100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[Arielle]

Quote: A real butcher!!!! Bet the meat tastes better too!

Sorry for the confusion. Yes, a hen over a year. When we cook hens in our gumbos, it takes a while to cook it to get it tender. So, I'm wondering if an 8 week old broiler takes long to cook as well or not because it's only 8 weeks old but at the same time, the broiler will be heavier.
IN my limited experience, the age decides the toughness, not the size. * weeks should be very tender for both cornishx and heritage. Of course maybe some variation if the heritage do more running. lol

We had a cold night last night but the broilers made it. I am noticing an INCREASE in food take. By the time I fill their feeders and go to the next brooder and go back to the first brooder, all of the food is just about gone.

They are tearing it up. I guess I will have to get bigger feeders for them.

I stuck my hand in the brooder to put feed down this morning and one of the broilers grabbed my plastic glove and didn't want to let go. He held on for dear life and started shaking his head back and forth like a dog swinging a rag doll from side to side. I guess I was late feeding them this morning and HE WAS NOT HAPPY. I had to push him off of my hand and then he bucked up to me and charged at me. I was like, "OH NO HE DIDN"T!" It was kinda funny though.

I started the 3rd 50 lb bag of feed on Monday and they are almost done with bag #3. So, to date, I have used 150 lbs of feed. Does that sound right or is that too much feed for 100 (-1 that died last week) broilers. Today marks the day that they are 20 days old. If they are eating this much now, I don't want to see what they will be eating at 5 weeks old.

I weighed one before feeding last night and it weighed 1 lb 2.1 ounces. I think they are progressing nicely.


I want to try to put them out this weekend but Sunday will only be 61 degrees and I think that may be too chilly. If the sun is shinning bright, I will try them out for a while until I see that they are cold. Then I will have to bring them in.



Question............ Does anyone can/preserve chicken?

I have canned several dozen jars of turkey. THe first batch was scary, worried I would do it wrong. Then became easier as my comfort level improved. Handy to have a jar when quick eats are inorder. I canned some 100% meat, and others with bone in. Added garlic salt to some.

You don't have to have food in front of them all day long. IF everyone has a full crop perhaps an hour or twountil next feeding has merits. Of course your time is a factor . .. . . in which case you are right, a bigger feed pan.

ON the quantities of feed , the only graph I have seen listing weights and feed usage is for the BBB/BBW turkeys-- on one of the major hatcheries sites. Meyer or MM or ??, THe graph is next to the BBW turkey description and availability.

 

[aoxa]

IN my limited experience, the age decides the toughness, not the size. * weeks should be very tender for both cornishx and heritage. Of course maybe some variation if the heritage do more running. lol

I have canned several dozen jars of turkey. THe first batch was scary, worried I would do it wrong. Then became easier as my comfort level improved. Handy to have a jar when quick eats are inorder. I canned some 100% meat, and others with bone in. Added garlic salt to some.

You don't have to have food in front of them all day long. IF everyone has a full crop perhaps an hour or twountil next feeding has merits. Of course your time is a factor . .. . . in which case you are right, a bigger feed pan.

ON the quantities of feed , the only graph I have seen listing weights and feed usage is for the BBB/BBW turkeys-- on one of the major hatcheries sites. Meyer or MM or ??, THe graph is next to the BBW turkey description and availability.

The hatchery that I posted my chart from was meyer I believe....

Our oldest CX butchered were 14 weeks. VERY tender. I agree though, age not breed.
You won't get any breast on an 8 week old heritage bird, which is why I do CX

 

[kuntrygirl]

There is a Fermented Feed thread on here (sorry, not sure how to do a hyperlink to it). It is verrrry long but has some great info on it. There is someone on there that did a comparison study of her Meaties fed with dry and fermented feed.
Glad your babies are toughing it out in the cold. I am in northern Iowa and we are experiencing cold this winter like I can't remember, it sucks! My hens quit laying in Nov, and I have had to buy 2 doz eggs already, with this cold we keep having, my poor birds aren't going to lay till June!
Think WARM thoughts!

Thanks for the info. I will have to find that post because I am really interested in knowing details to that experiment.

It's going to be 27 tonight. Another cold one . I'm not sure I want to try meaties in the winter again. :/

 

[kuntrygirl]

When does those 12 on 12 off come in at as far as feeding?

Once they are able to go outside and have adequate time (and forage resource) to forage.  It's sort of a double-edge sword at the moment.  Feeding them "free-choice" we know will cause increased joint issues as they get older -- on the other hand, in confinement, if not fed enough they will start pecking each other and drawing blood (progressing to outright cannibalism) in search of additional protein.  Once this starts you have a much bigger problem than bent and twisted legs.

