Doing a test...

[bryan8]

Well I have a few Cornish x and a bunch of rir's that are a week old. I'm going to take 2 of each and put the 4 aside. I want to buy a tub of that mussel building creatine/protein powder they sell at the stores, and mix it with there feed, and see if it has any effects.

Any ideas or commets?

 

[KellyHM]

Sounds interesting....I'm curious to see how it turns out.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

They would have to work out to see any effects... LOL... Creatine basically enables your muscles to do more, blocks lactic acid when you lift making you able to do more reps / set. Basically gives your muscles more energy.

Unless you get a mini work out session going on in your coop I would say your wasting your money. Protein is what is going to make them pack on the weight... just as if someone that wanted to gain muscle mass the would eat a lot of good quality protein or drink a protein shake.

Now you could get them some protein mix and make them a shake? Milk shake fed chicken... I think you have something to work with on that.

Good luck would love to hear the results either way.

 

[hildymarie]

The cornish-x already develope muscle almost too fast for their body, I think all it wil do for them is mess them up more than they already do by way of how they are bred. The others might do something more but chicken physiology might be so far different from people that it might even kill them just with the extra stuff that is in it.
And then again, do you really want all them extra chemicals and compounds in your meat?
It would be interesting to find out but you might want to get ahold of a usda or university prof or someone who knows about the physiology and get an idea of what this will do so you dont waste your money and chickens.
Just a thought.

 

[Winsor Woods]

I heard that creatine helps your muscles hold more water and thus they have more mass and appear bigger too. Not sure how accurate it is, but I don't think the cost/benefit ratio would be very good. You'd probably end up with more meat for you buck by starting with more chickens and buying a little more food. JMHO

Dan

 

[seramas]

They will probably develop bone and heart problems. Cornish X grows so fast they will eat themselves to death. Supplements as you describe do not support internal organ growth. Most meat chickens have small internal organs than comparable chickens of the same size, reason being growth rate. A meat chicken at 8 weeks is equal to a 17 week old white rock or rir in weight but not internal organ maturity.

Use supplements that promote bone growth/strength and heart health. These are the two areas that lead to a crippled lazy bird many have, that won't get up to go 20' to get a drink to the point of dyeing of thirst.

Chelated Boron (directs calcium utilization in proper bone growth and density while maintaining proper calcium blood levels) and Coenzyme Q10 (promotes healthy cardiovascular growth) along with probiotics (aids digestive health). These along with proper proteins levels equal a healthy active bird.

Here is a video of 11 week old Cornish X meat birds. They dressed out at an averaged 17 lbs 3 ounces at 14 week of age.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

There is no way those things are 14 weeks.... where did you get them?

Those would be great "turkeys" for Thanksgiving. I get a lot of people that order like 3-4 chickens for Thanksgiving instead of Turkeys. That would be great to get a 12-14 lb chicken!!

Cool video...

 

[seramas]

They aren’t! Their 11 weeks old.

Got them at Townline hatcheries in Zeeland, Michigan as day olds.

Nutrition is the key to their rapid growth.

That is a 50# capacity feeder on a 6" tall platform and a 5 gallon water also raised 6".

 

[possumqueen]

I should think if you want them to have super quality protein I should think meal worms would be a better deal for a chicken. Or any other kind of bug. But you can grow meal worms, and the chickens would get more out of them. imho. . . .

 

[seramas]

Would have to feed each Cornish X bird about 37 pounds of meal worms during their short lives to get a 4-1/2 pound dressed 4 week old bird. The cost of the feed for the meal worms would be as much if not more than for the regular high protein broiler feeds.

Then there is a problem with cultured mealworm, earth worms and maggots carrying parasites that are detrimental to the health of you birds. Plus all the work.

For a couple birds that would be something to try.