tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post1855321491224052079..comments2024-02-27T15:19:59.496-08:00Comments on Backyard Farming: Cornish Cross versus Freedom RangersMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-66892025543371699652010-07-14T08:22:33.985-07:002010-07-14T08:22:33.985-07:00Interesting comparisons.
For our space (only a ...Interesting comparisons. <br /><br />For our space (only a quarter of an acre), we will continue to raise cornish cross, although reading your experiment was interesting. We've had really good luck with our birds, and have a much better than 20% mortality rate. In fact, in this, our third year of raising cornish cross, we've only lost a total of three birds - all this year. <br /><br />The problem, for us, is that we have such a small space, and we can only raise ten to twelve chicks at a time, which means we have to space it out so that we have one "batch" in the brooder and one "batch" in the tractor outside at a time. With the goal of raising (at least) thirty birds per season, that means we have to have three "batches" and with each batch taking two months from brooder to butcher, it takes over three months from the time we get our first batch in the brooder to the time we get our last batch to the butcher. If we raised a slower growing breed, we wouldn't have the space for as many chickens as we need for the whole year.<br /><br />If I had more space, though, I might consider a different breed of chicken ;).Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04642417312794814066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-52457187706956847102010-06-22T10:07:02.335-07:002010-06-22T10:07:02.335-07:00What an interesting breakdown! I agree, that is c...What an interesting breakdown! I agree, that is certainly a reasonable price/lb when you consider your rangers are humanely raised. It is more economical than buying the equivalent product.-Sydney-https://www.blogger.com/profile/02642504731977225198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-5395431721199949702010-06-21T07:42:21.591-07:002010-06-21T07:42:21.591-07:00We did our first FR birds last month and it came o...We did our first FR birds last month and it came out to about $1.50/lb. Much cheaper than the buying Free Range chicken from the store @ $4.25/lb. Not to mention I know where these birds were raised and how they are treated. Just because a store bought bird is labeled free-range doesn't mean it is. The USDA definition of free-range is that they have to have access to the outside, they don't actually have to be outside.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12246354798071884541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-20129487304904103662010-06-12T11:26:06.905-07:002010-06-12T11:26:06.905-07:00Thanks for the breakdown. It's nice to see it...Thanks for the breakdown. It's nice to see it organized in a nice chart like that.katiegirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03232045088235784636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-61790453096498938872010-06-11T12:05:32.667-07:002010-06-11T12:05:32.667-07:00I'm sure it's more expensive than factory-...I'm sure it's more expensive than factory-farmed meat, but I bet it's much cheaper than buying family-farmed chicken from the health food store. Dr. Mercola is selling family-farmed whole chickens for nearly $5/lb, plus extremely expensive shipping.<br /><br />So I think it's definitely economical, if you compare it to healthy chicken :-)Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16981415125894714419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-42637807722740865502010-06-11T07:02:33.730-07:002010-06-11T07:02:33.730-07:00Dale, thanks for that run down. Just imagine if yo...Dale, thanks for that run down. Just imagine if you let the FR go another couple weeks till at least 81 days (label rouge requirements) those babies might of been 6.5 lbs!!!! We got ours April 10 (I think a few days after you) and they have busted out just in the last week or so....huge growth. I feel overwhelmed caring for them since they nearly run me down for feed in the AM & PM!!! It's quite a sight, like a riot breaking out quite literally. In that respect I would of liked this job to end by now, but we have until the first week in July. <br /><br />Have a safe trip!Diane@Peaceful Acreshttp://butterfliesandbumblebees.orgnoreply@blogger.com