Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[ChocolateMouse]

I'm having the same problem. My 12 chicks are now 5 weeks and only like 2lbs each. :| I am going to switch away from the "five minutes a day 3X's a day" and measure their dry feed by the lb and then ferment that and feed it out in 2-3 meals a day.

According to what I've seen my birds should be eating nearly 5lbs of dry food a day right now. They're not.

 

[Beekissed]

I have been feeding 29 cornish cross fermented grains for about 6 weeks now. they are seven weeks old and are nowhere near the same size as other cornish cross' I have had at this age. Added alfalfa to the fermented feed approx. a week ago, but they still do not seem to be growing. Should I be supplementing something else. I do not want to go back to meatbird pellets. They are healthy, active, clean, and well feathered. They fly out of the enclosure while the birds I had in the past just sat there and breathed hard. I feed corn, wheat, and oats along with the alfalfa. I have scrambled eggs to help boost protein, but added the alfalfa for consistency. Are these birds going to start dying at 9-10 weeks at half the weight? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

They won't be dying on you, that's for sure. Just give them time to catch up and they will eventually get to the right size. Long about 12 wks will be the time to butcher them. You can increase proteins by mixing half whole grains and half grower or layer rations if you want to do a final push for weight and size.

The last batch you raised, were they fed only corn, wheat and oats or did you feed a higher protein feed then? If so, that feed difference could explain the slower growth...but slower growth is not always a bad thing, as long as they reach the size they are supposed to eventually reach. If it takes longer, so be it...the meat will taste better and they will survive to the end of the prescribed time and that's the goal of growing out slower.

Helped a lady butcher her CX raised on free range and FF this summer and she had the biggest CX I've ever seen...each were approx. 15 lb live weight and all healthy as oxen. Free ranged right up to the end all over a couple of acres of land. Their organs were all wonderful, they had enough fat under the skin for good eating but not any huge fat layers in the carcass. Just good, huge, healthy birds all coming to the finish. She fed organic layer rations and whole grains in her FF.

 

[kevinr1]

My first two batchs were only fed meatbird pellets. It was nasty, and I found this discussion on FF so I tried it. These birds are noticebly healthier and I'm willing to wait awhile, as long as they don't start dropping dead on me. Thanks for the help.

 

[RoseMarie1]

They won't be dying on you, that's for sure. Just give them time to catch up and they will eventually get to the right size. Long about 12 wks will be the time to butcher them. You can increase proteins by mixing half whole grains and half grower or layer rations if you want to do a final push for weight and size.

The last batch you raised, were they fed only corn, wheat and oats or did you feed a higher protein feed then? If so, that feed difference could explain the slower growth...but slower growth is not always a bad thing, as long as they reach the size they are supposed to eventually reach. If it takes longer, so be it...the meat will taste better and they will survive to the end of the prescribed time and that's the goal of growing out slower.

Helped a lady butcher her CX raised on free range and FF this summer and she had the biggest CX I've ever seen...each were approx. 15 lb live weight and all healthy as oxen. Free ranged right up to the end all over a couple of acres of land. Their organs were all wonderful, they had enough fat under the skin for good eating but not any huge fat layers in the carcass. Just good, huge, healthy birds all coming to the finish. She fed organic layer rations and whole grains in her FF.

Cut and pasting this info cuz ONE OF THESE days I am going to be able to do this myself!!

I'm going to keep going until I have my own BEE book!

BEE I also asked a question about pecking order I wish you would weigh in on as well. Would love to learn why from you. Since I got rid of those 14 cockerels my chickens are having to redo their pecking order and I'd just like to know the purpose behind that.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/820878/whats-the-purpose-for-pecking-order

 

[Beekissed]

My first two batchs were only fed meatbird pellets. It was nasty, and I found this discussion on FF so I tried it. These birds are noticebly healthier and I'm willing to wait awhile, as long as they don't start dropping dead on me. Thanks for the help.

Here's a thread you might like to read...she is currently processing some of her CX at 9 wks with finishing wts of 4-5 lbs. Plenty of pics of their progress and they are being raised on free range and FF as well....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eaties-tractors-do-not-count/60#post_11939587

 

[kevinr1]

Here's a thread you might like to read...she is currently processing some of her CX at 9 wks with finishing wts of 4-5 lbs. Plenty of pics of their progress and they are being raised on free range and FF as well....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eaties-tractors-do-not-count/60#post_11939587

I read the post, great information. I would love to free range my cx, but I live in the city (1/10 acre lot) and am skirting the city code with the number I have as it is. Does anyone feed fodder to their cx as a substitute. I just started sprouting barley and plan to feed it to them. Thanks for the info.

 

[Beekissed]

Plenty of folks here feeding sprouts to their birds, not sure if many are doing it with meat birds.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Mine won't eat the wheat sprouts. They will still only just eat dandelions and regular grass.

 

[kevinr1]

Plenty of folks here feeding sprouts to their birds, not sure if many are doing it with meat birds.

Mine will eat it, just wondering if it is equivalent to what they get when free ranging.

 

[DaveMorey]

I read the post, great information. I would love to free range my cx, but I live in the city (1/10 acre lot) and am skirting the city code with the number I have as it is. Does anyone feed fodder to their cx as a substitute. I just started sprouting barley and plan to feed it to them. Thanks for the info.

I live in a residential neighborhood. I put my CX out on my back lawn for grass. Barring that, I bag all of my grass clippings and feed them to all of my chickens ( I have DP birds in the woodlot behind my house). The clippings don't last long at all. I even mow my neighbors lawn for free so I can get her grass clippings too.