Feeding tricks to get meat birds bigger

[JustinandDrew]

Hi my two sons are getting meat chickens for a 4H project. Pretty much the idea is to have the heaviest fattiest birds you can get by Tulsa state fair. We have raised hundreds of chickens over the last few years but never meat birds. Does anyone have any ideas or know of any supplemental products we can use in addition to 28% protein starter to get them as big as possible as fast as possible? Thanks

 

[Chick Charm]

If you are feeding 28% protein feed they should get as big as their genes will let them without supplementing anything.

Corn puts on fat.

Feeding treats like mealworms and crickets and maggots in your case actually reduces protein intake compared to 28% commercial feed.

So I think just simply making 28% feed available 24/7 will do the trick.

Please note I have never entered any competition with my birds so have no experience in that field.

Wish ya big ol birds!

 

[JustinandDrew]

Thank you for the info

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Quote:
While I can't speak to the protein level in the above mentioned treats, it would seem to me that anything that gets your birds to eat "more" would be a good thing as long and they aren't eating junkfood.

Think if you only had one food to eat, even though it was the "perfect food" if you only had one thing to eat it gets pretty old after awhile. I know with my girls some treats you are at risk if you try to hold the treats and dole them out slowly. If I set out a tray of mealworms the girls practically knock me over to be the first at the tray and get more than anyone else. they don't do that when I refill the pellet feeder.

 

[JustinandDrew]

Good point and this makes sense. The chicks arrived via USPS today. Sadly 26 of the 50 were dead on arrival . This mean we will have to try extra hard with the remaining 24 since we are already at a disadvantage.

 

[Chris09]

Week 1 - 3
Feed a 30% protein feed

Week 3
Feed 15 lbs 30% protein feed with 5 lbs of a 28% protein feed

Week 4
Mix 10 lbs 30% protein feed with 10 lbs of a 28% protein feed

Week 5
Mix 5 lbs 30% protein feed with 15 lbs of a 20% feed, also mix in 16 oz fat supplement and 8 oz protein supplement

Week 6 till show date
20 lbs 28% protein feed mixed with 16 oz fat supplement and 8 oz protein supplement