Experimenting with a few meat birds as pets

[Parront]

If you want to let them eat for a certain number of minutes (which I saw suggested), you may want to serve the food wet.

When chickens are really hungry, I've seen them sort-of choke if they are gobbling dry feed, but they don't as much if I serve the feed wet. And of course Cornish Cross are going to act really hungry at every feeding, if you are restricting their feed.

You are right in this suggestion! I just realized that not all chicken keepers would give their birds a pan of wet food for this 15 min feeding time! It does make a difference. I wet the food when I give them a pan of food -- what I do is give 2 pans, far apart, so the bullys can't hog all the food! So sorry -- sometimes it is not easy to know what other folks might know!

 

[Weeg]

We got the bottom of the coop welded together today! The frame of the coop is being made of steel square tubing, so we welded a square for the bottom, and an smaller square to go on the inside which will hold the makeshift shirt in, (it'll make more sense when I get pics tomorrow), now, we weld on the poles that will support the walks, the square for the top, and you have a box! After that, we weld on an A-frame to make 1/3 of the run covered, and weld cage wire, (1x2 inches) to the frame to make the walls.
Then attach wheels for mobility, and your rolling! No pun intended lol!

We'll pick up the chick on Tuesday, start them all on Purina flock raiser, (its 20% protein, is that okay for them as chicks, and then lessen as adults? Or should I get the 18% protein starter grower?) then, at 3 weeks, I will separate my 2 and move them outside, assuming they have their feathers and its warm. We'll put the birds for eating on 22% meat bird feed, and then my two on an 18% feed and start restricting it.
How does that sound? Then they'll have grass to eat, and all of that as well.
I'll update with pics on the coop, and when we get them!

 

[FuzzyCritters]

We got the bottom of the coop welded together today! The frame of the coop is being made of steel square tubing, so we welded a square for the bottom, and an smaller square to go on the inside which will hold the makeshift shirt in, (it'll make more sense when I get pics tomorrow), now, we weld on the poles that will support the walks, the square for the top, and you have a box! After that, we weld on an A-frame to make 1/3 of the run covered, and weld cage wire, (1x2 inches) to the frame to make the walls.
Then attach wheels for mobility, and your rolling! No pun intended lol!

We'll pick up the chick on Tuesday, start them all on Purina flock raiser, (its 20% protein, is that okay for them as chicks, and then lessen as adults? Or should I get the 18% protein starter grower?) then, at 3 weeks, I will separate my 2 and move them outside, assuming they have their feathers and its warm. We'll put the birds for eating on 22% meat bird feed, and then my two on an 18% feed and start restricting it.
How does that sound? Then they'll have grass to eat, and all of that as well.
I'll update with pics on the coop, and when we get them!

That sounds like a great plan!

 

[Weeg]

The frame is done! Woot woot! Now, we just have to unroll the wire, and attach that with brackets to the poles on the sides! I would get a pic, but theres a lot of stuff in the way right now, so i'll get a pic tonight.
Were picking up chicks on Tuesday, do you think a large dog kennel will be big enough for 15 Cornich cross? I feel like tis gonna be kinda small. I can divide the batch in two kennels as well. I'll just have to borrow one from a friend.

Ps. I've always used pine shavings as the brooder bedding, is that or shopped straw better? I would rather use straw, I think it cleans easier scooping wise, but have a feeling shavings may be better for chicks? What do you think?

 

[saysfaa]

I've seen others do it before, they accidentally get meat birds and keep them. I've also seen people on those threads say they had meat birds for as long as they lived, and they had happy lives. If it truly is torture for the birds, I wont keep them, but I do want to hear more opinions first. I believe they could have happy lives.
I do appreciate the opinions though!

It might be torture to be hungry all the time, especially watching the banties eat all they want all the time just out of reach.

 

[saysfaa]

We got the bottom of the coop welded together today! The frame of the coop is being made of steel square tubing, so we welded a square for the bottom, and an smaller square to go on the inside which will hold the makeshift shirt in, (it'll make more sense when I get pics tomorrow), now, we weld on the poles that will support the walks, the square for the top, and you have a box! After that, we weld on an A-frame to make 1/3 of the run covered, and weld cage wire, (1x2 inches) to the frame to make the walls.
...

You might want to paint the cage wire where you weld it. If it came galvanized, the zinc will burn off from the heat of the weld.

 

[NatJ]

Ps. I've always used pine shavings as the brooder bedding, is that or shopped straw better? I would rather use straw, I think it cleans easier scooping wise, but have a feeling shavings may be better for chicks? What do you think?

I think either one can be fine, so go with whatever is more convenient for you.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Were picking up chicks on Tuesday, do you think a large dog kennel will be big enough for 15 Cornich cross? I feel like tis gonna be kinda small. I can divide the batch in two kennels as well. I'll just have to borrow one from a friend.

The chicks might all fit in the dog crate when you get them, but they will quickly outgrow it. I would split them up if you can borrow another crate.

 

[Weeg]

You might want to paint the cage wire where you weld it. If it came galvanized, the zinc will burn off from the heat of the weld.

Yep, we have that covered. That is why we aren't welding the wire to the frame, just the frame together. Were using brackets to secure the wire to the steel frame, so we can replace it easily. Were also painting it.

 

[Weeg]

The chicks might all fit in the dog crate when you get them, but they will quickly outgrow it. I would split them up if you can borrow another crate

I can definetly borrow another crate, but the biggest issue is another heat lamp. I'll scout around and see if I have anything they wont out grow so fast. If not, I do have something else that will work, but the opening isn't great.