This fall and next spring I'll be raising chickens for show as an FFA project. I start off with 25 chicks, and as the 6 weeks progresses ones with defects will be taken out of the coop and given to any local falconer that wants some. I think it's a good way to start actually bonding with local falconers rather than what I've been stupid enough to do on the forums.
The meet for chickens is October first, and at the meeting we'll be deciding where they'll be, how to build a coop, the steps to care for a chicken, what to look for, as well as the etc.
Does anyone feed their bird chickens besides DOCs? More than likely quite a few of these are going to be given away after their first day.
Well, I'm saying that I probably couldn't tell if they were bad the first day.
And grats! Unfortunately state fair starts tomorrow, so I'm not going to arise them for that.
Was going to eat some, but with so many I figured, why not give some to the falconers? I know plenty of people around who like to feed DOCs, but idk about the older chickens, though the necks as tirings seems logical. Maybe the falconers just want some chickens to eat for themselves, too
It's pretty rare that the chicks will have problems when they are so young. Typically the problems start when they get older and heavier. I didnt have any problems until they were about 3-4weeks old
Sage - Female American Kestrel 2008 -------------------------------------------- Zephyr - Female Red Tail 2008-2010 -------------------------------------------- Saffron - Female American Kestrel 2009-2010
It's pretty rare that the chicks will have problems when they are so young. Typically the problems start when they get older and heavier. I didnt have any problems until they were about 3-4weeks old
Yeah, that's what I figured. Going to call the Plano ordinance people and see if they are willing to let up the rules so I can house them at my home and not have to drive 20 minutes twice each day getting there and 20 minutes back just to feed them. If they're at home they'll probably be better winners through socialization and it'll also make it easier to check on food and drinks and stuff.
You are talking about meat pen right? They dont need socialization.
Meat pen? I don't think so, just poultry judging. My teacher's not very keen on details. And besides, I like chickens, if I'm going to get some then I might as well make sure I can hold them.
Post by Starburst on Sept 25, 2009 12:47:31 GMT -5
I thought you were talking about meat pen which is why you were talking about chickens with defects.
If you aren't raising meat pen chickens they out of the 25 you get, you MIGHT have 1 with defects. Typically the other breeds are healthy. It's just the CornishXRocks that have major defects because they get too big for their own bodies to support.
Sage - Female American Kestrel 2008 -------------------------------------------- Zephyr - Female Red Tail 2008-2010 -------------------------------------------- Saffron - Female American Kestrel 2009-2010
I thought you were talking about meat pen which is why you were talking about chickens with defects.
If you aren't raising meat pen chickens they out of the 25 you get, you MIGHT have 1 with defects. Typically the other breeds are healthy. It's just the CornishXRocks that have major defects because they get too big for their own bodies to support.
Well, I guess I should say "the less valuables". We're supposed to start off with 25 and end up with like 3-5. Then if it's a winner you can usually sell it off to a breeder or something, and the rest you can sell or eat.
She said we were getting "big white chickens that weigh about 8 lbs". She's not exactly poultry savvy.
Post by Starburst on Sept 25, 2009 19:36:25 GMT -5
It sounds like you are doing meat pen. Meat pen is a set of 3 or 4 chickens (depending on your fair) shown together that are supposed to be as identical as possible (weight, width, legth, etc).
What age does she say you'll be showing them at? The only breed of white chickens that really get that big by the age of 6-8weeks are the CornishXRocks which are only used for meat pen because they are a hybrid and unable to show in regular judging. You also cannot use them for breeding because they are already a hybrid and will not live long enough to reproduce. There have only been a few cases of hen CornishXRocks that have laid and hatched eggs.
In meat pen, only Grand Champion and Reserve Champion are "winners". The rest are not placed at all. Only the Grand Champ and Reserve Champ get to go to auction. If you dont win Grand or Reserve, you're really out of luck because then you wind up trying to do "barn sale" which is basically posting signs trying to find someone who will do a side sale and buy your chickens for cheap. You will usually barely cover the cost of raising the chickens. I made sure that I would put in enough effort and have enough knowledge to win before starting the project, i didnt want to and couldnt afford to get stuck with chickens I couldnt sell. Luckily I was able to sell the ones I didnt take to fair for about $25 a piece and because I won Reserve, I went to auction and got $500 for my 4 chickens in the meat pen. In the end I made $680 off the 10 chicks I started out with (2 randomly died on their own). It cost me about $200 for the birds, 8weeks worth of food and the equipment(I didnt have to buy or make a coop).
I would specifically ask your teacher what the competition is you are doing. It also sounds like she doesnt really know what she is talking about and I would do as much research on my own as possible. If it is meat pen (and it really sounds like it is) then you need to know exactly what the judge is going to be looking at and what will make one meat pen win over another.
