Cornish cross feed usage

[sandspoultry]

There was another post today about the feed used to raise cornish cross. Has anybody else kept records on how much feed the used to get to process weight? We had some written down when we raised them but now of course when looking for it it's nowhere to be found.

Steve in NC

 

[blueskylen]

we used approx 14 - 50lb bags in 8 weeks

 

[greyfields]

It depends on how large you raise them.

A conservative estimate is 3 lbs of feed for every 1 lb of weight they gain (live weight, not dressed weight).

So, if you wanted 10# birds for 6# dressed roasting birds, you'd go through 30# of feed.

In reality, the FCR is closer to 2.5, but you need to account for waste, spillage and inefficient feed conversion since you are not raising them in temperature/climate controlled conditions.

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

We go through 12 to 13 bags of 50 lb feed to raise them to 8-9 weeks. Most will dress out at 5 to 6 lbs at that age. This is for 25 birds.

 

[sandspoultry]

Thanks for the replies everybody, we were thinking about it from a resale angle. We have a local fleamarket where we sell extra roo's etc for eating birds and we were thinking about adding some meat birds to the mix and see what the profit/vs feed comes out at.

Steve in NC

 

[greyfields]

I sell at $3.75/lb on sell out very quickly. But even at that price, I figure I profit at most $2/bird. It's a labor of love. I want good chicken. I want to eat good chicken. If I can sell 40 and keep 10, then others are paying me to eat my own good chicken. It's not a bad lifestyle.

 

[MyraNC]

Hi, I'm new to the meat chicken world but decided I would try 15 to see how it goes. What kind of feed do you feed and for how long? I just got mine and have them on starter. Is that what they should be eatting? I read every 5 days take them off feed for 12 hours so they don't get heart attacks of trouble with their legs. Does that sound right?

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
Most people use a broiler starter/finisher from beginning to end. But, a chick starter is very similar, so that's fine for now. You just don't want to change feeds ever more than once, since their life is brief and they studder everytime you switch their ration.

Most broilers are done around 8 weeks, but closer to 9-10 if they are pastured.

Many people here raise excellent broilers feeding 12 on/12 off, while others leave it out free choice. It's more a religious matter than a technical one.

 

[jaku]

I started with 26 birds. Three died. I have gone through 450 pounds of feed over an 8 week period.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I feed 20# protein broiler feed all the way through. After the first three weeks of free feeding, I finish by giving them 12 hours on, 12 hours off food.