date?" I started to wonder about the mental stability of this group...Then I had a good laugh when I found out it was an 'honest' topic
 
I would never have posted a question with a play on words on purpose - oh no not me!!
 

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