EDIT: Oh and wanted to add. When will you be showing them? Show chickens have to be 6months old in order to show in regular poultry judging. So...if you are showing them when they are between 6-10weeks...you're probably doing Meat Pen
Last Edit: Sept 25, 2009 19:52:51 GMT -5 by Starburst
Sage - Female American Kestrel 2008 -------------------------------------------- Zephyr - Female Red Tail 2008-2010 -------------------------------------------- Saffron - Female American Kestrel 2009-2010
OK!!! Thanks for all the info Starburst, LOTS of help! I'll have to talk to the teacher at the senior high since she's the one to go to for poultry stuff. Yes, we get 25 chickens and raise them for 6 weeks then off to show we go. I try to ask my teacher as much as possible, but she's shown me that she obviously has no clue about the chicken stuff.
They said coop should run up about 1-2 hundred, and I have over 6 hundred now. Not to mention the pen should last about 3-4 more years, and they said they have some leftovers, so I might get one of those. Like I said, October first is meet, I'll ask about it then. Even if my chickens don't win, it'll be worth the experience and fun.
It looks like it really will be meat pen, I'll ask them. I really want to do show chickens, I absolutely love the Yokohamas, even with the extra time managing the tail feathers. The state fair is here, and though I won't get to see the poultry judging since I'll be away, I probably get to see them in the livestock area anyways.
I don't care much about making money this year, sounds like you made plenty anyways. I do want to make better friends of the falconers near me though, so I thought this might be a gesture of goodwill. Any extras will be cooked or sold, as stated.
Why not try to win? If you research and have the information you need to know about judging meat pen chickens you will know what to keep in mind while raising them. I must honestly say that raising meat pen chickens has to be the easiest FFA animal project out there...problem though lies with the lack of information available.
Unfortunatly the FFA teachers and 4H leaders dont know what the judges look for and dont know how to properly keep the birds or how to pick the most identical birds.
My FFA teacher and 4H leaders knew nothing about raising meat pen chickens. I did all the research on my own but another unfortunate thing is that information on raising meat pen chickens is extremely difficult to find! I eventually found some valuable information while seaching for info on JUDGING meat pen chickens.
There are 2 MAIN keys to having the winning birds: #1. Keep their weight as close as possible. Between my 4 birds in my pen there was only 1 ounce difference between the heaviest and lightest #2. Keep your birds CLEAN!!! This is going to require you to go through a LOT of shavings. Dont be stingy with them. You'll need to keep about 4-6 inches of shavings under the birds to prevent leg problems and feather loss on their breast. You'll also have to turn these shavings several times a day to keep the poop off them. You'll also learn that chickens need baths too...especially white ones. Invest in a good blueing dog shampoo. You'll need it for getting the bad yellow/brown stains off their chests.
I only had about 4inches of shavings under my birds and turned my shavings 2-3 times daily and unfortunatly I lost Grand Champion because of it. The Judge told me I had the better birds as far as muscling, weight and structure goes but the Grand Champion had more feathers on the breast and cleaner feathers on the breast. (luckily she was my 4H buddy so I didn't mind too much)
She was homeschooled and turned her 1ft deep shavings 5times daily. Also her enclosure was huge compared to mine which also helps to keep the shavings cleaner. So, she deserved to win over me.
I've probably spouted off too much non-falconry information now, but long story short there is no reason why you can't win. You should have the attitude that you wont settle for less and if you put in the effort you will win.
Sage - Female American Kestrel 2008 -------------------------------------------- Zephyr - Female Red Tail 2008-2010 -------------------------------------------- Saffron - Female American Kestrel 2009-2010
Lol yes of course I want to win, but I won't try and get obsessed over it this year I guess is what I'm trying to say. Of course I'm still in high school so I can only get out before and after which means there's about 8 hours of non-flipping.
I have more than enough money, but I know not to use it all, and I plan on using some of the extras that aren't required like rooster booster. I'm fine with washing chickens I'm sure it's a lot better than washing my cats (yes I do that, but maybe only like 3-5 times a year. maybe)
From what my teacher told me all we do is get them to eat as much as possible. Trying to figure out how I'll keep the chicks, they require a lot of attention. I think I will get a big pen, if I can. How do you turn them over?
Post by Starburst on Sept 26, 2009 14:10:44 GMT -5
I guess that was always my problem with all my FFA peers. Sure they said they wanted to win but they did really care one way or another.
I've always been a competetive person and wanted to have the best animals at fair. You don't have to be 'obsessive' in order to win. You just need to practice good husbandry and have the right knowledge.most the time the FFA kids don't do their own research, instead they rely on their teachers and a lot of them don't know a whole lot.
What do you mean about flipping them over? You mean holding them upside down for judging? You just grab their legs and flip them upside down real quick. They will flap around quite a bit at first but the more used to it they get the better they will behave at the fair.
Sage - Female American Kestrel 2008 -------------------------------------------- Zephyr - Female Red Tail 2008-2010 -------------------------------------------- Saffron - Female American Kestrel 2009-2010