Thanks for the information. As of now, bigger feeders are needed. They are sniffing up the feed . WHEW!!!! :/ I wish the weather was warm enough so that they could stay outside. :/

 

[kuntrygirl]

When does those 12 on 12 off come in at as far as feeding?

I did after they settled in. I used eco-glows so they had a natural light schedule. It wasn't quite 12 hours. It was more like 8-9 off until week 2. After week 2 they were on pasture and only fed twice a day.

I'm not sure how you would feed them if you don't let them free range. Maybe 4 hours on, 4 hours off, 6 hours on and overnight nothing at all? I'm thinking 6:30am-10:30am feeding. 10:30-2:30 no food. 2:30-8:30 food and nothing after 8:30pm. Lights out...

Not sure if that would work.. I can only tell you what I did.

Thanks for the information. I guess I"ll have to figure something out.

 

[Angelicisi]

Here is a dry vs ff thread on CX

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/672135/meatie-experiment-ff-vs-crumbles/0_50

 

[kuntrygirl]

Ok, so I have been researching broiler weights and I have come across about 4 charts will all different weights of what broilers "should" weigh at certain weeks of age, to include the male/female weights. With all of this information, it's kinda hard to know exactly what the proper weights should be. Every chart has different info. Some weights are lower for some ages and some weights are higher for those same ages. Kinda confusing. I guess everyone has their own chart comparison, so it looks like you have to do an "average". I found other charts but I didn't list them. :/


http://www.millerhatcheries.com/InformationFactSheets/Broiler_Info/Farm_Feeding_Meat_Type_Chicks.htm
Age in Weeks

Age in Weeks/Weights
1 .33
2 .81
3 1.48
4 2.28
5 3.19
6 4.18
7 5.20
8 6.28
9 7.37

**************************************************************************************************************************
http://www.meyerhatchery.com/produc...D=WBRS&grd_prodone_filter=PRODUCT_ID = 'WBRS'

Age in Weeks & Weights
1 .34
2 .85
3 1.54
4 2.38
5 3.34
6 4.37
7 5.40
8 6.42

***********************************************************************************************************************
Chart courtesy of Purely Poultry.
Age in Weeks & Weights
1 .40
2 .90
3 1.70
4 2.70
5 3.90
6 5.10
7 6.30
8 7.40
9 8.40

 

[kuntrygirl]

Arielle, thanks for the info. I"m thinking about canning meat but I don't want to kill myself by eating some type of killer bacteria because I didn't do it right.

 

[aoxa]

Ok, so I have been researching broiler weights and I have come across about 4 charts will all different weights of what broilers "should" weigh at certain weeks of age, to include the male/female weights. With all of this information, it's kinda hard to know exactly what the proper weights should be. Every chart has different info. Some weights are lower for some ages and some weights are higher for those same ages. Kinda confusing. I guess everyone has their own chart comparison, so it looks like you have to do an "average". I found other charts but I didn't list them.

http://www.millerhatcheries.com/InformationFactSheets/Broiler_Info/Farm_Feeding_Meat_Type_Chicks.htm
Age in Weeks

Age in Weeks/Weights
1 .33
2 .81
3 1.48
4 2.28
5 3.19
6 4.18
7 5.20
8 6.28
9 7.37

**************************************************************************************************************************
http://www.meyerhatchery.com/produc...D=WBRS&grd_prodone_filter=PRODUCT_ID = 'WBRS'

Age in Weeks & Weights
1 .34
2 .85
3 1.54
4 2.38
5 3.34
6 4.37
7 5.40
8 6.42

***********************************************************************************************************************
Chart courtesy of Purely Poultry.
Age in Weeks & Weights
1 .40
2 .90
3 1.70
4 2.70
5 3.90
6 5.10
7 6.30
8 7.40
9 8.40

http://www.welphatchery.com/cornish_rock_care
Here is where I got my chart.

