What to Feed Meat Birds Without Broiler Feed?

[GlicksChicks]

Hello, I plan on raising some meat birds and I don't know if I could afford to buy another type of feed. I am already buying Layer Feed, Scratch Feed, and Chick Feed.
I am wondering what I could feed meat birds instead of buying broiler feed? Are there more natural alternatives? Do meat chickens NEED broiler feed?

 

[NatJ]

Hello, I plan on raising some meat birds and I don't know if I could afford to buy another type of feed. I am already buying Layer Feed, Scratch Feed, and Chick Feed.
I am wondering what I could feed meat birds instead of buying broiler feed? Are there more natural alternatives? Do meat chickens NEED broiler feed?

You could feed chick starter to the meat chickens.

Whether meat chickens "need" broiler feed is a question that doesn't have a simple yes or no answer.

They certainly can live and grow on normal chick starter. It will be safe for you to eat them. So no, they do not "need" broiler feed.

But if you are raising specially bred meat chickens (like Cornish Cross) and you want them to grow as big and fast as possible, so you get the most meat in the least time, then broiler feed can help make that possible. The difference will probably be small, and I can't say whether it will be too small to notice (as compared with feeding them chick starter). So yes, Cornish Cross do sort-of "need" broiler feed to give the very best results.

If your meat chickens are males of most other chicken breeds, they will never grow as big or as fast as Cornish Cross, and feeding them broiler feed rather than chick starter will not make as much difference (small difference vs. even smaller difference.)

I don't know if I could afford to buy another type of feed. I am already buying Layer Feed, Scratch Feed, and Chick Feed.

How would another kind of feed change the cost? If you feed them one of the feeds you already buy, you will need to buy more bags of it, because more chickens are eating it.

If one kind of feed costs more than another, then of course you would save money by using the cheaper one (assuming it has equal nutrition.) But you haven't mentioned a price difference, just wanting to avoid buying another kind of feed.

If you want to cut down on kinds of feed, I would skip the scratch, and maybe the layer feed as well. All chickens can be healthy with no scratch.

Adult chickens can do fine on chick starter, as long as the hens who are laying have a separate source of calcium (like a dish of oyster shell.) That is the main difference between layer feed and other feeds: layer feed has about 3 times as much calcium as the others.

Or you can buy a flock-raiser or all-flock type feed and use it for all of them. It is pretty much the same as chick starter, but with a different name on the package. Laying hens need a separate calcium source when they eat these feeds too, just like they would with chick starter.

You might want broiler feed (higher protein) for the meat chicks, or you might not. They certainly could live and grow on chick starter or on a flock-raise or all-flock type food, and they would probably grow almost as fast on those feeds as they would on broiler feed.

 

[GlicksChicks]

You could feed chick starter to the meat chickens.

Whether meat chickens "need" broiler feed is a question that doesn't have a simple yes or no answer.

They certainly can live and grow on normal chick starter. It will be safe for you to eat them. So no, they do not "need" broiler feed.

But if you are raising specially bred meat chickens (like Cornish Cross) and you want them to grow as big and fast as possible, so you get the most meat in the least time, then broiler feed can help make that possible. The difference will probably be small, and I can't say whether it will be too small to notice (as compared with feeding them chick starter). So yes, Cornish Cross do sort-of "need" broiler feed to give the very best results.

If your meat chickens are males of most other chicken breeds, they will never grow as big or as fast as Cornish Cross, and feeding them broiler feed rather than chick starter will not make as much difference (small difference vs. even smaller difference.)


How would another kind of feed change the cost? If you feed them one of the feeds you already buy, you will need to buy more bags of it, because more chickens are eating it.

If one kind of feed costs more than another, then of course you would save money by using the cheaper one (assuming it has equal nutrition.) But you haven't mentioned a price difference, just wanting to avoid buying another kind of feed.

If you want to cut down on kinds of feed, I would skip the scratch, and maybe the layer feed as well. All chickens can be healthy with no scratch.

Adult chickens can do fine on chick starter, as long as the hens who are laying have a separate source of calcium (like a dish of oyster shell.) That is the main difference between layer feed and other feeds: layer feed has about 3 times as much calcium as the others.

Or you can buy a flock-raiser or all-flock type feed and use it for all of them. It is pretty much the same as chick starter, but with a different name on the package. Laying hens need a separate calcium source when they eat these feeds too, just like they would with chick starter.

You might want broiler feed (higher protein) for the meat chicks, or you might not. They certainly could live and grow on chick starter or on a flock-raise or all-flock type food, and they would probably grow almost as fast on those feeds as they would on broiler feed.

Thank you for the response. The chickens I am going to be raising for meat are dual purpose breeds, not cornish cross.
I had previously been planning to get rid of the scratch feed anyway. It seems to cause more problems than help at this point.
I did not know that chick feed could be used for broilers, the more you know!
I will look into the broiler feed options at my local feed store.

