Do we change feed before processing day?

[Sabz]

The girl who sold me my feed last time told me to switch to a different kind of food before slaughtering to LOWER the fat in the meat.

Then I researched on the web and some people say the opposite, give a feed higher in energy and less proteins so the meat has more fat and is less dry when we eat it.

Then I saw someone on BYC talking about possibly feeding malted barley before slaughter because most of the starch in those grains is converted into sugar and could give a good taste to the meat (he didn't try it I think, it was just an idea).

So.. do any of you change the feed before slaughter?

The only thing I can think of, is trying to separate the birds during feeding times. I noticed that the injured one I took into the house is almost twice as big as my other birds. I suppose that they "fight" a lot for their feed, so maybe by having more feeding stations a few weeks before slaughter, I could get them to gain more weight in a faster way, but I wouldn't necessarily change the type feed I give them (Fermented feed + grower feed).

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Simple answer is no......

Feed stays the same, they get all they want first 3 weeks than feed only during the day. Mine get a bag of starter than standard meet bird feed at at 6 weeks average 4.5lbs

No sure why anyone would want less fat, sounds like she heard part of a conversion she didn't fully understand and was trying to "help" you. You will get all manner of advise especially from people who don't raise birds. Next time just ask if that's what she does and why.

If you have an injured bird inside, feeding it all it wants and it's immobile it will be huge! I feed and water at opposite ends to force them to walk, otherwise they will lay at the feeder and just eat, and eat. I raise chickens to be chickens not small turkeys lol

Sounds like what your doing is fine, good luck and have fun


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[Sabz]

Thanks!

Oh, the "indoor chick" is not injured anymore! Runs lose in the house, in LOVE with my dog.. follows the dog everywhere, comes outside to garden with me, runs across my whole yard. He is more active than all the others He can be lose in the house, the dog "picks up" after him, ahah. So it feeds my dog and give the dog something to do during the day! Double win. Until I cull the chicken and the dog is sad.. haha hope that won't happen, I'll make sure the dog isn't around to see or smell it..

Yeah don't know why the girl wanted less fat meat. I tend not to want to talk to people giving me advice at the feeding place. Had a bad experience on my first day - I wanted hay.. a "********" woman gave me a big speech on how hay is more trouble than wood chips for cleaning the coop, etc etc (well, at first she told me I was stupid and was going to kill my horse by giving it hay.. answered I didn't even had a horse, shut up.. then she saw the chicken feed and started on the coop cleaning thing).. All I wanted was a bale of hay to make pictures of my chickens!!!! I hate when people don't mind their own business, so on the spot, I couldn't care less about the girl recommending less fat.. but I googled it afterwards, lol.