Our first batch of chickens for 2008 is underway! 153 cute little peepers.
Here’s an overview of our brooder pen setup:
I’ve been having Ike sleep in the garage with them at night, so he can start bonding with his charges. Hopefully, with last year’s experience as chicken herd guard, he’ll fall right into his duties again this year.
3 years ago:
2 years ago:
What kind of chicks are they? and how old should a chicken be before you…ummm harvest them? We have some that are intended for meat, but we haven’t done this before and are not sure how old they should be to meet their demise.
How cute right now (and then they grow up). Good luck with Ike & keeping them all alive this year!!Kris
What type of camera do you use to take your pictures with? Is it an SLR? They turn out so clear and the focus is fabulous on them. Love that first picture:)
kristi – these are Cornish cross broiler chicks, all cockerels. We butcher ours at 8 weeks old and they average 6 pounds dressed, but you can butcher as young at 6 or 7 weeks for a smaller bird.
We aren’t missing them this year! Expect a call or us showing up with Molly and a camera in tow.
Kris – thanks! I’ve lost 3 so far, but that’s pretty typical for broilers, especially with the cold wet weather we’ve had.s2s – I have a Canon digital Rebel XT. It’s a great camera! On this shot I used a Sigma telephoto lens.Becky – anytime! We’ll be getting another batch in May, so if we don’t see you before then I’ll give you a call and let you know when they’re coming.
That’s a really nice brooder set-up you got there!