 

[FunClucks]

Thank you for the response. The chickens I am going to be raising for meat are dual purpose breeds, not cornish cross.
I had previously been planning to get rid of the scratch feed anyway. It seems to cause more problems than help at this point.
I did not know that chick feed could be used for broilers, the more you know!
I will look into the broiler feed options at my local feed store.

The difference is protein percentage. Broiler feed is typically 23% protein. All-Flock /chick starter is 17-20%. Layer feed is usually 16-18%. Growing chicks need at least 20% protein if you can afford it, and everyone else will be healthier on that also (easier molting, etc). Broilers grow faster on 24% but you can get by with 20% if that's what you have. It does make a difference in how quickly they get to processing weight, and how tender they are (the quicker they get there, the more tender they are). Put a dish of grit / chick grit on the side, and a dish of oyster shell out for the adult hens, and everyone will eat what they need.

 

[NatJ]

Thank you for the response. The chickens I am going to be raising for meat are dual purpose breeds, not cornish cross.

I did not know that chick feed could be used for broilers, the more you know!
I will look into the broiler feed options at my local feed store.

For dual-purpose chicks that you intend to butcher, I would look at the prices of the various options, and probably buy the cheapest one that has 20% protein or more, with calcium around 1% (Layer feeds have calcium between 3% and 4%, give or take a bit, which you want to avoid for any chicken that is not laying eggs, no matter what age the chicken may be.)

It doesn't much matter whether it is called chick starter, or broiler feed, or all flock, or whatever else. If you find a good deal on turkey starter or gamebird starter, those are fine too: they sometimes have protein up to around 30% which is not a problem, but it usually costs more and you don't get much benefit from the extra protein. Yes, you can also mix feeds, like if you find a Flock Raiser at 18% and a Turkey Starter at 28% but the in-between Chick Starter is more expensive or out of stock.

Some of the feeds have a choice of pellets or crumbles. Small chicks need the crumbles, bigger chickens can eat either one.

I had previously been planning to get rid of the scratch feed anyway. It seems to cause more problems than help at this point.

That sounds like a good choice. Don't waste it-- use up what you have, but don't bother buying more when it runs out. If you still have any scratch left when you are raising your meat birds, maybe let them eat as much scratch as they want in their last few weeks of life (until it's gone), because at that point you aren't worried about their long-term health, and you won't mind if they put on a bit of fat at the end.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thank you for the response. The chickens I am going to be raising for meat are dual purpose breeds, not cornish cross.
I had previously been planning to get rid of the scratch feed anyway. It seems to cause more problems than help at this point.
I did not know that chick feed could be used for broilers, the more you know!
I will look into the broiler feed options at my local feed store.

I raise Heritage type for meat, & eggs. I feed 20% Flock Raiser type feeds, & give them free range time.
I breed my own birds. This is a hen I butchered a month ago. She was about 1yr of age, & was tender, & delicious.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I do feed my birds scratch feed before butchering. It helps put some extra fat on the bird so it doesn't dry up in the oven. The fat is also handy for increasing the rich chicken flavor in soups.

 

[GlicksChicks]

I raise Heritage type for meat, & eggs. I feed 20% Flock Raiser type feeds, & give them free range time.
I breed my own birds. This is a hen I butchered a month ago. She was about 1yr of age, & was tender, & delicious. View attachment 3800065View attachment 3800066View attachment 3800067View attachment 3800069View attachment 3800070

That is a pretty bird both ways!

 

[GlicksChicks]

I do feed my birds scratch feed before butchering. It helps put some extra fat on the bird so it doesn't dry up in the oven. The fat is also handy for increasing the rich chicken flavor in soups.

Thank you! I will try that!

 

[GlicksChicks]

For dual-purpose chicks that you intend to butcher, I would look at the prices of the various options, and probably buy the cheapest one that has 20% protein or more, with calcium around 1% (Layer feeds have calcium between 3% and 4%, give or take a bit, which you want to avoid for any chicken that is not laying eggs, no matter what age the chicken may be.)

It doesn't much matter whether it is called chick starter, or broiler feed, or all flock, or whatever else. If you find a good deal on turkey starter or gamebird starter, those are fine too: they sometimes have protein up to around 30% which is not a problem, but it usually costs more and you don't get much benefit from the extra protein. Yes, you can also mix feeds, like if you find a Flock Raiser at 18% and a Turkey Starter at 28% but the in-between Chick Starter is more expensive or out of stock.

Some of the feeds have a choice of pellets or crumbles. Small chicks need the crumbles, bigger chickens can eat either one.


That sounds like a good choice. Don't waste it-- use up what you have, but don't bother buying more when it runs out. If you still have any scratch left when you are raising your meat birds, maybe let them eat as much scratch as they want in their last few weeks of life (until it's gone), because at that point you aren't worried about their long-term health, and you won't mind if they put on a bit of fat at the end.

Okay! Thank you!