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Barnyard Buddies:  Meat chicks  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 24 2013 : 12:38:10 PM
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I ordered 25 Freedom Rangers from PA last week and they'll be shipped out May 15th.
I also just ordered 50 Cornish Cross chicks from Hoover Hatchery in Rudd Iowa. Thought it said Ohio. Anyway, they were just $1.16 each. They will be shipped out next Wed. and I will hopefully get them Thursday. Has anyone ever ordered from this place before? I hope because they were cheaper that the quality of the chicks won't be. I looked at several other sites and they were all around $2 each.
I am going to be feeding them all fermented grains. I'm going to do an experiment to see how well they grow this way. And I'll be using chicken tractors with the Freedom Rangers, since they took SO long to grow last time.
But was wondering if anyone's used Hoover Hatchery?
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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Calico Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Meg
Middle Tennessee
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2013 : 1:45:56 PM
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| Hi Kris, We too ordered 25 Freedom Rangers from PA and got them in March. We kept them in the coop under a heat lamp until they feathered out. We lost two of them during this time period, we couldn't tell why they died but assume that they piled and smothered one? We now have them under a chicken tractor in the pasture and have lost one more - same deal, no obvious injury. I hate finding dead chicks and have to admit this is putting me off ordering more. Is this normal? |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2013 : 2:10:29 PM
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Meg, this will be my 2nd order from FR Hatchery. I got 50 last spring. They sent 51 and a few days later, one died. That's the only one that died. I had them next door free ranging during the day and put them up in an enclosed area with just fenceing and a little shelter. Couldn't believe they all lived, but they did. So am trying them again. I didn't like that they took a little over 3 months to get big enough to butcher. And then I didn't get any over 4 pounds. I think because they were free ranging the whole time. So now I am getting chicken tractors from a guy who doesn't want to do chickens any more and we're swapping these chickens for them. He and his wife bought about 15 last year and loved them and wanted more. So I'll do the 25 and then just ordered the CC to sell. I'll probably get mare later when these are about ready to butcher.
So how do you like them other than you've lost some? I was really impressed with their ability to be a chicken and now an eating machine and sitting around all the time. But it took FOREVER to get them to butcher weight. They are good though. I really hate to even order CC, but I'll be feeding them fermented grains and moving them around a lot.
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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Calico Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Meg
Middle Tennessee
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2013 : 2:32:40 PM
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Kris, Other than losing a few chicks, I like the Freedom Rangers so far. I am amazed at how different they are from layers. Almost no personality which is a good thing as I told my husband I had no emotional attachment to them at all. I am surprised at how much water and food they go through daily!
I am interested in how the fermented grains work out with your CC's! |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2013 : 7:37:45 PM
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Me too. There is a blog I follow that got me started on the fermented grains. My 4 milk does are now totally on fermented grains. They just finished the last of the dry grains in the big can. I have alreay noticed a little more milk in the doe I'm milking now. And this is what the pigs get along with scraps and bread. And they have more than doubled in size in 6 weeks. I have been giving it to my 4 hens too.
I feed my chicks unmedicated chick starter for a few weeks, then put them outside on grass. I only fed them once in the morning and once at night. And only what they would eat in just a few minutes. The rest of the time they were foraging and eating grass. I guess that's why my CC didn't just sit around all the time. They ran and hunted for food all over. So I think I might just let the CC free range in that yard and put the FR in the tractors.
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2013 : 05:20:27 AM
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These are the 48 CC meat chicks at 9 days old.
And these are the 10 I bought at 3 weeks old from the feed store last week. I went ahead and put them in this little tractor for now. They are 4 weeks old now and they eat like pigs! They all have gone through a 50 pound bag of starter grower feed. When I had the Freedom Rangers last year, 50 of them, they went through a 50 pound bag in 3 weeks. These guys are little piggies!
So I hope they grow really fast so I can get them in the freezer soon. I get the 25 FR chicks next week. I will take them a lot longer to get this big.
