tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051609727272394086.post5957589220956906019..comments2024-02-27T02:28:37.777-08:00Comments on The Home Front: Consider raising meat chickensAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029307154132762913noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051609727272394086.post-74141451845647345242014-03-29T23:40:04.109-07:002014-03-29T23:40:04.109-07:00Well, again (just copied and pasted my thoughts fr...Well, again (just copied and pasted my thoughts from FB) if that's all you disagreed with - that's not too bad. Conditions are everything. Never had any "breast blisters" or "broken legs" or any of that stuff at my place using the program I wrote about, and I would like to point out that I didn't say they "wouldn't" scratch and peck at all - I said they weren't as interested in doing it as much as my laying hens. Which is true. So you may disagree - but what I wrote was my exact experience. As you know I also raise a good sized flock of dual purpose laying hens and meat birds every year.<br /><br />What has also been my experience is that letting them range much more than getting a new patch of grass every so many days in the tractor (which i feel is more than adequate for group of meat birds) Will slow their there growth and increase my costs. Free range livestock will put on less weight versus those fed a high protein/fat base chicken feed. Harsh has as it sounds the longer they live the more it costs me. Also when they range alot (in comparison) and by default let them live longer they ended up stringy and I was not as happy with the meat. <br /><br />Perhaps with a meat breed more suited to ranging like with a red ranger which I think is a knock off Freedom Ranger? Or something like that, the results would be better. Not last year but the year before I ran two groups of CC birds - letting a small group live as my laying hens basically. That was the result. <br /><br />I have found the best and cost efficient way for me to do them is in the tractor. They get a new patch of grass every couple of days that they can peck at and eat - and all the food they could possible want. The pen is of ample size and yet not huge. They are protected, they don't cost me much and taste FANTASTIC. It all depends on what you want to get out of the experience. <br /><br />I want low cost, healthy birds, and good meat. That's that what I get. When I butcher my meat birds they are healthy, fully featured, big, and they didn't cost a whole alot. I don't think feel free ranging them provides any benefits - to me - perhaps for others in different situations it would. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00029307154132762913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051609727272394086.post-70580514972907676112014-03-29T21:40:08.047-07:002014-03-29T21:40:08.047-07:00I disagree here. I've raised meat birds and l...I disagree here. I've raised meat birds and layers together successfully. Just be aware the meat birds will get bigger much faster. But, I've never had a problem having them all together. A chicken is a chicken is a chicken. Meat birds just aren't as active.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02589998481899861036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051609727272394086.post-12771743244596368672014-03-29T17:27:39.372-07:002014-03-29T17:27:39.372-07:00I haven't built a chicken tractor yet though t...I haven't built a chicken tractor yet though they would probably work here after I cut hay at least. I got my mobile brooder out today and have photos on my blog.<br />http://sunnybrookfarmus.blogspot.com/<br />Sunnybrook Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135224259672444423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051609727272394086.post-91641825092325217682014-03-29T11:41:20.498-07:002014-03-29T11:41:20.498-07:00Steph, evidently we were typing at the same time, ...Steph, evidently we were typing at the same time, sorry!<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03899908376745530714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051609727272394086.post-4374969632158356862014-03-29T11:39:33.416-07:002014-03-29T11:39:33.416-07:00find, buy or build a chicken plucker PLEASE. We pr...find, buy or build a chicken plucker PLEASE. We processed chickens last year with a whiz bang plucker that I built myself and even if you are only doing small batches it is worth it to have one and you may even be able to find like minded people to share in the cost of building one.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03899908376745530714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051609727272394086.post-28830341649041772422014-03-29T08:59:56.589-07:002014-03-29T08:59:56.589-07:00Sunny - we pluck the birds we want to roast whole,...Sunny - we pluck the birds we want to roast whole, or fry. SO it ends up being half and half. We usually use a plucker though so it only takes seconds. <br /><br />Shade is important they don't handle heat well - which is why we do ours in the spring. If you follow me on FB - I have a picture of the chicken tractor we use for the them in my "chickens" album. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00029307154132762913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051609727272394086.post-13557757110772000382014-03-29T07:49:26.523-07:002014-03-29T07:49:26.523-07:00I was just planning on getting my brooder ready wh...I was just planning on getting my brooder ready when your posting appeared. I also need replacement layers but from what I hear the two shouldn't be raised together. <br />The meat birds are just too different to be around real chickens it seems. I had thought that I would have a fairly small pen for the meat birds under shade as one guy had a bunch die in a hot area as they were too clueless to walk over and drink while his other birds did fine in the same situation. Do you skin your birds rather than doing the plucking routine? We prefer skinless chicken anyway.Sunnybrook Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135224259672444423noreply@blogger.com