Originally, our group compiled an order of over 100+ freedom rangers. Most of us took 20-25 birds; all from the same batch. But from there, we each raised them on our own feeding program. And we learned a lot by comparing notes.
I used an corn- and soy- free organic feed for the first 10 weeks. The first feed I used was a 22% protein crumble, but I began to notice that their legs were developing issues. It seemed that the feed was missing a nutrient and so after about 3 weeks, I switched to another corn- and soy- free brand with 19% protein. No more chickens developed leg problems, but I had lost 5 of my initial 25 birds. (For those interested, I was free feeding up through the third or fourth week, then when I wanted them foraging, I backed off up to the 10th week).
Growth was slow and I began to wonder if they'd ever get big enough to make this venture worth the time, effort, and costs. While most of the other homesteaders used either the same feed or a similar corn- and soy- free feed, one member used a feed with corn and the difference was amazing! Her birds were nearly double the size than most of the others by 10 weeks. She killed a couple and they dressed out at around 5 pounds each.
Perhaps you already knew this little fact - CORN ADDS FAT! Now, I knew it fattened me! And that it's used to fatten up cows before slaughter. But I hadn't really thought about the fact that it would fatten my poultry.
Sometimes I can be a bit slow figuring this kind of thing out.
After seeing my friend's chickens and realizing the reason they were larger, I made the decision that if I wanted enough weight on the birds, I'd have to add some feed with corn to finish them and start free feeding again. And it has made all the difference. In one week, they went from around 3.5 pounds to nearly 5. Now that it's been another 2 weeks, they're laying down a lot more than before and moving slower. But they're still foraging and happy!
If I were to raise Freedom Rangers again, I'd switch to the corn feed or something similar at 6 or 7 weeks instead of 10 and see if I could trim off a couple of weeks of feed by butchering earlier. (Ideally, I'd like to do so at 11 or 12 weeks.) The older they get, the more feed they go through in a week, so by trimming off one week, I can save a bit on each bird.
By my calculations, each bird will cost me around $10.50 or about $2.10 per pound, give or take. Now lest you think that is outrageous, in California, a whole free range organic bird is $2.99 per pound, so you can see that despite my poor feed management, I'll be coming out ahead... I hope! I'll be sure to post my final costs when I weigh them after processing.
There's so much more to talk about when it comes to raising meat birds; a lot of which I haven't even covered. At this point, I'm not sure I'll choose Freedom Rangers again. I'll have to do a taste test before I make a final decision. There's so much to consider... which breed to raise, what kind of feed you want them consuming, should they forage, is the goal to keep cost down, etc. And then there's the concern that some folks have regarding corn products - many feel even the organic corn has been contaminated with GMO corn. It's enough to drive you crazy trying to decide it all. Can't it just be simple!!??
I'm sure I won't be complaining much when I take that first bite of delicious chicken!
I've been contemplating mixing our own feed all summer & we live in an area where it is virtually impossible to find organic feeds. The cost of shipping is astronomical! If I could find somewhere local that sells a legume to substitute for soy, I was just going to scrap the corn altogether since it didn't contribute to the protein calculations. Now you've got me rethinking. Now I've got the challenge of looking into corn :) I'm glad that you got it worked out in order to beef them up in time!
ReplyDeleteToday is butchering day here (part 3- hopefully he'll finish!) and our FR @ 13 1/2 wks. are dressing out @ 6 1/2- 7 lbs. with a stray 5+ here and there. They look fantastic! Necessity compelled us to feed conventional broiler feed 12 hours on, 12 hours off for the last 10 weeks. Very much looking forward to seeing how they taste!
Thanks for sharing, I'm thinking about raising some meat birds next year and I have more info to help with my decision.
ReplyDeleteit is definately adventageous to weigh the cost of raising your own verses buy from an organic farmer. my brother in law bough 30 organic chickens freezer ready for $10 each...I don't think we can feed them out for that. Corn is really getting high.
ReplyDeleteWe free ranged all our farm animals when I was a kid growing up on our farm. Yes grain fed does put the beef on , we grain fed our cattle, sheep and chickens also grain fed makes for better egg layers as well better eggs are produced and in the winter we would grain feed the horses as well for added fat to keep them warm ! Always had tons of live stock grain as well as what we called it chicken feed ! Great post good luck with it all and enjoy the better way of meat !
ReplyDeleteWe raise the White Mountain Broilers...our first batch that we ever raised dressed out between 8 and 9 pounds by 9 weeks!!! For our big family, that was perfect...
ReplyDeleteWhen they are 10 days old, I start feeding 12 hours on feed, 12 hours off feed and that helps with heart attacks and other fatalities. We do choose to feed a non organic meat bird crumble (I can't remember the protein percent). They go out to a chicken tractor for some free ranging as soon as they're old enough to face the weather.
Our current batch is ten days old. Since I didn't have any chick starter or meat bird crumble, I gave them our 18 percent protein pig food and they're doing excellent...no dead chicks yet either:) And I'm not even using a heat lamp. That made me happy to save on electricity!
Anyways, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the freedom rangers.
As with every animal, you've got to decide how "natural" you can go...sometimes we have to settle with not the most perfect feed, but it is still better without all the antibiotics and growth hormones.
Blessings,
Jenna
Are you going to butcher them yourself, or take them somewhere to have them done?