They are probably different strains of CX. I know my strain grows much slower than many in the USA.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Here is a dry vs ff thread on CX

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/672135/meatie-experiment-ff-vs-crumbles/0_50

*************************************************************************************************************************************
Copy and Paste a few of the posts from the thread posted above.

post by: jrsckn

Abbreviations: CC- crumble chicks; FFC- fermented feed chicks; FF- fermented feed; ACV apple cider vinegar w/mother

post by: jrsckn

Purpose: to compare different methods of raising meaties to determine the most beneficial way to raise them. Feed intake and cost will be examined and compared to processed weights. The chickes will be raised using three methods; dry crumbles, fermented crumbles, and fermented crumbles with pasture.

post by: jrsckn

WEEK 6 RESULTS Wednesday 7/11/12 Day 43
Crumble Chicks
Average Weight: 13.219lb / 3 chicks = 4.406 lb
Wk 6 gain: 4.406 lb wk 6 – 3.137 lb wk 5 = 1.269 lb gain wk 6
Lbs Consumed: 20 lb total – 15 lb wk 5 = 5 lb consumed wk 6
Lbs Consumed per Chick: 5 lb / 3 chicks = 1.667 lbs consumed per chick
Lbs Gained per lbs Consumed: 1.269 lb gain / 1.667 lb consumed = 0.761 lb gain/lb consumed
Overall Feed Consumed: 5.797 lb thru wk 5 + 1.667 lb wk 6 = 7.464 lb consumed/chick
Overall Gain per lb: 4.406 lb gain / 7.464 lb consumed = 0.590 lb gain/lb feed
Cost This Week: 1.667 lb * $0.34/lb = $0.567 / chick
Overall Cost: Thru wk 5 $1.904 + wk 6 $0.567 = $2.471
Overall Cost per lb Live-weight: $2.471 / 4.406 lb = $0.561 / lb live-weight

Straight Fermented Feed Chicks
Average Weight: 28.562 lb / 7 chicks = 4.080 lb
Wk 6 gain: 4.080 lb wk 6 – 2.550 lb wk 5 = 1.530 lb gain wk 6
Lbs Consumed: 38 lb total – 16 lb wk 5 = 22 lb consumed wk 6
Lbs Consumed per Chick: 22 lb / 7 chicks = 3.143 lbs consumed per chick
Lbs Gained per lbs Consumed: 1.530 lb gain / 3.143 lb consumed = 0.487 lb gain/lb consumed
Overall Feed Consumed: 5.153 lb thru wk 5 + 3.143 lb wk 6 = 8.296 lb consumed/chick
Overall Gain per lb: 4.080 lb gain / 8.296 lb consumed = 0.492 lb gain/lb feed
Cost This Week: 3.143 lb * $0.34/lb = $1.069 / chick
Overall Cost: Thru wk 5 $1.699 + wk 6 $1.069 = $2.768
Overall Cost per lb Live-weight: $2.768 / 4.080 lb = $0.678 / lb live-weight

Fermented Feed + Grain Chicks
Average Weight: 30.118 lb / 9 chicks = 3.346 lb
Wk 6 gain: 3.346 lb wk 6 – 2.427 lb wk 5 = 0.919 lb gain wk 6
Lbs Consumed: 41 lb total – 15 lb wk 5 = 26 lb consumed wk 6
Lbs Consumed per Chick: 26 lb / 9 chicks = 2.889 lbs consumed per chick
Lbs Gained per lbs Consumed: 0.919 lb gain / 2.889 lb consumed = 0.318 lb gain/lb consumed
Overall Feed Consumed: 5.042 lb thru wk 5 + 2.889 lb wk 6 = 7.931 lb consumed/chick
Overall Gain per lb: 3.346 lb gain / 7.931 lb consumed = 0.422 lb gain/lb feed
Cost This Week: 2.889 lb / 2 = 1.445 lb; (1.445 lb * $0.34/lb) + (1.445 lb * $0.20/lb) = $0.78 / chick
Overall Cost: Thru wk 5 $1.544 + wk 6 $0.78 = $2.324
Overall Cost per lb Live-weight: $2.324 / 3.346 lb = $0.695 / lb live-weight


CONCLUIONS: The CC have the bext feed conversion this week and overall cost per lb while the SFF chicks gained the most.

post by: jrsckn

That's awesome, I was planning on playing with excel but haven't had the time, thanks!!!

I was more than surprised with the results. I never expected the CC to be the cheapest and the grain chicks to be the most expensive. I do think I will feed both fermented and dry crumbles in the future. I think the grains just didn't have enough available nutrients for efficient growth. If someone's goal is to slow growth down, thats the way to go but it will probably cost slightly more unless you can find them cheaer than I did. Not to mention I used a variety of grains to see what they would eat; I wonder what would've happened if I stuck with the cheapest I could find.

Overall though, I liked the cleanliness and lack of smell of the FF chicks and I think it is well worth the extra $0.16/lb.

Also remember I free fed all of the chicks, they had food 24/7 for 9.5 weeks and I didn't have one health issue, just food for thought.