[babe]

awwww i like the grey one. i want to put it in my pocket

[muntjac]

awwww i like the grey one. i want to put it in my pocket

......well you can't.....'cos that one's mine!!!!!!  

[GrannieAnnie]

There are 20 grey ones Munty!!!!!!  You can have one each!!!! lol

[ck2day]

I cant see any of them Grannies, the piccies have all been deleted!!

Couple of questions from my OH, do you feed the diffferently to how you fed the Amberlinks?

and are you going to sell them "whole" or "oven ready"

Claire

[babe]

awwww i like the grey one. i want to put it in my pocket

......well you can't.....'cos that one's mine!!!!!!  

   

[mdueal]

I would love to raise some table chicks - not quite that many as a) we dont have enough chicken space and b) we dont have enough freezer space! Where did you order them from - a commercial hatchery? Do you have to place bulk orders? We could maybe do 20 at a time absolute max. Would be very interested in some more info.

Also - if they are maturing physically quicker - what age do they go outside compared to normal 6-8weeks and do they sexually mature fater as well so you would have males fighting at earlier age??

Sorry - lots of questions as i am vey interested!

[R66VEY]

Didn't think we'd be getting the meat chicks until tomorrow, but had to pop out and when we got back there was a message from Poulet to say they were ready and boxed ready to go!  never been to his place before, but found it easily while it was still daylight!  It was dark by the time we got back though!

So here they are, 65 adorable easter chickies.  Ordered 60, but he gave us extra, just in case, !!!



The yellow ones are the JA757's which get to oven ready size by 8-10 weeks, the brownish ones are the Coloryield which take a week or 2 longer, and the stripey ones are the Mastergris which are the longest growing, about 12-14 weeks!

They are all settling in the brooder and eating and some are drinking, but they are cuddling up because its a bit cold out there tonight!

So more babies to look after, and Penny was so excited by all the chirping, that she wouldn't eat her yoghurt tonight!!!!!  

OOOOPs, don't know what happened there, I can see it!  Is this any better??

where did you get them from and if you dont mind me askin how much were they ??

[GrannieAnnie]

I cant see any of them Grannies, the piccies have all been deleted!!

Couple of questions from my OH, do you feed the diffferently to how you fed the Amberlinks?

and are you going to sell them "whole" or "oven ready"

Claire

Hi Claire, someone's nicked me pictures!!!!!  Brian said pop round, you can see them in real life!!!! lol

You start them off the same as the layer chicks with chick crumb for 4 weeks, then go on to rearer the same, but 1 week before you cull them, you put them onto finisher.

Mdueal and R66vey!  we got them from Simon Skinner at Poulet Anglais at Old Bolinbroke!  He normally only sells them by the 1,000's, but he's a really nice man and delivers all over the country, even down to Kent, up to Scotland and across to Devon and Wales!!!!  

What he does, when someone like us who only want a few wants some chicks (he also sells hatching eggs!!)  tell him where you are, and he will see if his driver, Trevor can meet you somewhere convenient for you both!  

Hatching eggs are 35p each collected, and day olds are 50p each collected, 80p delivered, but I don't now if that is only if its local delivery.

Give him a call and see what he can do!    I have no commercial interest in his business, but he is a very nice man to work with!  his numbers are:

01790 763066 and mobile is 07787 533325  He's a member of several forums, including River Cottage!

[mdueal]

Thanks GrannieAnnie! I found his email through RC.

He said he will deliver if i meet on part of a bigger delivery run still at 80p so thats fantastic!

How long do you keep them on heat lamp for? At the mo we have got three chicks just in brooder pen in back bedroom as we dont have electricity to shed or outhouse yet so wondering if we need to do some building work before we get them!

[GrannieAnnie]

I would love to raise some table chicks - not quite that many as a) we dont have enough chicken space and b) we dont have enough freezer space! Where did you order them from - a commercial hatchery? Do you have to place bulk orders? We could maybe do 20 at a time absolute max. Would be very interested in some more info.

Also - if they are maturing physically quicker - what age do they go outside compared to normal 6-8weeks and do they sexually mature fater as well so you would have males fighting at earlier age??
Sorry - lots of questions as i am vey interested!

Sorry, forgot to answer this bit!  We've never had meat chicks from day old before, always got them as growers, but weather permitting, they should be able to venture out at 4-5 weeks, I may give them a week in the big shed to get used to not being in the brooder, then let them out if weather okay.  As to sexual maturity, I honestly don't know, but it was never a problem with the growers we had before, both hens and cockerels got along fine!

[GrannieAnnie]

Thanks GrannieAnnie! I found his email through RC.

He said he will deliver if i meet on part of a bigger delivery run still at 80p so thats fantastic!

How long do you keep them on heat lamp for? At the mo we have got three chicks just in brooder pen in back bedroom as we dont have electricity to shed or outhouse yet so wondering if we need to do some building work before we get them!

Keeping them under brooder lamp for 4 weeks the same as we do the other chicks!  I copied a thing of the internet about raising backyard chickens.  Its American but is very interesting.  Do you have WORD? I could email it over to you if you'd like?  The author reckons on 4 chicks to a square foot up to 4 weeks old!

Simon is very good, and the only negative I've heard about him was someone claiming he'd bought some of simon's chicks and one wasn't well, and gradually they all died.  I think he had about 9 or 10!  Anyway, I asked Simon if he'd heard anymore, and he said it was a youngster.  the father had let this boy buy some chicks, but they let the lad look after them and of course, he didn't have any idea of what he was doing, so he lost the lot!!!!

I do hope you get some from him!

[mdueal]

Thanks for the info - I will be getting some. Just have to arrange a random assignation on a motorway service station!! Have pm'd you my email address.

[GrannieAnnie]

LOL, random assignations at service stations with  strnagers eh?

You'll be okay, Trevor the driver is nice too!!!!!

[Oliveview]

I´m sure some of the chicks have escaped GA cos my neighbour found 3 that look just like yours wandereing alone in the campo yesterday morning. Do you want to come and collect them GA?
  Pamela

[Honey bird]

Hi Grannieannie
well done you, i have the same feelings, i want to no what im eating.
i have 14 birds ready, goning to start on saturday, i have the white one.
the killing side is not nice but like you my o/h takes over. have you ever raised turkey's from day old. im having a big problem with them, they are so diferent from chicken chick that i have raised for 3 years, but a friend coming to help me tomorow.
good luck with the chicks