Meat Chickens at 6 weeks old (the 1st batch)

Finally clear skies and sunshine!  I got a pitch fork and scooped out all of the hay in the chicken tractor and put the poop filled hay into the compost pile.  I had stacked all the hay in the chicken tractor so that the meat birds could climb up on top of it and get out of the flooded pasture.  They don't fare too well when they get wet and cold.  We didn't lose any birds with all the rain, but we lost 3 heat lamp bulbs due to drops of water hitting the 250 watt bulbs and causing them to pop.  They are valued at about $7 per bulb, so that hurts a little bit, but it could've been worse and I'm not gonna complain.  Neighboring Acadia Parish Schools have been closed for 4 days with the flooding from all the rain and I have a friend in Mermentau that got over a foot of water in his garage and some got in his home.  As a result, he had to pull carpet out of his house and will need to remove ruined sheetrock.  Once I got the soiled hay out, I pushed the tractor forward one length so that they have access to fresh grass.  Two more weeks to go before butchering day. 

Below is the chronology of the Cornish Cross Meat chickens from 1 day old to 6 weeks old so you can see their growth:  As you view the photos, compare the feet of the chick below to that of the last picture - amazing!


One day old baby Cornish Cross Chick




One week old chick sporting new white wing feathers

 

Two week old chick in that uncomfortable adolescent stage



Three week old chick putting on weight

 

Four week old Cornish Cross chicken



5 weeks old



Russ is holding up a six week old Cornish Cross chicken to the camera.  Hard to imagine that this bird is only 42 days old, right?  

6 week old Cornish Cross Meat Bird

Only 2 more weeks until they reach maturity and it is butchering day.  We often take a look though at their size at 8 weeks and if they can get a little bigger, then we'll give them another week to grow.  One thing you have to consider, though is feed cost.  Although they are eating grass, they eat a lot of Chick Grower 18% Protein feed.  That adds up quickly. 
We've got another 100 chicks in two brooders in the garage right now and one of my tasks for this weekend is to move them out to the pasture.  I don't have an extra chicken tractor to put them in, but I have a plan.  I'll show you the plan this weekend.