Breast feel small

[Chickenheadmate]

I have a red Broiler that is about 4 months old. The other day I picked them up and go his breast and they felt as small or narrow, as my Leghorn mix hens. Free ranges a lot and aide his multi flock pellets seldomly.
Shouldn't his breast be pretty full at this age? Or am I doing something wrong?

 

[Mosey2003]

If he's free-ranging a lot and only eating some multi flock pellets he's probably not going to beef up the same way as if you were feeding mostly broiler feed and only letting him free-range part of the day. If you want to get him fed up and processed before he gets much older, pen him up and feed broiler.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

If he's free-ranging a lot and only eating some multi flock pellets he's probably not going to beef up the same way as if you were feeding mostly broiler feed and only letting him free-range part of the day. If you want to get him fed up and processed before he gets much older, pen him up and feed broiler.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Is there a particular one that he should be eating?

If he's free-ranging a lot and only eating some multi flock pellets he's probably not going to beef up the same way as if you were feeding mostly broiler feed and only letting him free-range part of the day. If you want to get him fed up and processed before he gets much older, pen him up and feed broiler.

 

[Mosey2003]

Depends on what your local stores carry. I just use Rural King's house brand of meatbird crumbles.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Depends on what your local stores carry. I just use Rural King's house brand of meatbird crumbles.

I went to the local store and they only had game bird food. How does game food compare to meatbird crumbles?

 

[Mosey2003]

Broiler/meatbird is usually 21-22% protein. Gamebird is usually over 24%. If that's what they have, I'd get that. If he doesn't finish the bag before you butcher, you can mix it in with your other birds' feed to bump up the protein some and probably get more eggs Especially if he's foraging a lot, gamebird is a good choice at this point.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Thank you! ☺

Broiler/meatbird is usually 21-22% protein. Gamebird is usually over 24%. If that's what they have, I'd get that. If he doesn't finish the bag before you butcher, you can mix it in with your other birds' feed to bump up the protein some and probably get more eggs Especially if he's foraging a lot, gamebird is a good choice at this point.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

How long do i need to pen him up and feed him high protein feed, in order to have him gain butcher weight?

 

[Mosey2003]

Dunno, until he weighs enough for you to feel it's worth butchering.