Time to put them in the chick nursery pen. We use this extra pen with it's little house for letting broody hens raise our replacement layers (not that anyone really gets replaced) and for raising meat chicks..these guys are for sure NOT in their cute stage any more!!
They are getting big. Our broilers are 4 weeks right now. They do grow fast. What feed do you feed them? We have been looking into the different feeds to find one with a higher protein content. We feed purena flock raiser which has 20% but we used to feed one that had 26% and they don't make it anymore. How long will your guys be around your place? Ours looks to be right on schedule so about 4 weeks they will be butchered. Alicia
Ours feed for them is a 22% IFA mix (local feed company)I wish I could find one 26% too..but havn't been able to find any like that. I plan to butcher at about 10 weeks too. One year I had pneumonia and butcher time and my chicks got so enormous! I don't want that to happen again. It was like doing turkeys!! There are 33 of them.
Alicia - I just noticed that you are from RI! I live in Vt now but I lived in Ct and RI for years and go south to visit every once in awhile...I worked for the City of East Providence for 9 years and one of my best friends lives down near URI! Such a small world : )
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts
Posted - Jun 06 2007 : 08:25:57 AM
Okay Aunt Jenny-
Maybe this is a silly question, but what is your method for killing your chickens? Last year at the ranch I worked at, we had a chicken that needed to die (very sick) and none of us could figure out the best way to kill her.
Mary Ann, That is cool, I call that a Rhode Island thing. I swear my hubby knows everyone. No matter were we go he knows someone or know a friend of a friend kinda thing. I grew up in Danbury Ct. I moved to Florida then after I met my hubby I moved to RI. It is kinda crowded here but I like our little neck of the woods, I just wish I didn't have to go anywhere. The traffic fustrates me.
Alee,Sorry a little graphic We use killing cones. It looks like an ice cream cone with the bottom cut out, you slide the chicken in head first then the head is hanging down. The bird passes out from the blood going to its head then cut the neck to ge the jugular vein and it is done. They bleed out quite well this way too. But for sick bird my hubby just twists the neck. Alicia
Edited by - LadyCrystal on Jun 06 2007 09:06:58 AM
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts
Posted - Jun 06 2007 : 10:52:09 AM
Alicia-
Thanks for the information. The poor chicken ended up dying before we could get a man out there to do the job for us :) We were all a bit silly about killing the poor thing- but none of us had done it before! I wouldn't have minded but I didn't want to do it wrong and make the poor thing suffer more.
We plan to get a killing cone this year too. Before we have always done the chopping block thing..messy and traumatic (for me..quick for the birds) Katiedid's husband has volunteered to kill my birds and theirs if I help do the rest with Kate..she will help me too. I don't mind that (don't LOVE it, but can do it..it is the killing part I dread) my husband is so soft hearted that he refuses to do it again..at least not for a long time. I have meant to get a killing cone for a long time. Seems the quickest, less messy and most humane way. I feel bad that you had to deal with the hurt chicken...I have been in that situation before..dog attacks and like that..with chickens and a turkey once and it is hard.
Oh that's great you have some one to help out. My husband and I do all 100 in a single week end. I am exhausted after. It is so much work but I am done for the year. We are later than normal this year. Usually we do them when it is still cold out. No bugs and we wouldn't need to get a lot of ice for the tubs. Good luck! Alicia
I wish it would be a cooler time of year when we are doing them. I will have 33 to do and Kate has about the same. I think we will be doing them all in one week too..whew!
Chicks are 3 weeks old now...
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 11:58:45 PM
