White Ranger from Freedom Ranger Hatchery - Results and Experiences Anyone?

[FunClucks]

For interested parties, I have ten NH and ten White Rangers coming from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in March. Gonna see how I like them and how they grow out. I'll compare them to the Ginger Broilers I've been raising from Murray McMurray over this past year (not so crazy about those). Wish me luck!!!

 

[Molpet]

For interested parties, I have ten NH and ten White Rangers coming from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in March. Gonna see how I like them and how they grow out. I'll compare them to the Ginger Broilers I've been raising from Murray McMurray over this past year (not so crazy about those). Wish me luck!!!

I'll be watching. Do they still have the Delaware's?

 

[FunClucks]

I'll be watching. Do they still have the Delaware's?

I didn't check if FRH has those. I think Murray McMurray was selling a broiler Delaware last year or so, but I heard poor things about how they processed out and didn't want to chance it, so I skipped those, and haven't been interested in the Delaware (regular or broiler) since.

 

[Molpet]

I didn't check if FRH has those. I think Murray McMurray was selling a broiler Delaware last year or so, but I heard poor things about how they processed out and didn't want to chance it, so I skipped those, and haven't been interested in the Delaware (regular or broiler) since.

The FRH Delaware were supposed to be out of a breeder's line for meat , like the NH

 

[FunClucks]

The FRH Delaware were supposed to be out of a breeder's line for meat , like the NH

Interesting. I wonder how those compare to the NH?

 

[FunClucks]

Chicks are 4 weeks now and in the coop. 12 White Ranger, all but 3 are roosters, and 11 New Hampshires, maybe 6 hens. All from Freedom Ranger Hatchery. White Ranger are looking very CX, but a bit smaller, and they feather better than the CX I've been getting from Welp. NH are smaller than the WR by maybe 25%, but definitely have the build of meat birds.

I fed 20% protein all flock for the first week or two since it was what I had, then switched to 23% protein Nature Wise meatbird feed, and have been feeding only meatbird since. Free access 24/7 in the brooder and in the coop. These don't seem to eat during the night as much as CX did, and will get out of the way if you wave your hand at them (CX wouldn't). They seem more active so far, so that's nice.

I put them in the covered run with two grown hens so they can learn to be chickens and learn some manners from the adult hens. Ideally I'd like to keep some hens and roos of each - we'll see how it goes.

I played chicken musical chairs with the rest of the hens that were originally in the chicks' run, which resulted in my two white leghorns going in with the two Ginger Broiler meatbird roosters and their three GB hens. The GB roos are not very nice to the hens, but the WL were feather picking everyone and were super mean to the other chickens. They're fast enough to escape the meatbird roos if they want to, and don't mind spending time on the perches to do it. I'm not sorry. Crossing my fingers that the NH and WR give me at least one decent roo out of the bunch because I'm done with those GB cockerels!

Wish me luck!

 

[FunClucks]

Update on my Freedom Ranger New Hampshires and White Rangers (3m broilers). They are now ~8 weeks old. At 6 weeks I had to process one of the NH for a varus/valgus deformity. It was barely 1-2 lbs fully dressed.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hampshire-can-i-fix-it.1621937/#post-27726267

Now at ~8 wks 1-2 NH and at least 2 White Rangers appear to have Angel Wing. Still researching to figure out why that showed up (genetics + protein level in feed, or just protein level in feed?). Any of you guys have thoughts on that, please let me know!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...e-rangers-wondering-causes-solutions.1624071/

I'm pretty ticked actually - I thought these breeds would be healthier and hardier than the CX and the Ginger Broilers I've raised but so far I'm not impressed. To be fair, the things they haven't had so far are weakness/failure in hocks (1)and heart attack (sudden unexplained death (3)) which I did see in a starting population of 24 CX by 8 wks.

Also, the NH are about half the size of the White Rangers now. I processed a White Ranger at 7 wks, and a fully dressed roasting carcass no longer fits in a gallon ziplock bag (can't zip it shut, hocks poke out by about 1/2") if that helps.

 

[Folly's place]

An aside here: A couple of years ago i got CX birds from TSC, and then couldn't schedule processing until they were fourteen weeks of age. The ten birds had Flock raiser (20% protein) free choice their first three weeks, and then restricted to about eight hours daily, in feeders ten feet from their waterer. All ten birds lived and went to the processer looking good, carcass weights seven top ten pounds each!
I'm guessing that your birds did need some diet restrictions to keep them in better shape.
Any thoughts?
Mary

 

[FunClucks]

An aside here: A couple of years ago i got CX birds from TSC, and then couldn't schedule processing until they were fourteen weeks of age. The ten birds had Flock raiser (20% protein) free choice their first three weeks, and then restricted to about eight hours daily, in feeders ten feet from their waterer. All ten birds lived and went to the processer looking good, carcass weights seven top ten pounds each!
I'm guessing that your birds did need some diet restrictions to keep them in better shape.
Any thoughts?
Mary

It's looking like that's the case? I'm confused because I raised 21 CX to processing on basically the same food access schedule in a very similar setup, except I kept them on meatbird feed throughout, and had less trouble with them. Both of these breeds are supposed to be hardier and less prone to health issues than CX, but I'm not seeing that.