Experimental Meat Bird cross thread.

[Chubbicthe2nd]

They would be great for that! I have mine in a tractor for another week and then they are going to a sectioned off part of my yard (away from my laying flock) to free range.

Newbie here, but is there a reason you need to keep meat birds separate from your laying flock?

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Newbie here, but is there a reason you need to keep meat birds separate from your laying flock?

Technically you don't have to, but I just never feel like taking the time to acclimate a bunch of new chickens to my flock and disturb the pecking order for birds that will only be around 8-10 weeks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Good point on integration. Are you feeding the two flocks differently? Many people do.

CX poop a lot, Rangers more than dual purpose chickens. You might be introducing poop management issues to your normal flock.

I've noticed posts on here where people try to raise CX with their normal flock the first time they raise CX. Many of those do not their second time. Some do but many do not.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Surprised I didn't receive notifications.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Here's their weights at 5 months. Gonna go ahead, & dig out my butchering stuff, & butcher them in the next few days.

#1.
7lbs, 2oz

 

[MysteryChicken]

#2. Fat Boy
6lbs, 9oz

 

[MysteryChicken]

#3. Big Girl
5lbs, 2½oz

 

[MysteryChicken]

#4 was rehomed.

 

[MysteryChicken]

@Molpet

 

[Molpet]

@Molpet

You going to butcher all of these. Any others kept for breeding stock?

I have a few cockerels I need to butcher too. I still haven't found my scale I put somewhere a couple years ago when I was really spacey from COVID. Yes I looked in the freezer