chuckmum6 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 My beautiful chicks (see my avatar) have now turned into a marauding flock of mini vultures, they are at the ugly stage (6 weeks) with feathers all over the place. Looking at them I think I have 2 or 3 boys the light Sussex certainly have larger combs and one of the buff's is a bit bigger then the others. I know they are slow growing and I can't be certain about just what they are at the moment, however I plan on fattening up the boys for meat, so how long do you think it will take for them to get to a good weight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 To get them at a really good weight, you are probably looking at about 9 months... By which time they will be well into crowing To be honest, with my boys that I can't rehome, I dispatch when they start crowing... You get less meat granted, but even a bantam was enough to feed OH and I a good meal. It depends whether you can keep crowing cockerels or not I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 Mmmm that's was a worry, Onion my cock makes enough noise now I don't think 4 cockerels crowing will endear me to the neighbours - it will be much sooner than 9 months I predict! Thanks Space Chick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I've got a maran naked neck cross in the fridge for Sunday that was hatched Easter he dressed out to 4 and a half pounds got a barnbar x nacked neck to do Sunday same age he looks a bit smaller my Sussex cross was only hathed Whitsun I'm hoping he's christmas dinner. light sussex I thourght fattened up quicker than most pure breeds P.S I've had 4 crowing now for about 8 weeks I live in a built up area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 If you can separate them off so they dont have the girls to distract their energies, feed unmedicated growers pellets mixed with wheat (or just pellets if you cant get wheat) they'll be a respectable weight at 5 months, better if you can push it to six or more Let them have access to a bit of grass if you can, it will make the meat more tasty and towards the end confine them to a small-ish area and feed a little corn and barley if you can Its better they cant see or get at the girls if possible as they will start to s"Ooops, word censored!" amongst themselves otherwie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 That's good advice about the girls, I will have to move them, but I think I have one (possibly two) hen among them, I wouldn't want to keep her on her own until she is big enough to go in with the flock, hopefully there will be two hens in which case that won't be a problem. Failing that I might have to keep one of them with her until she is big enough. Their mum is still happy to be with them, but she is finding it harder to get all four under her, mum is a Pekin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Love the image of them under a Pekin mom! I had 3 LF cockerels last year for about 9 months. Mr Dino (Araucana) went to live with Omletina and the other 2, Mr Meaty and Little Miss Meaty were both for the freezer. There was quite a bit of meat on both of them and they were in an eglu run so just enough room for the 3 of them. They did FR with the girls but didn't really fight between themselves, probably just lucky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Lots of useful info here, thanks. My legbar hatched five chicks and they are 16 weeks old now. Only one cockerel....I feel so sorry for him as he is the only dinner out of the five, poor lad. No crowing but he is much bigger than his sisters and has those iridescent tail feathers coming through......................sigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
