feeding red rangers

[zacksimpson]

I'm raising 50 Moyer red imperial, and wondering about feeding. do you just free feed the whole time, limit feed after a certain age, or what? also what percent do you feed? having trouble finding the info online.

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

Hello! Here is a thread that talks about the feeding of meat chickens vs egg laying chickens. I hope it helps!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/meat-chicks-mixed-with-layers.1197084/

 

[Sara Ranch]

I have some broilers (Cornish Rocks).

I give them food from about 7 am until about 7 pm. Twelve hours. They have water 24/7. I remove the feeder in the evening so that they have more room to sleep. (My broilers are still in the house and are a few weeks old.)

They are on 22% protein feed with some meal worms added in for more protein. It's recommended that they have 24% protein, but Tractor Supply doesn't carry 24% feed. I've asked at several stores. In the next day or so, I will be start giving them fermented feed. Fermented feed is suppose to have a higher absorbable protein percentage.

Even with access to food for about 12 hours a day, my broilers are gaining weight quickly and growing daily.

My baby chickens have access to food on the same schedule. Once they go outside, they will be feed a few times a day in addition to their free ranging. There is no food or water in the houses. Period. ALL of my animals have done well with this feeding schedule and grown/are healthy.

 

[zacksimpson]

I'll go with the 12 on 12 off, though these guys aren't quite as piggy as Cornish broilers. I have just been wondering if ive been over feeding them.

 

[Sara Ranch]

I have one Red Ranger* in with another group. She's on the same schedule and quickly outgrowing her room-mates. She's feathering out nicely and evenly.

The Cornishes are pudgy all the way around. They are feathering out nicely. In the first few days I had them, they seemed to be growing faster than the fluff/feathers could keep up with them and they had bare spots. (At the store, they had access to food 24/7.) I reduced access to feed and now their fluff/feathers have caught up to their growth.

That might be a good measuring tool - if they have bare spots because they are growing too fast, cut back on feed. And make sure their butts aren't dragging on the ground cuz they are so fat!

* Employee at TSC didn't know what breed the loner was...thought maybe a Red Ranger.