Growers Guide to Mistral Gris
🌿 Grower’s Guide to Mistral Gris
Raising Mistral Gris is simple and rewarding. These birds are robust, hardy, and thrive in a wide range of farm settings. They don’t require the delicate management that fast-growing commercial broilers often need. Whether you’re raising a few for your family or several for the freezer, Mistral Gris are some of the easiest meat birds to grow successfully.
They feather quickly, adapt well to different climates, and handle both heat and cold with ease. While they appreciate a dry place to roost and shelter from extremes, they are truly built for pasture life and do very well outdoors year-round.
🍽 Feeding & Growth
Mistral Gris are active foragers, which keeps them healthy—but because they burn a lot of energy on pasture, regular weighing is important. Use our growth chart as a guide and compare weekly. If birds aren’t on track by 6–8 weeks, tweak your routine so they can catch up before the final few weeks.
- Protein: They do best on 19–21% grower. Some growers mix in a portion of turkey grower for an extra boost, especially with very active birds.
- If growth lags: Extend access to feed, offer a richer ration or add high-protein extras (dairy, cooked eggs, bugs), or slightly reduce their roaming area (e.g., a chicken tractor) so calories go to growth.
- Finishing for flavour (our favourite): Keep them on grower and add organic corn and dairy in the final 2–3 weeks. This builds beautiful flavour and gentle marbling without pushing excess fat.
Simple Feeding Schedule
- Weeks 0–2: Chick starter (~22%).
- Weeks 3–6: Transition to 19–21% grower.
- Weeks 7–12+: Continue grower; optionally add organic corn + dairy for the last 2–3 weeks.
Feed should be fresh, dry, and easy to access. Ensure enough feeder space for all birds at once, and keep litter or pasture areas dry and clean.
🏡 Environment & Management
- Provide a dry, draft-free shelter for wet or cold weather.
- Offer plenty of shade and cool water in summer.
- Keep litter/pens dry to avoid ammonia and slowdowns in growth.
- If you need more weight by butcher time, consider a moderate range area or chicken tractor so birds conserve energy while still enjoying pasture.
🍗 Processing & Finishing
Mistral Gris typically reach ~5 lb live weight at 10 weeks (meaty fryers). For the very best flavour and texture, we recommend processing at 12–14 weeks for exceptional roasters. Average dressed weights then are ~3.5–6.5 lb, depending on diet and management. If birds are smaller than expected, raise to 13–14 weeks—they gain well in those final weeks and the meat remains tender.
After processing, rest carcasses 2 days in refrigeration before freezing to enhance tenderness.
Note: Mistral Gris are not broilers; when booking with a processor, list them as heritage meat birds. Source: Tevah Acres Hatchery.
When finished, they dress cleanly with broad breasts and full thighs. For a perfect roast, rub with butter and cook a little lower and longer—the result is tender, flavourful, and distinctly artisanal.
