Cornish rock cross

[ButchersWife]

About how much should I be feeding my meat chickens a day of turkey grow? This is my first experience raising these type of birds....

 

[frenchiegirl21]

Hello!

When we raise the meat birds we give them 1 large can (like a big spaghetti sauce can) of feed in the morning, half a can spread around the pen in the afternoon, and 1 can in the evening. We also give them a bit of scratch, grass, or other type of leafy treat 1-2 times daily. In my experience this has allowed the chicks to grow but also forces them to walk around and forage, which prevents leg problems and early deaths. They act like they're starving every time we feed them, but they grow fine and taste yummy! Hope this helps you out!

Rachel

 

[redsoxs]

I feed my Cornish X all they want to eat for 12 hours and take remove the feed for the other 12. It seems that leg problems develop less frequently if their food is limited in this way. Good luck to you.

 

[frenchiegirl21]

That's a really good idea redsoxs! I will have to try it next time we get meat birds.

Just curious: Do you let them have the feed when you let them out/check on them in the morning and then take it away right before bed?

 

[Robinsonpoultry]

My birds have feed in there coop 24/7 and they have no leg problems and are ready to be butchered this week.

I also give my birds bread daily they love it and it has fattened them up.

 

[jaylyne8]

O I HAVE TO TRY BREAD... DID ALL YOUR CORNISH GROW LARGER AT THE SAME TIME? I BOUGHT 22 OF THEM BUT HALF ARE REALLY BIG THEN THE OTHER HALF.. I NOTICED THAT THERE FEET COLOR WAS PALER THEN THE OTHERS..

 

[Mehjr10]

Probably the difference between Cockerels and Pullets.

 

[kacklinkelly]

My birds have feed in there coop 24/7 and they have no leg problems and are ready to be butchered this week.
I also give my birds bread daily they love it and it has fattened them up.

I have my first meaties that are 5 weeks old now. (only 4) The largest weighs 3.15 lb. How old are yours and do you know what they weigh?
I am working out the processing date and not sure what target weight I am looking for. p.s. your birds feathering looks a lot fuller than
mine. Mine are eating in the morning and the evening. They get fermented feed made from layer crumble with a little BOSS and scratch mixed into it.
They get layer crumbles in the evening. I have given them some plain yogurt once in a while because I have one that doesn't move around as well
as the others and someone recommended it. I also gave them frozen watermelon rind with some watermelon on it today and they worked on that
a little bit. Not as interested in it as my laying hens are. They will start getting some of the stale french bread I have in the kitchen tomorrow.

 

[Robinsonpoultry]

I have my first meaties that are 5 weeks old now.  (only 4) The largest weighs 3.15 lb.  How old are yours and do you know what they weigh?
I am working out the processing date and not sure what target weight I am looking for. p.s. your birds feathering looks a lot fuller than 
mine.  Mine are eating in the morning and the evening. I also gave them frozen watermelon rind with some watermelon on it today and they worked on that a little bit.  

Mine are about 8 weeks now and are ready to go to the butcher in a few days. They are about 5 to 6 pounds each right now judging by picking them up. Other people I have known have had there's almost 8 pounds. They should weigh somewhere around 6-8 pounds when you take them to the butcher. Also the meat birds don't like to work for there food so there for them not eating a lot of the watermelon. I'm not exactly sure what is in mines feed. I get it at my local grain shop and they eat it like crazy. I believe it is just pullet grower. Non-medicated. Also like I said earlier my chickens have a lot of feed 24/7 and get about 5-10 prices of bread cut up daily.

 

[Robinsonpoultry]

Y

O I HAVE TO TRY BREAD... DID ALL YOUR CORNISH GROW LARGER AT THE SAME TIME? I BOUGHT 22 OF THEM BUT HALF ARE REALLY BIG.

Yes all are about the same size but I only have 8. And I have 2 males but all of there feet are the same.