Putting broilers to work!

[Jared77]

Way to go on the deal! Now you just need some rabbits in tractors to give you a good manure diversity for your garden and then you'll have all the white and red meat you can eat

 

[vfem]

Jared, you just HAD to say that!

Hubby wants to breed bunnies as his own little project and he wants to build a duel rabbit hatch for breeding and add drop pans under it for me to collect dropping to dump in the garden. I may just let him!

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

I wanted rabbits too, for the manure. I ended up with house bunnies that pee a lot. The compost is not as easily used. I hope this fall to get them acclimated to outside. I plan on building a tractor that fits over my beds. That way they can dig in them and fertilize at the same time. Bunnies followed by chickens, and rotate.

 

[peteyfoozer]

My meaties had free range of the whole yard and garden for several weeks. There are NO monster worms on my tomatoes and they did a great job of eating bugs. By 8 weeks though, they were big enough to sit on some of my plants and squish them, so we butchered them all this week. They all finished out at 5 and 6 lb carcasses. Love those birds! Wish I could find a deal like that! I paid almost that much before putting feed into them!

 

[vfem]

Bummer, this heat is really getting to the birds. 1 died even though she seems to be doing ok when I brought them more 2 water. (The kept spilling it and didn't have any more within an hour this morning!) 2 Won't walk, they'll drink if I bring them water but can't seem to get up. So we're going to off the 2 that aren't walking. I moved them into the shade of the green bean vines, but it doesn't seem to help when its over 100 for more then 2 days in a row.

The one that died was the smallest one, she didn't seem to be growing well and I think she may have had issues even without the heat. The other 5 are doing just fine like nothing in the world is bothering them!

Go figure! hahaha

 

[ducks4you]

SO sorry, vfem!
Mine pant, sit in the shade, and drink a lot, but nobody's so stressed as yours.
I've just had some days with no eggs.

 

[vfem]

Ducks, my layers are all fine no issues at all. The meat birds I think are just so fat this is stressing to birds that are naturally more stressed then heritage breeds for laying get.

I even got eggs from the other girls today.

My guy was supposed to come cut the lawn but due to the heat he hasn't showed up. He may come later which is fine, but I was going to put the sprinkler on them, but pulled it up to the house so he wouldn't mow over it.

I'm thinking of dragging it out right now. :/

 

[vfem]

I cleaned up the 2 that were dying yesterday, and they're in the brine in the fridge. Tomorrow we're having 1 for dinner, and the other goes in the freezer. The last of them are doing just fine today.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

We had 27 meat birds. Then we had 2 days over over 100F which is very uncommon for us. We lost 19 of them. After that, we relocated them to the barn where a least it was cool, 80F hahaha. That is where they remained until we butchered them two weeks ago. Ours got to the point that they really didn't move around all that much and were just as happy sitting there eating. They all dressed out after 8 weeks around 5 pounds. Enjoy them! We have only eaten one of ours, but couldn't be more pleased. I am sure you will find the same with yours.