Happy Friday everyone, I’m popping in today to show you how big our meat chickens are getting. By the end of the month they’ll be ready for market. They’re sure not a pretty chicken and they’re very lazy. Most of the time you can find them with their head in the feeder.
They all gather around the 3 feeder, I think they have a system and everyone has their spot, claimed seldom leaving it. They seem to graze all day, they don’t even move to poop, which makes them fast growing when you get no exercise . We also have 30 laying chicks now too, they’re still at the fuzzy cute stage. Right now they’re kept in a separate portion of the coop.
The meat chickens like to pick on them and keep them running. I had no idea how much meat chickens could eat….45 chickens are eating 100 pounds of food every 5 days. I like the fact that I know what the chickens are being fed, all organic, but they may end up be pricy chickens when it’s all said and done. But I guess it’s worth it to know we’re not eating a bunch of chickens loaded with antibiotic, GMO, or other terrible things.
Love your stories, Dawn. : )
Thanks Lu 🙂 They are a lot of work!
Wow, I had no idea how much the Meat Chickens ate!….I buy organic chicken and after eating the organic you can’t go back to the non organic as you can definitely taste the difference. Beautiful photos of them Dawn!….Have a great weekend and Happy Mother’s Day!
Shirley, that’s why we’re raising our own, we don’t want what the growers add to them in our food supply. Have a great Mothers Day too 🙂
Are you enjoying the experience?????
XO Kris
Kris, meat chickens are so different than layers so once these are to market ask me again. LOL
Wow Dawn they eat a lot!!!!! Loved seeing the pictures.
Happy Mom’s Day.
Kris
Kris, Happy Mothers Day to you too 🙂
My daughter has egg laying chickens and they are so sweet . They love to come up on the porch and visit. xo Laura
Laura, yes egg layers are totally different. Meat chicken can hardly walk, and right now with the heat there ornery.
LOL!!! Love the expression on the chicken !!!! It’s hysterical. Never realized how expensive chicken feed is….won’t be using that expression again! Thanks for the pics – you made my day
LOL so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Funny, I was wondering how big your chickens were getting since we got ours around the same time. Chickens are hANGRY little creatures aren’t they?
I’m writing a post on certified food labels [ummm …. something I taught at the beginning of the semester but haven’t gotten around to it] and it’s amazing how “free range” is a misconception.
So yes, aren’t you glad you know exactly what “organic” means at your dinner table?
Enjoyed your post Dawn. Happy Mother’s Day to you.
Windi, yes my Uncle seems to think free range means you get brown eggs. I had to crack up I have no idea where he got that information. I think the general rule for meat chickens is they gain a pound per week so Im hoping to have 8-9 pound chickens when I send them to market. Even when I purchase organic chickens from the Amish they’re only about 4 pounds so 8 would be better for us.
I’m new to your website and love it. A very dear friend sent me here to look at your pillowcase post and found that you raise chickens. We started raising chickens nearly 8 years ago when we moved to our farm in the Kentucky mountains. I absolutely love having chickens. Had no idea that they had their own personalities and were so much fun.
Really enjoying your site. Thanks so much for sharing!
Kelli
Kelli welcome to the cabin and always nice to find a fellow chicken lover 🙂 Right now I have 30 laying hens and they should be laying any time now. Can’t wait for fresh eggs, I won’t eat eggs purchased from a store.