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And now, they are in the left run (2-year old layers in the right run). The meat birds are huge, almost the size of the 2-year layer birds. The new layers are still small, will start laying eggs in September or so.
We have a dozen Rhode-Island-Reds, a dozen White-leghorns, a dozen Arracanas, a dozen Cochins, and a dozen Campbell Ducks.
Each breed has their own coop, and we are working on a community coop where the chicken breeds can mix.
Our egg cartons each have a mixture of brown, white and tourquose eggs in them.
Our current Cochins and Campbells, we got this season so they are juvenile. We have had a cochin before. The breeder where we buy chicks through gives you one 'exotic' breed with each order. Which is where we had a Cochin previously and decided that we wanted more of them.
Hi Looks like you have a mix of standard size chickens, or at least that would be my "best guess". Meat Birds do grow more quickly than layers. . . at about 6 weeks, my layers were about that size, too, at 15 weeks they are larger, but still not fully developed. I am expecting eggs between 18 and 20 weeks, and will not be surprised if the first eggs are tiny. Your flock is pretty, I especially like the "splash" birds. I have a Rhode Island Red, Barred Plymouth Rock, Americana, and one beautiful yellow and black "mutt" who may turn out to be an "easter egger", or at least that is what I am hoping for!
Your white large meat birds are probably cornish cross. They can get quite large rather quickly. It is best to eat them, they do not make it much longer than six months. Their legs start to bow under their extreme weight. I had a hen dress out at well over 16 pounds at 20 weeks. I let a rooster cornish cross live and he got to as big as a turkey hen and his heart gave out on him at a year and a half. He weighed well over 20 pounds at that time. I have black sex links, buff orpingtons, rhode Island reds, auracanas , crosses of some of those and a Mille fleur bantam rooster with his five hens. Mille fleurs are feather footed bantams.
We have a dozen Rhode-Island-Reds, a dozen White-leghorns, a dozen Arracanas, a dozen Cochins, and a dozen Campbell Ducks.
Each breed has their own coop, and we are working on a community coop where the chicken breeds can mix.
Our egg cartons each have a mixture of brown, white and tourquose eggs in them.
Our current Cochins and Campbells, we got this season so they are juvenile. We have had a cochin before. The breeder where we buy chicks through gives you one 'exotic' breed with each order. Which is where we had a Cochin previously and decided that we wanted more of them.
Your white large meat birds are probably cornish cross. They can get quite large rather quickly. It is best to eat them, they do not make it much longer than six months. Their legs start to bow under their extreme weight. I had a hen dress out at well over 16 pounds at 20 weeks. I let a rooster cornish cross live and he got to as big as a turkey hen and his heart gave out on him at a year and a half. He weighed well over 20 pounds at that time.
I feel like I have to eat them now even though they are 1.5 months old
They already seem to get tired from lagging themselves around. Often sit, and look very hot (breathe with their beaks open, and can't wait for the evening coolness to come). I can't see them lasting more than one more month...
I know what you mean of letting them go for too long: I once had a turkey that we didn't have a heart to kill, she was 35 lbs and didn't fit into a roasting pan...
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDragonslayer
I have black sex links, buff orpingtons, rhode Island reds, auracanas , crosses of some of those and a Mille fleur bantam rooster with his five hens. Mille fleurs are feather footed bantams.
All these names sound so exotic! I'd love to see pics of them... (I know, I could google, but still...)
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