Raising Cornish Rocks, ? on feed

[doodledo]

I have read so many different things I am lost!

The one place that I was goin to buy food told me this:
We recommend that you feed chicks starter feed until they are 2 weeks old, then
switch them to broiler feed (same formula, but starter feed is ground finer). If
you are raising your chicks to be broilers. I have them on chick medicated starter feed. I see some dont do this, why? I want to raise healthy birds for healthy eating. I am goin to put them outside in a large cage for them to be outside. I guess I do this around 4 weeks of age? Then I also will feed them veggie scraps. Can someone give me some insight on these birds? DO they need 23 hrs of light?
Thanks

 

[justusnak]

I just raised a few for our freezer.....here is what we did, and mine are tasty!!

For the first 2 to 3 weeks....medicated chick starter. Free feed all day and night.

At 3 weeks, broiler finisher...feed well during the day, letting the feeder go empty at night. water water water!! They need LOTS of fresh clean, cool water. Garden scraps are grea for them. Turning them out at 4 weeks is great also. Just make sure they dont get over heated. Being fast growers...they have a tendancy to overheat, and die.
At 7 or 8 weeks....mine weighed about 8 to 10 pounds before dressing. I dont know why someone told you they need 23 hours of light....never heard of that.

 

[doodledo]

Thanks so much for your reply. Do you just buy from your Agway store or Tractor Supply or do you buy organic feed? Veggie scraps, do you consider this a treat or can I just toss it in their run? Do you give grit? How about d. earth?
So much to learn and I am so thankful for this board.