Ever heard someone called a spring chicken? That phrase has a real origin It was once standard to start meat birds in the spring alongside the rest of the farm’s livestock, simply because spring was when chicks were typically hatched and therefore when birds became available for slaughter Today we have the tools to make raising meat animals a year-round project You can raise meat birds at any time of year, as long as you plan ahead Here’s how to raise fall meat birds that grow fast and finish well, even as the temperature drops