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How To Raise And Care For Big Red Broilers Chicken

If you want to know how to raise and care for Big Red Broilers chicken then you have come to the right place. This guide will show you everything you need to know about successfully keeping this breed of chicken.

Brown chicken in field

Big Red Broilers are easy to care for, and are typically butchered before they reach a year old. Because they are a broiler breed bred to be a meat bird, they can experience health problems associated with their heart and legs. They don’t, however, have any special housing or feeding requirements.

One thing to be aware of regarding this breed is that they are not considered friendly birds, and the roosters are known to be a little aggressive. Backyard chicken keepers often regret raising this breed, especially when they have children who share the backyard with the flock. If, however, you plan on butchering the birds at their recommended harvesting ages, then their temperament may not be as much of a concern for you. 

How Big Do Big Red Broilers Chicken Grow?

The Big Red Broiler is not a large bird, and is actually considered a medium sized chicken. Because they are not too big, they don’t require as much food as larger chicken breeds. 

Big Red Broilers have a moderate growth rate and typically reach maturity at 12 to 14 weeks old. At this time, expect them to weigh between 5 and 7 pounds. If you find your birds are not at this weight when they reach 14 weeks, you may want to increase the food you are giving them.

What Is The Average Weight Of A Big Red Broilers Chicken?

Person picking up brown chicken

The Big Red Broiler is a medium-sized bird that is bred for its meat. Despite not being an overly heavy bird, this breed still makes a nice table bird. 

Big Red Broiler roosters weight between 6 and 7 pounds when they are about 9 and 10 weeks old. The hens of the breed are a little lighter in weight, clocking in at 5 to 6 pounds at the same time frame.

When Will A Big Red Broilers Chicken Start Laying Eggs?

As their name suggests, Big Red Broilers are raised more for than meat then their egg laying abilities. That doesn’t mean, however, that this bird won’t lay eggs. 

This article was first published on April 26, 2023 by Pentagon-Pets.

Big Red Broilers start producing eggs at about 16 weeks old, although some keepers have reported their Big Red Broiler hens laying eggs at as young as 14 weeks old. They are not an overly broody breed, which means no fighting with the hens to get those eggs.

Do Big Red Broilers Chicken Lay White Or Brown Eggs?

Brown chicken eggs in nest

Did you know that not all chickens lay white eggs, and some chicken breeds will lay brown, pink, green, and blue eggs? But what about the Big Red Broiler? What color shell does this breed lay?

Big Red Broiler hens lay brown eggs that are a bit larger than the large eggs you typically purchase in the store. The eggs are typically light brown in color, and they can lay between 150 and 200 eggs a year.

As you can see, the Big Red Broiler isn’t a heavy egg producer, and may not be the right option if you want to raise chickens for eggs. If, however, you want a meat bird that can produce a little bit of eggs before you butcher them, the Big Red Broiler could be right up your alley. 

Do You Need A Same Breed Rooster To Get Big Red Broilers Chicken To Lay Eggs?

Some people want to raise a flock but don’t want to deal with the negative aspects that roosters can bring. In fact, some cities even have rules and regulations when it comes to whether or not you can have a rooster in your backyard. Thankfully, you don’t need a rooster to get eggs. 

A Big Red Broiler rooster is not necessary to get the hens of the breed to lay eggs. Hens will lay eggs even when a rooster isn’t present. However, the eggs they lay won’t be fertilized, although this won’t matter if you want the eggs for consumption.

A rooster is required if you want the eggs to hatch. The eggs a hen lays are unfertilized unless they mate with a rooster. Fertilized eggs are what hatch into chicks. These eggs will hatch no matter what the rooster’s breed is, and there have been no studies showing any health or behavioral issues occurring because of crossing breeding. 

What Is The Lifespan Of A Big Red Broilers Chicken?

Flock of brown chickens

Chickens typically don’t have a long lifespan, especially when compared to other animals. That doesn’t mean, however, that they can’t live happy lives. Let’s take a look at the average lifespan for the Big Red Broiler breed. 

Big Red Broilers can live for many years, although most are butchered before they turn a year old. This is because the Big Red Broiler is a chicken that was bred for its meat. If you don’t butcher the bird and keep it protected from predators and diseases, the Big Red Broiler can live up to 8 years.

Are Big Red Broilers Chickens Friendly?

The friendliness of the chickens you raise can make or break how successful you are at keeping chickens. In many cases, birds that are less friendly or even aggressive can make you not want to care for them. After all, do you want to consistently defend yourself when you’re just trying to clean out their coop? That is why it is important to find out the temperament of a breed before adding them to your flock. 

Pentagon Pet is the owner of this article that was first published on April 26, 2023.

While the Big Red Broiler hen is considered fairly friendly, the roosters are another story. People have reported that the Big Red Broiler rooster has a tendency to be a bit aggressive, which can cause problems if you are raising them in your backyard.

