Meat birds

[baymule]

$2.00 for meat chicks is a good price. The hatcherys charge more.

 

[CrealCritter]

I would like to know why meat bird food costs significantly more than any other kind of feed I buy.

The meat bird I buy is 21% protein at $12.99 for 50lbs at rural king. Both times I raised Jumbo CCX I fed them 21% meat bird 12 hours on 12 hours off from start to finish I was happy the way they turned out.

 

[NH Homesteader]

That's a good price! I think we get 20% but not sure off the top of my head. It's Blue Seal, that's what we use for most things. We feed twice a day. They grow slower, they're usually still fairly active when we butcher.

 

[tortoise]

@Dani4Hedgies I'm also interested in your experiment! I have Buff Rock x Cornish hybrids going on here. Nothing impressive happening. I probably had a RIR rooster in there last year since we were switching over from RIR to meat. The meat hens lay just fine in my opinion and we don't like the RIR carcass.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Generally, higher proteins. that's why this newly adopted farmer I found is a good price. Higher protein in his feed for 45% less than what I pay for the lower pro ones. If I ever totally retire (WHAT? It could happen!) Well, if I do -- I will work with raising mealworms, maybe some crickets, too. With chickens that free range, flies are way, way down because they keep the manure down, where most of the flies lay and re-generate.

So far I have checked out the Cornish chicks 3 times, 2 different TSC and not yet bought. I'm still thinking on it. Actually, do not want to pay $2 per chick. That's a big start up cost! I'm cheap.

Hmm actually Meyers have straight run at like 1.67 and free shipping on CC so that is where I ordered mine from.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

@Dani4Hedgies I'm also interested in your experiment! I have Buff Rock x Cornish hybrids going on here. Nothing impressive happening. I probably had a RIR rooster in there last year since we were switching over from RIR to meat. The meat hens lay just fine in my opinion and we don't like the RIR carcass.

Tortoise,
Cool I look forward to hearing how your meat birds change with the infusion of RIR and BR

 

[Mini Horses]

$2.00 for meat chicks is a good price.

Not when you got "free"...... The trick is to wait until they need to move them, esp if they are couple weeks old and new ones incomeing. Yeah, then it's like 99 cents per bird. That's getting into my desired price range. I am off today and hope to be able to see the 20 2 weekers there still, maybe can strike a deal. If not, I can wait.


Anyone ever butchered a Marans? Mine are nice sized...roos are large (and beautiful). Have read they are tasty. I think they are just more chicken but, who knows. Some birds do have more desirable traits. I mean leghorns are laying machines but not a good choice for much meat.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Marana that I did taste like any other home raised chicken. Tough as nails tho, they were old.

Rir aren't very good meat birds either, but we fill our belly with them. Seems the heavier BO and BR are more meaty.

 

[baymule]

Best price on CCX!!

https://windymeadowshatchery.com/