ReplyDeleteHello Amy,
ReplyDeleteIntesting post! Is GMO corn really so wide spread in your country? We, here in Holland, harly thing about it. Not because it doesn't matter, but because I don't think it is much used here (I think it is even illegal). So when the corn around our house is harvested, I sent my children to gather the lost cobs and have a snack for the chickens in store. We just have 7 hens, but we enjoy the real free range eggs. So free range, that we have regularly have to take the hens from the garden in their own 'meadow'(can't remember the right word in English). They are faster developing ways to get out than we can close the fences...
yes, it is hard, but so worth the hassle!
ReplyDeleteI hope you will let us know how the butchering goes. Actually, I would like to see how it is all done but that is probably to yucky for your cute blog. I am hoping to add meat chickens next year to our little farm. Chicken is the only meat I am buying now since we put 2 pigs and 1 steer in the freezer.
ReplyDeleteYou keep chickens for eggs right? Why don't you let some hatch (assuming you have a roo) and raise them for meat? Is there a big difference in laying hens and meat chickens?
ReplyDeleteAre you going to butcher them yourselves? I am just not sure I could do that. Good luck to you and I hope they are very tasty and weigh a lot. :)
ReplyDeleteIt can be so overwhelming, can't it? Because of regulations with animals having to be a certain distance from orchards, we are not able to own our own meat birds right now - but I've been doing some research on it...and it's a little daughnting at first! But you know what they say - the best way to learn to is to just go for it! Maximizing cost efficiency...well, that takes time! I hope the chicken tastes wonderful!
ReplyDeleteOkay, Amy... the moment of truth: at the time of butchering, will we see pics of you swinging the hatchet? ;)
ReplyDeleteI had 26 Cornish Cross this year. At 9 weeks I started butchering and had skinned 9 before I got Carpal Tunnel. One friend came over later that week and helped me with 9 more and another friend came over and plucked the last 6. I had lost 2, one(the smallest) i found trampled one evening and another I just found dead one evening. When I was cleaning I noticed foam coming from the lungs and was thinking CHF, which might have killed the one. I can't free range mine due to the predators in the area but I had them in an enclosed pen outside with plenty of room to move around. They didn't move much. I even would take them out a few at a time and let the forage and their idea of foraging was to dig a hole and take a nap, lol.
ReplyDeleteAll in all I got 110.5# of meat and with feed it came to about 2.62/pound. Next year I think I will butcher at 8 weeks and save close to 40 in feed which will lower the cost.
Adele (can post if I use anonymous)
Several asked if I'm going to do a post on the butchering... probably so. I did one earlier, and although I used an axe, I didn't show the moment of death. This time we're using a killing cone. I think it will be much easier.
ReplyDeleteQuinn, I'm trying to find a plant that is high in protein that I can feed my chickens and future goats. Marjory Wildcraft found a plant in her area of Texas that actually has 42% protein! It's a perennial tree/shrub that dies back each winter and comes back. A friend here actually bought some seeds and is going to experiment and see if it will grow in our cooler climate. However, I don't think this will add the fat that we get from corn. I'd need to solve that issue next.
Staci, I have both layers and meat birds. Some are dual purpose, but they are not often used for meat anymore. However, many people who want to get away from Cornish Cross (strictly for meat) are trying the heritage breeds that can be used for meat as well as laying. They don't fatten up as fast and it can cost you more in feed, but many feel it's better for you.
Jenna, I'd like to look into the White Mountain Broilers. Thanks for telling me about them.
ReplyDeleteHeidi, GMO Corn is pretty widespread, although they really don't know how much of the corn supply is tainted with it. Supposedly the organic corn is not genetically modified, but because it so easily cross pollinates, many feel that there is very little pure corn at this point. Obviously, I hope it isn't that bad, but unless you're a scientist with means to test your corn, I'm not sure how you would know.
I'm curious as to which brand of organic corn and soy-free the Freedom Rangers were on when experiencing the leg problems. We've been considering ordering Cascade brand from Azure Standard since we have no local source for any type of organic feed, but would not want to switch if it was the problem brand.
ReplyDeleteAlso, on the plant, do you mean leucaena (sp?)? We also recently found out about another edible plant called Moringa which has lots of vitamins and protein and we brought back seeds from SW Florida to try growing it here (in SW OK). Not sure how far north you are but we were told it should come back after dying off for winter as far north as southern Kentucky.
Cat, I had no problems with the Cascade brand from Azure Standard. In fact, that is the feed I switched to after I had problems. The original feed did not come from Azure at all. The company is working with us to see if they can determine what the problem was.
ReplyDeleteYes, the plant I was referring to was the Leucaena. Since I'm in a zone 7 or colder, I'm not sure if either that or the Moringa will grow here, but like I mentioned, a friend is going to give it a try. Thanks for the tip on the Moringa though... new to me!
We're in zone 7 down here as well, so hopefully it will work for you, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear the Cascade feed is good. Thanks for replying.
You've inspired me to add corn to my chicken's feed. Just ran up to the store and bought a 50lb bag and mixed it in. There's so much debate over corn. Some say it's lacking in nutrients, but I feel like my chickens could use some fattening up. Gonna give it a try. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhile I despise the practice of feeding corn to cows, I don't think there is as much of a problem with feeding corn to chickens. At least their bodies are set up to digest it, as it's a seed (as opposed to cows, whose systems get all messed up from eating corn). And similarly, since cows aren't meant to eat corn I think that the messed up fat ratios in corn-fed beef is due to that fact, whereas chickens aren't getting, even in a feed containing corn, getting all of their fat and protein from corn. It makes sense to me to include a little corn in their feed.
ReplyDeleteBut I get the concern over GMO's- that's some scary stuff.