Author Topic: Finishing cockerels for the table (Read 5889 times)

twizzel · « **on:** August 20, 2014, 12:27:08 pm »

I have a pen of 8 Maran x Light Sussex cockerels that hatched first week in May. I want to finish them before winter sets in and also before they get too noisy, one of them is just starting to crow

They are currently on a mixed 2:1 ration of Allen & Page Poultry grower and mixed corn, is this the best type of food to finish them? Ideally want them gone by end of Sept. They are not free ranging as I think they would harass my hens if they were! I have rolled barley available to feed too that could be fed ad lib, but wasn't sure if that's any good or not in terms of protein and weight gain... - if anyone could advise that would be great,

thanks

Fowlman · « **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2014, 01:07:36 pm »

You will most likely get many different answers to your dilemma twizzel as we all fatten cockerels differently. Continue as you're doing but add some barley to the feed would be my advice.

Stereo · « **Reply #2 on:** August 20, 2014, 01:14:18 pm »

I usually add mixed corn for the last couple weeks to growers just to give them a nice fat covering. Makes them much better for roasting I find. Never tried barley.

Fowlman · « **Reply #3 on:** August 20, 2014, 06:00:16 pm »

Wheat, rolled barley, maize and micronised peas is what i feed my table birds.

twizzel · « **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2014, 09:43:13 am »

Lovely thank you folks will add a little rolled barley in the evenings

Ryder · « **Reply #5 on:** August 25, 2014, 01:19:30 pm »

Twizzel, could you by any chance weigh them and post the weights? I'd love to know how heavy the live weight is for this cross now at 16/17 weeks. Thanks.

twizzel · « **Reply #6 on:** August 25, 2014, 04:31:14 pm »

I don't have any bathroom scales I could weigh them on

but will get some pics tomorrow for you so you can see the kind of size they are.

Stereo · « **Reply #7 on:** August 25, 2014, 07:32:26 pm »

It will also depend on strain though. I've bought in a lot of marans eggs this year and the range is huge. Some really huge birds and also some real runts. Unfortunately I put eggs from different breeders in the incy together so now can't tell what came from who. Lesson learned.

I bought some light sussex POL last year and they are the hybrid type so lay a lot with no meat on them but this year I have hatched some trad LS and at 12 weeks, they are heavier than my grown hybrid LS hens.

twizzel · « **Reply #8 on:** August 25, 2014, 09:25:33 pm »

The light sussex seem to be the traditional large fowl type. There are a couple of hybrid x maran cockerels which seem slightly ganglier but still large birds. The maran cockerels are very large meat type cockerels and have had some great chicks from them this year. They have improved the hybrids I have here so much.

Ryder · « **Reply #9 on:** August 25, 2014, 10:43:30 pm »

Yes a lot does depend on strain, but I just wanted an idea how much this cross can weigh at that age.

Speaking of strains, Stereo any chance you can tell me how much your LS weighed at 12 weeks just so I can compare with mine? My one pullet that hatched weighed in at 1125g at 12 weeks a couple of days ago and the cockerell at 12 weeks weighed in at 1075g.

I just saw a guy selling IG x Marans eggs on ebay saying they can get to 4lb at 25 weeks if fed correctly. Personally I thought 4lb for a cross is a bit poor at 25 weeks.

Dave C · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2014, 11:42:21 am »

I would be expecting double that

Stereo · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2014, 01:18:26 pm »

I'll see if I can catch one which won't be easy as they are in a moveable chicken tractor thing I built and getting inside means a lot of crawling about. Need to improve the design for next year

4lb is not that impressive. Our pure RIR were heavier than that at 24 weeks after processing.

Clansman · « **Reply #12 on:** August 26, 2014, 01:53:59 pm »

Quote from: Ryder on August 25, 2014, 10:43:30 pm

I just saw a guy selling IG x Marans eggs on ebay saying they can get to 4lb at 25 weeks if fed correctly. Personally I thought 4lb for a cross is a bit poor at 25 weeks.

Maybe he meant Kg?