Not exactly for the garden...

[vfem]

But I did pick up meat chickens today. I know they are fast growers and big poopers... so maybe they'll be of garden use?

I picked up 6 at tractor supply just to give them a try. For $1.99 each, not so bad. I have a broody silkie (or 4!) and I'm hoping the mama's will do most of the dirty work of raising them for me. Fingers crossed this works out. I can't remember if I slaughter at 6 week or 8 weeks?

I've only ever culled and cleaned unwanted roosters and those heritage breed birds didn't go down until 15 week or so, much later then I know these need to be done.

So if anyone wants to share advice, or links to the cornish x breeds specifically would love the help!

 

[curly_kate]

We brought home 10 cornish xs last weekend! I think it's 8 weeks to slaughter, but we might wait a little longer. We're not free-ranging them, but I insisted that they have SOME access to outside, so they might burn off a bit of what they eat. I'm really glad they are not this cute once we're ready to butcher. I'm not sure I could bear it!

 

[vfem]

I was just thinking, "Sheesh, they sure are cute now!?"

But they stink already! YUCK!

These guys will be out by tomorrow night when I shove them under the broody. They'll be in the grow out pen which is nice because there is grass growing in there right now. I'll be able to give them grass clippings and scraps like the other birds so they'll enjoy. I already took away their food for the night. I was told to only offer them their feed from morning until night and take it away after night fall or they'll just keep eating and get way too big too fast.

We'll see!

 

[retiredwith4acres]

You will definitely want to process at 8 weeks. If you wait longer you will lose some of them from being so big.

 

[curly_kate]

I hadn't heard about not having feed all the time. Thanks for the tip!

 

[vfem]

I thought it was weird too, but the guy said its only when they're in the house under the heat lamp. Since they can see all night, they'll eat all night too! Which makes sense, once they are moved out in the dark they can't see and won't eat all night. So glad I only have to worry about that when they're in the house.

I also noticed, they are NOT as skittish as the other chicks we get for layers. For some reason they see me and become more curious then anything! lol

 

[so lucky]

Maybe it's because you = food!

 

[catjac1975]

But I did pick up meat chickens today. I know they are fast growers and big poopers... so maybe they'll be of garden use?

I picked up 6 at tractor supply just to give them a try. For $1.99 each, not so bad. I have a broody silkie (or 4!) and I'm hoping the mama's will do most of the dirty work of raising them for me. Fingers crossed this works out. I can't remember if I slaughter at 6 week or 8 weeks?

I've only ever culled and cleaned unwanted roosters and those heritage breed birds didn't go down until 15 week or so, much later then I know these need to be done.

So if anyone wants to share advice, or links to the cornish x breeds specifically would love the help!

We always kit or cornish X a lot longer and got huge 6-8 pounders.
You have to be careful feeding them all night-they can grow too fast for their legs.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

We are getting our first meat birds this year too. We were told by a poultry expert, that 7-8 weeks they are good broilers. Then 9-10 weeks they are fryers. After that, they are stew.

His reasoning was, that as young 7-8 week birds, their muscles have not fully developed. As you broil and put them under intense heat, the muscle meat toughens up. So if they are young, there is not so much to toughen and it is perfect to the pallet. If you wait unti 9-10 weeks, the muscles have developed more and although for the broiler, they would be too tough for most pallets, for frying, they are perfect. A little more dense can hold up to the process. After the 10 weeks, the muscles are just too tight and any type of intense heat just makes it tough. So the slow, low heat of the stew pot is what is needed to relax the muscles.

Sounds good to me!

 

[so lucky]

Thanks! I just learned something new! I never understood exactly why they were labeled broiler, fryer, stew hen.