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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homsteddinmom
True Blue Farmgirl
441 Posts
Brandee
bullard
tx
USA
441 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2013 : 09:26:29 AM
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i have raised cornish cross and they do eat like pigs, i processed mine at 8 weeks but i think i could have gone a few more weeks to get some more weight on them.
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm!
http://homesteddinmomsworld.blogspot.com |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2013 : 5:56:33 PM
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Yeah, they love to eat, that's for sure. I am only feeding the older 10 twice a day. They're on grass in the chicken tractor right now. I'll put them out to free range soon. I hope they grow fast. I don't want to drag all this out too long.
Are you going to get any more? I really liked the Freedom Rangers, but they took SO long to bet big enough to butcher and even then, none weighed more than 4 pounds.
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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Calico Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Meg
Middle Tennessee
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Jun 05 2013 : 6:38:11 PM
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| Hi Kris~ Our Freedom Rangers hit the 12 week mark and we butchered 12 of the 22 last Saturday. We averaged between 4 and 5 lbs each. On Sunday we helped our friends butcher all 24 of theirs. They too averaged over 4 lbs. The ten we left in the tractor were the smaller ones and we are going to give them another week to ten days to gain weight. Our friends and ourselves felt very positive about the Freedom Rangers and are talking about doing them again next spring. Of course we haven't eaten one yet~ I made chicken stock from the necks and organs and canned 14 pints of stock. Meg |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2013 : 08:58:11 AM
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I'll be butchering some of these guys in the next few weeks. They are growing really fast!
The Freedom Rangers are not though. SO I may let them out of the chicken tractor so they can eat more grass and bugs. They do take longer to grow out. But these are 4 weeks old now and should be a little bit bigger by now.
So what do you feed you meat birds, Meg?
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2013 : 09:18:25 AM
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I raise jumbo cornish crosses in lots of 50 , 4 times a year, I feed them turkey start, then turkey grow along with greens and veggy/fruit scraps, the reason being it is much higher in protein, which meat birds need, they average 5 lb's at 7 weeks, for fryers, and at 10 weeks they average 7 plus lb's for roasters
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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homsteddinmom
True Blue Farmgirl
441 Posts
Brandee
bullard
tx
USA
441 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2013 : 08:13:18 AM
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I will be getting more, I think we will do 50 this time. After mine got past the chick starter we fed ours catfish food.
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm!
http://homesteddinmomsworld.blogspot.com |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 27 2013 : 12:02:35 PM
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I'm going to be butchering atarting next Monday. A friend has an egg eating hen they need to butcher and they've never done it before. So they'll bring her and we'll do about 10 of my CC birds too. I am SO ready for them ALL to be gone and in the freezer! We'll have to start really early because we're in the 90's now. Kinda hot to be doing this, but it's gotta be done.
So what's catfish food got in it that's good for meat birds?
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2013 : 07:47:23 AM
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I butchered 7 of the CC birds last Monday afternoon. I got 2 @ 3 pounds and the rest were 4 1/4 and 4 1/2 pounds. Pretty good sizes. I sold 5 of them. I'll be putting more in the cage tonight for butchering tomorrow. I am so ready to be done with these birds. It's SO expensive! I'm selling them for $4 a pound, but still will probably not make up all the money I've spent on the feed.
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2013 : 08:14:08 AM
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Kristin those sounds like nice weights for the birds. I wish I lived close to you I would by them all. I love home raised chickens. I know it was alot of work but they will taste wonderful and you will be glad you raised them.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2013 : 6:46:03 PM
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Did 6 more last night. In a down pour! A friend came and brought one of their bad egg eating hens to butcher. He wanted to learn how. I had 7 I was going to butcher, but I had to pardon one because she needed another week or so to grow bigger. Can't wait to be done.
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2013 : 07:02:33 AM
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These are the ones I butchered Monday. From just 2 pounds to almost 5 pounds. And why are some so yellow while others are so white? They eat the same things.
Kris
The good beekeeper is generally more or less cranky. C.P. Dadant
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com
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Barnyard Buddies: Meat chicks |
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Meat chicks
