56 Days



A broiler chicken, or a chicken raised for meat, typically lives only 7-8 weeks (56 days).

Typically those few days are spent in a large pole building with tens of thousands of other chickens, milling around in fecal and ammonia-choked air so poisonous a human cannot walk into the building without a respirator.

This is the chicken of our fast-food joints and restaurants across the country.  Cheap. Convenient.

We just received our first batch of broiler chicks.  They, too, will probably only live about 8 weeks; however, unlike commercially raised chickens, these birds will be out on pasture by the age of 14 days.

From there they will be moved to a new patch of grass on a daily basis.  Fresh water, green grass, insects, sunshine and clean air will accompany them all the days of their lives.

This is my photo journal of 56 days of a broiler's life on our farm.
  
Day 1

Broiler Chicken Day 1

Day 2

Broiler Chicken Day 2

Day 3

Broiler Chicken Day 3

Here's a short video of the peeps at 3 days old:

 

Day 4

Broiler chicken day 4

 Day 5

Broiler chicken day 5

 Day 6

Broiler chicken day 6

Day 7

Broiler chicken day 7 next to laying hen day 1

  Day 8

Broiler chick day 8

  Day 9

Broiler chick day 9

  Day 10

Broiler chick day 10

 Day 11

Broiler chick day 11

 Day 12

Broiler chick day 12

 Day 13

Broiler chick day 13

 Day 14

Broiler chick day 14

 Day 15

Broiler chick day 15

Day 16
(guest photo by August our farm sitter)

Broiler chick day 16

Day 17
Broiler Chick Day 17

Day 18

Broiler chick day 18

Day 19

Broiler chick day 19

Day 20

Broiler chick day 20

Day 21

Broiler chick day 21

Day 22

Broiler chick day 22

Day 23

Broiler chick day 23

Day 24

Broiler chick day 24

Day 25

Broiler chick day 25

Day 26

Broiler chick day 26

Day 27

Broiler chick day 27

Day 28

Broiler chick day 28

Day 29

Broiler chick and Blue Slate turkey 29 days

Day 30

Broiler chick day 30

Day 31

Broiler chick day 31

Day 32

Broiler chick day 32

Day 33

Broiler chick day 33

Day 34

Broiler chick day 34

Day 35

Broiler chick day 35

Day 36

Broiler chick day 36

Day 37

Broiler chick day 37

Day 38
 
Broiler chick day 38

Day 39

Broiler chick day 39

Day 40

Broiler chick day 40

Day 41

Broiler chick day 41

Day 42

Broiler chick day 42

Day 43

Broiler chick day 43
 
Day 44

Broiler chick day 44 next to Bantam Silkie chick day 38

 Day 45

Broiler chick day 45

Day 46

Broiler chick day 46

Day 47

Broiler chick day 46

Day 48

Broiler chick day 47

   Day 49

Broiler chick day 49

  Day 50

Broiler chick day 50

Day 51

Broiler chick day 51

Day 52

Broiler chick day 52

 Day 53

Broiler chick day 53

Day 54

Broiler chick day 54

 Day 55

Broiler chick day 55

 Day 56

Broiler chick day 56

 

5 comments:

Jess said...

How cool is this!? I've never had meat birds yet (only dual purpose). Too funny how they grow so fast their feathers can't even keep up! And those gigantic feet!

That has to be your baby Silkie in the day 44 pic. :)

Victoria Strauser said...

This is our first time with them, too, and it astounds me how fast they've grown!

And yep - it's a bantam silkie - only 7 days younger than the broiler!

Anonymous said...

This is awesome! Such a great idea, and I loved scrolling through. You may have to add a "Day X" with it sitting on your kitchen table fresh out of the oven in order for it to truly sum up the broiler life span.

Victoria Strauser said...

Haha - I thought about something along those lines... maybe next time I cook one!

Unknown said...


Great items from you, man. I've bear in mind your stuff previous to and you're just too great. I actually like what you've received here, certainly like what you're stating and the way in which in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you continue to care for to keep it wise. I cant wait to learn much more from you. That is actually a wonderful site. netflix.com login

 
Follow Gypsy Farmgirl on Instagram Follow Gypsy Farmgirl on Twitter Follow Gypsy Farmgirl on Flikr Follow Gypsy Farmgirl on Pinterest