# Growing roosters for butcher



## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

I am getting ready to put in my order for 50 male chicks to raise for the freezer. We are going to stick with heavy breeds, as I don't like the idea of the cornish cross. My job is to get these boys as big as possible before butcher day. Any good tips from you experienced "growers" out there.

Lillian


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

Bigger, slower growing breeds can take a Looooong time to reach full size, some over a year. Do your research.


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## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

I am fully aware it will take time for the boys to be huge. We have chickens, my main Rooster is a Delaware and my back up is a BO. I am not in this for a 10 lb bird. We just want some good chicken in the freezer and I was hoping for any tips from people that have used Heavies for their meat instead of the cornish cross.

So any tips?

Lillian


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I accidentally raised a Delaware roo; we thought he was a she. We had him butchered when he began crowing; we fed him 16% layer, he freeranged and was a very tasty 4.5 lbs. If I were to raise roos on purpose, I'd choose Delawares; the other 2 "hens" we had processed were much smaller at the same age. I'm not sure if feeding them higher protein would make much difference but I would probably do so if I intentionally raised roos for meat.


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## theporkstork (Dec 31, 2005)

The many sexlinked crossed males make good "heritage" type meat birds for the freezer. They grow a bit faster than purebreds and if you choose the right cross, they will dress out with very large legs and thighs with medium sized breasts. New Hampshire x Deleware sex links will result in males that are mostly white therefore resulting in less dark pinfeathers. They will reach 4-5 pounds in 16-18 weeks and have most of their adult feathers grown in at that age.
My local University poultry farm uses that cross for their nutrition trials year after year. Local people buy the pullets, which make excellant layers, and the males are used in the trials.


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

I feed the "grow out reject roo pen" for later eating, I feed them Ace High 8-week crackettes, 24% protein crumbles, plenty of fresh water, and keep them as comfortable and happy as possible. I keep them penned so to cut predator losses and to promote weight gain. Not much secret there, but that is how I do it. They grow however their genes say they are going to grow. Higher protein cuts pecking, and so does having different levels they can get up on, or go behind to cut social tension in a smaller area. (chunk of plywood on a couple of crates will do.)


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## bja105 (Aug 25, 2009)

I have butchered Rhode Island Red, White Leghorns, and soon a few Barred Rocks.
The Reds had nice legs and narrow breasts at 18 weeks.
The Leghorns were just long legged scrawney things at 14 weeks, but butchering them made them a lot quieter.
The Barred rocks are bigger than the reds,so far. they will be meat as soon as I get time.

I don't know if you have tried the Cornish X before. If not, don't let people scare you off. They give far better meat, and are the most pleasant birds we have had. Feed them, they love you. I don't think they are difficult, nasty, frankenbirds at all.


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

I'm raising 25 Freedom Ranger chicks right now - the first time I've tried them. They gain weight much faster than the heavy breeds I've kept in the past (Barred Rocks, Wyandottes, Australorps). I'm feeding them 24% game bird starter. 
They're easier to contain than dual purpose chicks since they're too heavy to do much flying out of the pen and they're generally more sedentary. On the other hand, they don't seem to forage as much as the old-fashioned birds I'm used to.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

What is it you don't like about the cornish crosses? If you just want a meat bird that's by far the best way to go because they are ready for butchering in 6-8 weeks rather then 6 MONTHS. They aren't very active and the meat on the legs is more tender - not like the stringy chewy legs from a 6 month old freeranger or pastured chicken.


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## oberhaslikid (May 13, 2002)

Iam with the Freedom Rangers too if you want a nice bird for meat.


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

We too have done both. I would do the cornish crosses again. I fed mine 16% and let them roam although they did not. 
The other heavies also ate 16% and they were not as tender and did not have nearly as much breast meat.
I would like to try a dark cornish for meat.


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## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

Thanks for all of the information, I will consider all of it. 

Sanza- To me there is just someting wrong about a chicken that is ready to butcher in 6-8 weeks. That is not what nature intended. So I won't be having any of them.

I am excited to give this a try, it will be a different experience than keeping my hens.

Lillian


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## mickm (Jul 23, 2010)

ajaxlucy said:


> I'm raising 25 Freedom Ranger chicks right now - the first time I've tried them. They gain weight much faster than the heavy breeds I've kept in the past (Barred Rocks, Wyandottes, Australorps). I'm feeding them 24% game bird starter.
> They're easier to contain than dual purpose chicks since they're too heavy to do much flying out of the pen and they're generally more sedentary. On the other hand, they don't seem to forage as much as the old-fashioned birds I'm used to.



How do you like the Rangers and where did you order them?

I would like to order some now for fall butchering, but I am not sure of when they are available.

What I don't like about the Cornish crosses is they are kinda helpless. Very good meat, but sitting in front of a feeder is all they care about. I would like to have a chicken that can at least forage a little for it's self. With that said, I have not had good experiences with raising the heavy breeds for meat. I buy buff, RR hens, and they all eventually make the noodle pot, but I definitely do not like the roosters for meat only chickens. JMO


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

I don't understand all this I read about Cornish Xs not ranging and sitting in front of a feeder.

Mine have all been very active and roam all over the yard pecking at greens.


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## rj_in_MA (Apr 27, 2004)

Tiempo said:


> I don't understand all this I read about Cornish Xs not ranging and sitting in front of a feeder.
> 
> Mine have all been very active and roam all over the yard pecking at greens.


That's been my experience as well. I get 25 or 50 at a time, and I allow them to range in an area of about 50x50 around their tractors. And they use it all. The only time they seem to just hang around is when it's really hot out.

