Feed requirements for CX and other questions

[Joanmcm]

41 meaties arrived yesterday with one mystery chick. Went down into the 40's last night and they are out in the shed with heat lamps. They seem to like it warmer. Their food is over on the side without the heat lamps. They have a large area away from the heat lamps as well but seem to like to 'heat' bathe.

This year we bought 550 lbs of chick feed up front. For meat chickens every bit helps. We went through 800 lbs last year but wasted ALOT. This year we have some automatic feeders etc that we are going to try to work with.

 

[boyswillbeboys]

I have 58 at 5 weeks tomorrow, they are the size of my 8 week EE's, besides going nuts and eating any food I put out within minutes, and being double the size of a 'normal' chick, they are just like any other this time. I have 1 small heat lamp in one corner, they were all puddled over there last night when I went to close the door, they drink 4-6 gallons of water a day, though I suspect a certain amount is landing on the floor.

We have gone through 6 - 20 Kg bags of feed, so 264 lbs so far. I'm planning on starting butcher at 8 weeks, finishing at 10 (looks like I'm going to have very limited help, it may extend out through 12) They have been on 19% from the start, I wanted 21% for the first 3 weeks, but they gave me the wrong feed, I will keep them on this through to 7 weeks, then decide if I switch to 17% or not. Last year they were on 21% through 6 weeks, and 19% through to butcher, but they were very fatty, and the size of small turkies, I was raising them with layers as it was my first year with chickens.

 

[Joanmcm]

We are using the same feed (19% organic grower) and hatchery (meyers) as last year. We had good results and did not want to change anything. The feed this year we got a 5% discount for bulk purchase and is competitive compared with the organic in the large stores. The food we use is locally milled.

 

[AlbionWood]

I start on 22% gamebird feed for the first 3 weeks, then switch to 18% All-flock for the next 5 weeks. I'd rather have them grow a little slower and not get ascites. These are raised by a hen and roam around the yard all day.

 

[Joanmcm]

Jealous after a few days of moving mine to an outside pen then inside for the night.Pretty soon they'll be able to stay out.

The hatchery meat chicks this year are much more aggressive then last year's. Very active...growing very quickly. By the end of this week, they will be put on 12 on and 12 off of feed.

 

[pound4pound]

i would recommend adding corn grits in their feed. corn will "heat" up their bodies. use corn when climate is cold and use less when summer.

 

[boyswillbeboys]

Joanmcm I found mine are more aggressive this year too, but I thought it had to do with it just being them, and less handling, as there are more, and no layers.

 

[Joanmcm]

Thanks for the corn grits recommendation. The coldest it has been is 60. The meaties have adjusted to being in their outside pen. Amazing what a few bugs, grass and too much room will do for them.

At one week old several times I found a chick holding another chick down by it's neck. They had plenty of room, food, water. I do not recall that kind of thing happening last year or so much pushing and shoving until they were way older. Maybe last year's chickens were too laid back???

This year I am actually thinking of letting them out for an hour or two of their pen area before sunset...like what we do with the egg chickens...after they get used to their pen. My husband thinks we will end up chasing chickens. What do you think?