Feeding Dual Purpose Breeds for the Freezer

[yardn_gardn]

Now that the hatch and the teenager stage is over, it is time to separate the roosters. Their breeds are New Hampshire Reds, Ameraucana, and Welsummer. While those breeds might not all be considered dual purpose breeds, they are for me. Fortunately only six out of the eighteen ended up being roosters. I'll keep one for now, but the rest are for the table. What is the best feeding strategy for the quickest results? Our ninety year old neighbor who helps us feed cows everyday in the winter said his mom said it only took three days to fatten a chicken to butcher. Wow, would I like to be able to talk to her about what she fed her birds! Maybe some of you all could help me out.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

That's a new one... I know they fatten Bresse by putting them in the dark and feeding them milk in their high protein feed. I think that takes a month though.

 

[Parront]

The quickest results would to to process them as soon as they start too crow and harass the pullets too much. They will never be as large as a Cornish-X bred for meat in 6 weeks of constant feeding, even if you feed them until they are 6 months old. Save feed and get a tender bird by eating them by 14 - 16 weeks old. I sometimes process some especially annoying cockerels as young as 10 weeks for a 1.5 pound little broiler to put on the BBQ. Especially a layer breed, you will not get a lot of growth no matter what you feed them.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'd offer advice, but I have no experience. All my DP birds free range, that is NOT a recipe for fattening up any sort of bird. Offering them high fat, high protein feed free choice in a constrained environment maximizes calories and minimizes exercise (it also looks a lot like commercial management practices for CornishX) - so in theory, that's the route to go. But in practice?? I've got nothing.

and of course even duplicating the management practices, no DP bird is going to bulk out like, convert feed like, or even show a white/dark ratio like a CornishX. At best, you will have a narrow-breasted, slightly (intramuscular) marbled, thick-thighed bird in the 4.5-6# live weight range by 16 or 18 weeks, pullets of course lighter, which took an extra month and probably 35% +/- more feed to arrive at that point**. Which is NOT a bad thing - its just not CornishX.

**Back of napkin math - I could sit down and work it out, but as estimates go, I should be in the right general area.

 

[Parront]

I'd offer advice, but I have no experience. All my DP birds free range, that is NOT a recipe for fattening up any sort of bird. Offering them high fat, high protein feed free choice in a constrained environment maximizes calories and minimizes exercise (it also looks a lot like commercial management practices for CornishX) - so in theory, that's the route to go. But in practice?? I've got nothing.

and of course even duplicating the management practices, no DP bird is going to bulk out like, convert feed like, or even show a white/dark ratio like a CornishX. At best, you will have a narrow-breasted, slightly (intramuscular) marbled, thick-thighed bird in the 4.5-6# live weight range by 16 or 18 weeks, pullets of course lighter, which took an extra month and probably 35% +/- more feed to arrive at that point**. Which is NOT a bad thing - its just not CornishX.

**Back of napkin math - I could sit down and work it out, but as estimates go, I should be in the right general area.

I did raise some of my barred Holland cockerels, an old time dual-purpose breed, confined their entire lives in a 8x10 brooder shed with free feed as much as they would eat. I started eating them at about 10 weeks old, ~2 pounds dressed. The 15 week old was almost 3 pounds, I should have eaten him sooner! I would compare these to the layer breeds the OP has as pretty similar.

 

[NatJ]

his mom said it only took three days to fatten a chicken to butcher. Wow, would I like to be able to talk to her about what she fed her birds! Maybe some of you all could help me out.

Maybe they just don't get very fat, so there's no point in trying for longer than 3 days?

Now that the hatch and the teenager stage is over, it is time to separate the roosters. Their breeds are New Hampshire Reds, Ameraucana, and Welsummer. While those breeds might not all be considered dual purpose breeds, they are for me. Fortunately only six out of the eighteen ended up being roosters. I'll keep one for now, but the rest are for the table. What is the best feeding strategy for the quickest results?

Chick starter, or grower food, or any food sold for meat birds would probably work fine.

If you want them to have extra fat, maybe you could offer free-choice corn in a separate feeder. It will not help them gain muscle (because it is low protein), but it certainly does contain calories that might be converted to fat.

And I agree with the others who say you should eat them at a relatively young age, and that they will not get really big.

 

[yardn_gardn]

Thank you all for your timely advice. Harvest time is coming soon.

 

[Parront]

Maybe they just don't get very fat, so there's no point in trying for longer than 3 days?


Chick starter, or grower food, or any food sold for meat birds would probably work fine.

If you want them to have extra fat, maybe you could offer free-choice corn in a separate feeder. It will not help them gain muscle (because it is low protein), but it certainly does contain calories that might be converted to fat.

And I agree with the others who say you should eat them at a relatively young age, and that they will not get really big.

X's 2 -- I fed my Hollands that I raised 20% starter feed all their lives. I did not think to try feeding them corn, good idea and maybe the batch I am raising now will get that treatment!

 

[NatJ]

I did not think to try feeding them corn, good idea and maybe the batch I am raising now will get that treatment!

I do not know for sure if corn will help meat birds get fat.

But we're always told not to give too much corn to laying hens, because they will get fat.
And corn is used to fatten other kinds of livestock.
And it's a fairly cheap food that chickens like.
So I thought it might be worth a try

 

[Parront]

Thank you all for your timely advice. Harvest time is coming soon.

You will have to let us know how they turn out. Here is a photo of one of the ~10 week old Barred Hollands from last year. The before photo in the cage, to show the size live in the dog crate. He had so many pinfeathers that the other 2 got a 2 week reprieve.