First time for meat birds! A few questions?

[MyFirstFarm]

We are wanting to do meat birds this year. Have not had chickens of any kind so we'll be real newbies at this.

We currently buy our chickens from a local farm and a bird about 3 lbs will cost us about $15 (which is $10 cheaper than they cost us when we lived in the Big City). So I'm thinking that we'll likely do better by raising them ourselves. Thinking of going heritage; reading this thread with interest.

 

[bakerjw]

IMHO and from what I've read 1.5 square feet per bird is way too small. For coop space you might be able to get by with it and it is still recommended to have a minimum of 3 square feet per bird. Run space is a minimum of 8 square feet per bird. Again IMHO 21 birds in a 4x8 tractor is way too many birds in too small of an area. That size is more in line with 4 birds.

One other thing to keep in mind with a tractor which I saw first hand. I had 8 chickens in my 6x12 tractor and they would take the grass down to bare dirt in less than a week.

 

[flash5153]

Well,,hmmmm??? I really don't know what space meat birds need. I need some more input about this. lol

21 birds for a 4'X8' does seem like allot but I also thought they/you don't want allot of running around room .

bakerjw: I know what you are saying but a 4'X8' is 32 square,,,,at 3 square per bird,, thats 10 ,almost 11 birds. And I did not think about them taking the grass out completely,down to dirt. A good thing to know.

I have plenty of time to figure this out,,,,so which is it??? 1.5 per bird or 3 per bird?? I'm not trying to start a fight but that is a huge difference.

 

[bigredfeather]

1.5 sqft/bird is plenty of room in a tractor. It is important to move it daily. If you do, they will not scratch it down to dirt. That may not seem like a lot of room per bird, but it isn't even close to being crowded until they are 7-8 weeks old. Meat birds don't need near the amount of space that a layer would require.

 

[EGGTASKTIC]

Flash

You better figure on about 20 lbs of feed per bird to grow them to 8 weeks. This figure may be a little high depending on waste that you
will suffer. These little guys will eat and poop all day long that is there lot in life. A movable tractor does a super job of spreading the manure around.
I would go larger than 4x8 just to keep them spaced out when the get a little larger. May be 8 x8. Remember to keep things light so that you can easily move the tractor around. Simple is better 1x4 lumber is strong enough for the purpose. PVC is also a good option and cleans up fast for the next batch.

I would try to find a hatchery to get chicks from. I have got a lot of chicks given to me from people that bought from TSC and they were labeled wrong. It may be just a case of to many fingers moving things around. If you need to split an order with a friend to get better pricing.

I did not see yours plans to brood these meaties. Hope you have a place that is ready for them. The first few days are not to bad, but at about 5 days old they get stinky and make piles of poo and dander. It is not like the little layer chicks.

 

[WannaBeFarmGirl]

This is GREAT info!
I am a newbe and I have 12 meaties and 10 eggers. They are 2 weeks old.
My DH and I are starting to build the coop this week.

*I heard that meat birds at 10 days should be 12hours on feed and 12 hours off feed to keep from having heart attacks? Is this true?

*Also when do you give the meaties different feed then the layers?
Any info would be great! Thanks in advance!
-Jenny

 

[booker81]

I currently have 12 5 week old meaties in about a 3'x6' or so "pen" in the coop, and well, they don't do much of anything but eat, drink, and poop. Every few days I put another couple of inches of shavings down. The plan was to cut a hole in the side of the coop to get some outside time for them, but they probably wouldn't even go. It's been too cold anyway

Their food and water is on opposide sides so they have to at least walk THAT far. They are VERY lazy.

I also have 12 layers and two roosters in a 10x10 area of the coop. They need every inch of that, plus their 10x30ish) run.

The meaties eat more and drink more than the layers, by FAR. I chose not to cut their feed due to the the colder temps they are living in - if it warms up ever, I may, so they aren't stressing their systems too much, but now, I think it's alright. I Use a 2 quart pitcher to fill feed bins, and the layers use one pitcher every two days, the meaties probably 2 pitchers a day or more (layers are on layer, meaties I started on 24% feed, and now are on 20% grower). The layers have a 3 gallon bucket for water, we put about a gallon in every 2-3 days, and dump it once a week to clean, the meaties go through their 3 gallon waterer in about one day.

 

[flash5153]

Good Information booker81.

 

[EGGTASKTIC]

I do not use a 12 on/12 off rotation. The have food and water 24/7. The feed ration is 18% range bird mixed by the local mill and i have used it with wonderful results. I was concerned about about leg issues and have had none. The bids are nice and clean, they develop well. I have tried some higher protein rations but have not had any better luck, it may make a difference in a confined situation. I am looking at an 8 week grow out vs. 43 to 46 days.

As a side note, when I ordered my first batch of feed from the local mill the gentlemen there and I had a discussion about how the bids are raised and I must say he was correct. His opinion was, that since you range the birds they are eating grass and other stuff so the extra protein in a 24% mix is not getting you any better performance. Also the extra protein tends to make the poo loose and the back ends of the birds dirty.