Expecting 25 1 day old sasso chicks, not too sure what to do!

[SophieCaroline]

Ok I think I might have over worked myself again. We have 3 acres and already have 30 freerange laying hens. We are a family of 7 so we eat a lot! We bought 25 sasso chicks and should be receiving them mid may. I was thinking of putting them in the garage for the first 4-5 weeks all the time then slowly take them to the enclosure I will do in the woods beside my house. There is a nice clearing and the birds will be very safe and happy.

Is there a good site, book or file somewhere that I can read regarding raising meat birds? I'm scared I will not be successful!

How much do they eat? How often? When do I slaughter them? What to do?:/

That is so me, getting way ahead of my capacities.

Thanks in advance!

 

[MySweetChickens]

1 While brooding, the chicks are confined under a roof and protected from draft. The litter should be at least 4 inches deep.
2 After 21 days, they may be allowed to go out in the range. The house should be roofed with GI sheet or native roofing should provide at least one sq. ft. per bird.
3 A litter of rice hull that is 6-12 inches deep is recommended. The chickens should also be provided with at least one sq. m. per bird in the range.
4 The range could include grasses like napier, leguminous vines and other vegetation like big trees and grasses in between.
5. Enclosed the house and the range with nylon nets (those used in fish cages) about 1.5 meters high. This prevents the entry of predators such as snakes and pythons.



De-stress the chicks if delivered to your farm by giving them water to drink. Add brown sugar to the water at the rate of one percent (about two tablespoons per gallon of water). The sugared water will rehydrate the chicks faster. Sugared water can be altered with water with electrolytes and should be given within two hours from discharge into their brooding pens.
3. After two hours from arrival, the chicks should have eaten and drunk.
4. The brooding area should have been disinfected. Rice hull, wood shavings, or straw make a good litter. It should be level to avoid excessive stress on the chicks.
5. The heaters or brooders have to be lighted at least two hours before the chicks arrive.
6. Monitor the temperatures of the room/building before the arrival of the chicks.
7. In the first two weeks, protect the chicks from extreme hot/cold condition. Brood them under the right temperature(38oC) at the edge of the brooder and above 28oC in the living area during the first three days.
8. Thermometers in different parts of the building should be used to control the temperature before the animals arrive



1. When raising 1,000 birds, the drinkers required by the growing birds will be 40-50 basins distributed in the house.
2. They will also need 40-50 feeders. The house should be lighted 16 hours a day to encourage them to eat more.
3. GIve the birds adequate feed according to their daily requirements.
4. To condition the birds to easily find their feeds on the first day, use egg trays, newspapers, or flat feeding trays. By the second day, it will be easy to introduce the chick feeders for the birds.
5. Put feeds into the feeders 3-4 times daily to eat and minimize wastage. Never throw stale or rancid feeds into the litter for this will cause more problems for the birds.
6. Give quality feeds to avoid nutritional problem.
7. Try not to incorporate antibiotics and other artificial growth promotants so as not to affect its taste.
8. A formulation of 60-70% ground yellow corn and 30-40% soybean meal then add 1-2% vitamin-mineral premixes.
9. One-part molasses and three parts water as wetting agent for the feeds makes the bird eat more and grow faster. The wetting agent is very small-- just about 1% of the ration.
Water Requirement
Starting Growing
Area 10 birds/m2
Brooders 2
Drinkers 1-7 days 10 galloners
8-21 days 30 galloners
40-50 basins
Feeders 1-7 days 10 feeders
8-21 days 30 feeders
40-50 feeders
Litter 4 inches 6-12 inches
Lighting 24 hours-16 hours 16 hours

slaughter is done at 11-12 weeks