Raising Meat Chickens Without Feeding the Local Wildlife

Reader Contribution by Candi Johns
Published on October 9, 2020
1 / 4
2 / 4
3 / 4
4 / 4

There are two categories of chickens: layers and broilers. The layers lay eggs. The broilers are raised for meat. The layers are known for making lots of wonderful eggs. The broilers specialize in getting really large really fast.

A layer hen can take more than seven months to reach maturity and usually begins to lay small eggs around 6 months old. A broiler goes from a tiny chick to the size of a basketball in less than two months. Now that’s fast!

If you would like to begin producing some of your own meat, broiler chickens are a great place to start. It’s relatively easy. They don’t require fancy equipment, pastures or knowledge. And it’s over in six to eight weeks. Bonus!

Broiler chickens need food, water and a safe place to live. The hardest part about raising meat chickens is keeping them alive. I live on a 24-acre farm with a lot of woods. Unfortunately, those wooded areas are home to many chicken-enjoying critters. We have raised meat chickens a few times and it’s always a gamble to see who will get to enjoy the beautiful hens: the local wildlife or us.

Here are a couple of tips to getting started (and finished) raising meat chickens.

 

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-803-7096