This is one of the many reasons that make this breed less than ideal for backyard chicken keepers. The best course of action would be to choose a different breed that has qualities that you are looking for. If you’re looking for a friendly chicken breed, consider the Orpington, Silkie, Australorp, Cochins, or Speckled Sussex instead.

How Many Eggs Can A Big Red Broilers Chicken Lay A Day?

Brown chicken sitting on nest of eggs

Don’t expect an overly abundant amount of eggs from the Big Red Broiler. This breed is a meat bird and not typically raised for eggs. That doesn’t mean this bird won’t lay any eggs, and you can still get a decent amount of eggs from Big Red Broiler hens. 

Big Red Broiler hens lay between 3 and 4 eggs a week, which is rather low if you want a bird for egg production. This breed is a hybrid that was bred for their meat, not for their egg laying abilities. Because of this, you may want to choose a chicken that has a higher egg production.

If you want a chicken breed that can lay eggs like no other, consider the Isa Brown. Isa Brown hens can lay a whopping 300 to 350 eggs a year! That’s almost one egg a day.

When Will A Big Red Broilers Chicken Stop Laying Eggs?

One of the downsides of chickens, no matter what the breed, is that they don’t normally continue producing eggs throughout their entire natural lifespan. In most cases, when a hen reaches its “senior” years, it will lay little to no eggs. This exact timeframe can vary from one breed to the next.

Big Red Broiler hens can continue to lay eggs until they reach 3 to 4 years of age. At this time, you may find the hens have greatly reduced the amount of eggs they lay or have stopped laying all together.

At What Age Is A Big Red Broilers Chicken The Most Delicious?

Rotisserie chicken served on white plate

Because it is a broiler breed, the Big Red Broiler is most commonly raised for its meat. This breed is a nice table bird that doesn’t take as long to reach its butchering age as some other breeds. 

The Big Red Broiler is generally butchered when it reaches 12 to 14 weeks old. This is usually when the meat is considered the tenderest and tastiest. This is a bit sooner than the Delaware broiler, which is typically harvested at 16 weeks.

Roosters are typically harvested before the hens, and it is not uncommon for people to wait until the hen is a year or a little older before they butcher it. Just remember that the longer you wait to butcher the bird, the tougher the meat will be. 

Best Housing Setup For A Big Red Broilers Chicken

Big Red Broilers are not a picky breed and can happily live in just about any housing setup as long as it is well protected from the elements and predators. They will need some space since an area that is too small or overcrowded can lead to stress, which will have a direct impact on the health of the birds. 

Big Red Broilers should have at least 3 square feet of floor space in their coop per bird. This means you will need a coop with at least 12 square feet of floor space if you have 4 Big Red Broilers. This breed will also need at least 8 square feet of run space per bird as well.

Since this breed is usually butchered at 12 to 14 weeks of age, their housing setup is only temporary. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should force them to live in a dirty and poorly maintained coop. Even if you are not concerned with the happiness of your birds, how well a coop is cared for has a direct impact on the health of the birds. Dirty coops breed diseases, which can quickly wipe out your entire flock. That is why it is important to regularly clean the coop, keep it topped off with fresh litter, and make sure it has adequate ventilation. 

Typical Health Problems Of A Big Red Broilers Chicken

Brown chicken looking forward

Big Red Broilers are not without their health problems, and the health issues that they are susceptible to are rather serious and life threatening. 

Heart and leg problems are the two biggest health problems that affect Big Red Broilers. In fact, these two issues are common in all types of broilers, no matter the breed. The good news is that these problems typically don’t present themselves until the bird is over harvesting age.

This means that if you butcher the Big Red Broiler at its recommended butchering age, they probably won’t experience these health problems. 

Typical Problems Raising Big Red Broilers Chicken

While Big Red Broilers are a good choice for people wanting to raise chickens for their meat, they do have their drawbacks, especially if you do not want to raise these birds to consume.

Aggressiveness is one of the most common problems that people raising Big Red Broiler chicken have reported. This is especially true when raising the rooster of the breed. Because of its temperament, this bird is not recommended for backyard flocks or people wanting pet chickens.

What Type Of Food Is Best For Big Red Broilers Chickens?

A scoop of commercial chicken feed

Some people assume you can feed your chickens any old thing. And while chickens do love a diverse diet, that doesn’t mean every breed should be fed the same thing. In fact, since Big Red Broilers are broiler chickens, they shouldn’t be fed the same thing as a laying breed. 

Big Red Broilers should be fed a high quality commercial chicken feed. Because this breed is such an excellent forage, you should allow them room to grace, which also means they will supplement their diet with nutritious grains, grubs, insects, and seeds they find.

The exact type of commercial feed will depend on the age of the chicken. Chicks should be fed a mash or starter feed and then transitioned to a broiler feed at about 8 weeks old.

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This article and its contents are owned by Pentagon Pets and was first published on April 26, 2023.

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