Transitioning feed

[besjoux]

When did you go from starter to grower with meat birds (what age)? Also, did you do a finisher the last few weeks or just stick with the grower?

 

[osbmail]

My local feed mill has A 18 percent starter I use from start to finish seems to work good only cost 20 dollars per hundred lbs.Seems to work good .

 

[cnicho05]

When did you go from starter to grower with meat birds (what age)? Also, did you do a finisher the last few weeks or just stick with the grower?

I would suggest you use a starter feed for the first 8-10 weeks of your chickens life. I would then slowly transition into a grower feed for the remainder of their growth. This should help you see the most growth in the safest method possible.

If you remain to feed your chickens starter feed you will likely see health problems. The higher percent of protein will impact muscle and bone growth. This will result in your birds having joint and leg problems...causing them to have difficulty walking.

From my experience, I would suggest that you feed cracked corn for the last three weeks of owning your meat chickens. This will add additional fat cells to the meat and increase taste...

Hope this helps...

 

[osbmail]

I process my meat birds at 8-10 weeks so just use starter

 

[cnicho05]

I process my meat birds at 8-10 weeks so just use starter

You can just use starter feed...but I would recommend that you process your birds at 10-14 weeks and supplement with cracked corn. My neighbor only grows meat birds and he claims that this supplement help a lot...

 

[osbmail]

Might try that with this batch I got freedom rangers this time .I would be afraid to go past 10 weeks with CX.

 

[besjoux]

You can just use starter feed...but I would recommend that you process your birds at 10-14 weeks and supplement with cracked corn. My neighbor only grows meat birds and he claims that this supplement help a lot...

I am giving them scratch right now and some BOSS to supplement. Probably a 1 - 5 ratio. I can bump that up when they are older too. They seem to like the food, it's all lacto-fermented.

 

[SmokinChick]

I use 19% locally ground mash start to finish. Process @ 7-8 weeks 6-8 pounds. Cx'ers by the way. Chicken meat is not marbled so feeding corn to "fatten" them up is not worth the time or money.
All good