GBov
Well-known member
Five and a half weeks in and the chickens are doing really well. Will butcher the biggest five this weekend as fryers.
Have kept feed in with them round the clock but because I feed fermented feed - plus mealworms and lots of greens - it is about 50% water which has slowed them down enough to keep them looking really good.
When I knew the delivery date I set a clutch of "normal" chickens in the 'bator so I could compare the two as they grow and I am really glad I did. When I look at just the white ones they look wider but not impressive really until I look at the itty bitty little 5 week old Olive Egger chicks and then WOW the difference is really clear.
My egg layers will be glad to see the back of them though as they had to give up the big pen and go into the tractor. Not because they were being mean but because they were standing over the feed and not letting the meaties near it. :roll: <br /><br /> __________ Sun Feb 24, 2019 9:48 pm __________ <br /><br /> At 6 weeks I butchered the 9 biggest. They were showing signs of heat stress as it has been in the VERY high 80s for over a week now.
Average dressed out weight was 2.5 pounds.
As they have been fed totally organic feed, like for like priced as a grocery store organic chicken these 9 have paid for the entire experiment.
And they are GOOD!
Not only have we enjoyed them, the dogs have gotten 4 good meals on butcher scraps and the boiled bones from when I made stock from the carcases. I jointed up 8 of the chickens into jars to freeze so one jar of wings, one of thighs, one of breasts, one of drumsticks now grace the freezer.
We had one roasted whole tonight and soup from the bones for lunch.
I am LOVING this already and 14 are still growing strong. Really glad I went with straight run, they are growing at different rates so I can process in stages so there is never too much work for me.
Have kept feed in with them round the clock but because I feed fermented feed - plus mealworms and lots of greens - it is about 50% water which has slowed them down enough to keep them looking really good.
When I knew the delivery date I set a clutch of "normal" chickens in the 'bator so I could compare the two as they grow and I am really glad I did. When I look at just the white ones they look wider but not impressive really until I look at the itty bitty little 5 week old Olive Egger chicks and then WOW the difference is really clear.
My egg layers will be glad to see the back of them though as they had to give up the big pen and go into the tractor. Not because they were being mean but because they were standing over the feed and not letting the meaties near it. :roll: <br /><br /> __________ Sun Feb 24, 2019 9:48 pm __________ <br /><br /> At 6 weeks I butchered the 9 biggest. They were showing signs of heat stress as it has been in the VERY high 80s for over a week now.
Average dressed out weight was 2.5 pounds.
As they have been fed totally organic feed, like for like priced as a grocery store organic chicken these 9 have paid for the entire experiment.
And they are GOOD!
Not only have we enjoyed them, the dogs have gotten 4 good meals on butcher scraps and the boiled bones from when I made stock from the carcases. I jointed up 8 of the chickens into jars to freeze so one jar of wings, one of thighs, one of breasts, one of drumsticks now grace the freezer.
We had one roasted whole tonight and soup from the bones for lunch.
I am LOVING this already and 14 are still growing strong. Really glad I went with straight run, they are growing at different rates so I can process in stages so there is never too much work for me.
