Feed question for chicks that are destined for freezer

[SAHMof2]

Hi all. Each search I do comes up with advice on when and what to feed their chicks to lay. I'm wondering if anyone has advice on when/what to feed my Wyandottes that will be butchered at 20 - 24 weeks.

I also have a few turkey chicks. Will they get the same feed as the Wyandottes?

Thank you.

 

[chickenfeverforever]

I am not suer about the turkey poults, but for the Wyandottes, They just need to be raised on a broiler or high % starter feed. 22-24%.

 

[Dogfish]

Turkey poults should get 27%+. If all you have is 22-24%, then give them that. The young chicks would also benefit from a higher protein feed of 22-24%.

 

[jdopler]

Mixed flock feed works well, or game bird grower which has high protein some as high as 28% and not medicated..

 

[SAHMof2]

My bag of medicated chick starter is nearly done. They are four weeks old today, 24 birds in total. Should my next bag be mixed flock if I can find it locally and broiler ration if I cannot?

Thanks so much!

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I feed all my butchering chickens 22% starter from hatch 'till butchered, if I keep them longer than that, say for breeding or something, they get switched to an 18% layer feed.

Turkeys will need higher protein.

"Broiler Finisher or Ration" is generally higher in calories and lower in protein and tends to make them fatter, at that young of an age they probably won't grow as well on the lower protein content.

 

[chickenfeverforever]

Quote:
A broiler feed or a starter feed thats high in protein. Mine are on 24% and it is a chick starter feed. You can find it at TSC.

 

[triplepurpose]

Quote:
There is also something called "chick grower" which as I understand, is supposed to fill the gap between "starter" and "layer". That would be the ideal if you are raising pullets for laying and cockerels for slaughter together. If these birds are only for meat, you might go with the higher protein of a broiler feed or somesuch. But in practice, my chicks eat un-medicated starter until they are big enough to be integrated with the rest of the flock, at which point they start eating layer or all-purpose with the rest of the chickens. I've also fed chicks layer when it was all I could get. IMO it's not as critical a factor as it's sometimes made out to be, especially if your chickens have a well-rounded diet that includes forage or scraps to eat too.

 

[Erebus]

Is there a reason I shouldn't feed birds meat/table scraps? They really like dairy stuff too, like cheese.

 

[donrae]

Quote:
My meaties try to eat the table scraps, but they're too slow! The leggy layer young'uns get them first. But there's no reason not to feed them. I figure, the more food I can give them for free, the better!