-rj


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## mickm (Jul 23, 2010)

Well maybe thats the problem, It's always really hot here!lol

No, i just do not find that they forage like my other chickens. Maybe the type or place I order from, but they are almost like chickens on sedatives. 

Tasty though!


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

> Sanza- To me there is just someting wrong about a chicken that is ready to butcher in 6-8 weeks. That is not what nature intended. So I won't be having any of them.


I agree - we will not be having any, either


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Ms.Lilly said:


> Thanks for all of the information, I will consider all of it.
> 
> Sanza- To me there is just someting wrong about a chicken that is ready to butcher in 6-8 weeks. That is not what nature intended. So I won't be having any of them.
> 
> ...


They have been BRED to grow fast, it's not like they have been given injections of growth hormones like beef gets. Keep their food away at night and pasture them like normal chickens and you can raise them for 4-5 months. But to each his own - people eating chuck steak all the time don't know what prime rib tastes like.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

deineria said:


> I agree - we will not be having any, either


Again I have to disagree with you - it's called progress to have nice plump tasty chickens sooner then in years gone by.


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

> To me there is just something wrong about a chicken that is ready to butcher in 6-8 weeks. That is not what nature intended. So I won't be having any of them.


Nothing about chicken keeping is as nature intended because MAN created every breed of domestic chicken. Nature had very little to do in the selective breeding process to create better meat and egg layers. Not eating a Cornish cross is like not eating eggs from a barred rock because nature intended a chicken to lay a clutch of 6-12 eggs not a few hundred a year. There is nothing more wrong with a Cornish cross then there is with any egg layer. 

I am not trying to tell you to raise them if you don't want too, but the whole unnatural think is a bit silly. I do know many people who enjoy keeping roosters of the heavy breeds for just the summer and then butchering them in the fall. They can buy large quantities for cheap from hatcheries. They are better free rangers and they want them around all summer to enjoy but don't want to deal with housing them through winter. They keep them only 6-7 months from spring to fall. It works great for them but the pay off is they spend a lot more money on feeding then they would if they raised Cornish. 



> I don't understand all this I read about Cornish Xs not ranging and sitting in front of a feeder. Mine have all been very active and roam all over the yard pecking at greens.


Same here.


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## wwubben (Oct 13, 2004)

Delawares were bred for meat just before the cornish crosses came out.My mother raised white rocks and we had many a sunday dinner from them.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

People, watch your attitudes, please. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, don't put anybody down because they do not share yours.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

get the CornishX hens then. Slower growing, just as tasty and usually cheaper than the roos from the hatchery. That's how we do it.


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## Curtis B (Aug 15, 2008)

I feel the need to chime in on this. This year I raised the Rangers and the Cornish X along side my Delawares. The cornish hardly moved, the rangers moved about twice as much. The deawares constantly moving. The carcus from the cornish looked almost identical to the Ranger. Both were much meatier than any standard I have had. The biggest downfall for me is the fact that I had too many Rangers, I am still trying to butcher them, doing 5-10 a weekend. They have started to die now, and I am scrambling to kill them before the heat does, but I am losing that battle. I like the fact that I can wait on the delawares to butcher, but will probably get more rangers next year, just not as many at one time.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I wish someone would post their opinion (and why) as to what's the "next best to Xs and Freedom ranger roos". I have experience with Delawares (yummy!); nice birds that get hefty pretty quick. Is there one that does better? (Hatchery choice "heavy bird selections" is, IMO, a waste; why pay a few pennies less per chick at the beginning? Feed costs much more overall.)

Bill raised Wellsummers, Favorelles and FRs; the latter was probably his favorite but maybe because he had personal contact with the breeders. We're doing Xs right now plus probably 8 "should have been pullets" and 2 roos that have to go; 3 are Delawares and the rest not sures. The Xs, though sweet, are dumb as rocks; tonight we spent 15 minutes convincing them to go to the "light" (barn) to escape a thunderstorm; the other 10 guys were inside long before the 1st drop of rain fell. Sheesh...


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Ms.Lilly said:


> Thanks for all of the information, I will consider all of it.
> 
> Sanza- To me there is just someting wrong about a chicken that is ready to butcher in 6-8 weeks. That is not what nature intended. So I won't be having any of them.
> 
> ...


Also something wrong with a hen that lays more than 30 eggs a year, a cow that gives more than a gallon of milk a day, and a hog that will have more than 4 babies.


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## Looking4ewes (Apr 30, 2006)

I'm finding this discussion very interesting. As a new homesteader, I have chosen Cornish X for chickens, BBW for turkeys, yorkshire x for hogs, Jersey for my milk cow, and am breeding for prolificacy in my flock of sheep. Heritage breeds are wonderful and important for genetic diversity, but expensive, unavailable, and not as productive. With my dollar stretched pretty thin in a beginning farm enterprise, I cannot indulge myself in heritage breeds for pure philosophical reasons. I need to produce food.

Wendy


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Wendy, there is nothing wrong with that. I prefer not to buy birds every year. I want something "self replicating" that will provide my food year after year. This is my choice. You do what works best for you.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Next year, we are planning on getting 100 or so California Gray Leghorns from a nearby hatchery (less than $50, including shipping).

Just need to get another run and coop set up for this.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Just saying....I personally have found that there is nothing wrong with some dual purpose breeds for stewing or soups, but if you are looking for meat that looks like the store bought chickens but tastes way better you might be disappointed with the toughness, and that is why I like the cornish or the crosses better. This will be the first year I will be butchering marans so maybe I'll be switching favorite meat breeds.....


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