2014 Meat Birds at 5 Weeks Old

Our Cornish Cross Meat Birds are five weeks old today.  As we've been doing once a week for the past 5 weeks, Benjamin and I go out and out of the 99 meat birds, we try to find the one bird with the black spot above his left eye as we've been charting his growth.  We found him!

Benjamin, the chick magnet

As they are growing, they are consuming more feed each day.  We're feeding them 3 times a day (morning, noon & night) and they are eating every bit of the 3 #10 cans full 18% Chick Grower Ration.  We'll probably increase that amount soon.

Close up of ol' Black Eye

With them eating so much, they are pooping a lot.  Benjamin and I are pushing the chicken  tractor often so they aren't sitting in the stinky stuff.  They are drinking a whole lot of water as well.  Well, like on the Biggest Loser, it is time for Ol' Black Eye to get on the scale.  Benjamin put the empty bucket on the scale and zeroed it out. Then he put the chicken in the bucket.

Bucket of Chicken

Ol' Black Eye tipped the scales at exactly two pounds at five weeks.  

2 Pounds of Chicken, Please

We'll check in on Ol' Black Eye in another week when they turn 6 weeks old.  I'm starting to question whether or not we'll reach the 6 pound weight goal at the 8 week mark and I'm thinking we'll have to extend it for an additional week, but we'll see...