Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[LindaB220]

My babies are here!!!!!

19 out of 20 survived. I peanut was flat. 6 Golden Comets, 5 each of White Rocks, and Delawares and 2 roos ea Tired but happy. Vigorous and loud.

 

[Beekissed]

My babies are here!!!!!

19 out of 20 survived. I peanut was flat. 6 Golden Comets, 5 each of White Rocks, and Delawares and 2 roos ea Tired but happy. Vigorous and loud.

Oh, Linda! Now the fun begins!!!

Of course...pics are mandatory, as is the report on how they like the FF. These little meat chicks of mine took to it like hogs to slop and haven't looked back.

 

[Beekissed]

Just checked on the meat chicks and noted one is just standing around, sleepy eyed. It's the smallest and it doesn't have a full crop like the others and shows no interest in food or water. I'd say it will be dead by morning. I've seen that look before and, for whatever reason, this is a chick that was born to die. That's a shame as I was hoping to raise an even 10 CX this spring....I'll see if the TSC will replace it or will allow me to buy just one to replace it. If they have any at all...they barely even order the CX each week.

The rest of the chicks are active, bright eyed and eating and drinking well...nice, big chicks. Not like last year's CX from out west, which were pretty small upon delivery and didn't get as big as my previous bunch, though active and healthy birds all the same.

 

[LindaB220]

Just checked on the meat chicks and noted one is just standing around, sleepy eyed. It's the smallest and it doesn't have a full crop like the others and shows no interest in food or water. I'd say it will be dead by morning. I've seen that look before and, for whatever reason, this is a chick that was born to die. That's a shame as I was hoping to raise an even 10 CX this spring....I'll see if the TSC will replace it or will allow me to buy just one to replace it. If they have any at all...they barely even order the CX each week.

The rest of the chicks are active, bright eyed and eating and drinking well...nice, big chicks. Not like last year's CX from out west, which were pretty small upon delivery and didn't get as big as my previous bunch, though active and healthy birds all the same.

I'm so new to this. Maybe it will work.

https://plus.google.com/118137702100189482681/posts/7hMGrbRB2QU


Yea!! It worked. AJ did it for me. I'll do pictures too. Wretched light. Sorry

 

[Beekissed]

I'm so new to this. Maybe it will work.

https://plus.google.com/118137702100189482681/posts/7hMGrbRB2QU


Yea!! It worked. AJ did it for me. I'll do pictures too. Wretched light. Sorry

Oh, yeah...in a brooder that small, you'll only need the one heat lamp...but I'd advise you make that brooder much bigger if you can. They need more room to move and a way to get away from the heat, so you can keep one end warm and light and the other end not so bright and cooler. They will do better with that kind of setup.

 

[tniron]

I have Cornish X that are 6 or 7 days old. Ive had them on ff for 5 days around the clock. When should i switch them to 12 hours on and 12 off?

 

[Beekissed]

I have Cornish X that are 6 or 7 days old. Ive had them on ff for 5 days around the clock. When should i switch them to 12 hours on and 12 off?

Not sure about that...I don't feed mine that way so have no experience with that method. Maybe someone else here can give some insight to that?

 

[LindaB220]

Oh, yeah...in a brooder that small, you'll only need the one heat lamp...but I'd advise you make that brooder much bigger if you can. They need more room to move and a way to get away from the heat, so you can keep one end warm and light and the other end not so bright and cooler. They will do better with that kind of setup.

I do have the top that I planned on attaching a little later. They would have to jump up 4" (or I could fashion a ramp) It will extend to 80". I could put the big waterer in that side. Hmmmm Thinking of ways. Thanks so much for you invaluable help. I discovered you the first day with FF 6 mo ago. NO one has given me more help.

 

[WalkingWolf1]

I have Cornish X that are 6 or 7 days old. Ive had them on ff for 5 days around the clock. When should i switch them to 12 hours on and 12 off?

With CX it don't really matter. If they are awake they will want to eat. The 12 hr on 12 off concept is more about trying to drive them out to forage because they are starving. If you don't have a way for them to get outside (like in the grass with area to get around and dig for bugs and such) then 12 hrs without feed will only drive them crazy -- and may get them to start pecking each other (a protein source). At this age I would presume you are thinking about limiting daily protein intake (possibly) to try to avoid some of the structural challenges these birds will encounter when they get bigger? Then no feed through the night (~8 hrs or so) and they will come out of this starving then go to periodic feedings such as 4-6 hours (don't ask how much as you will have to decide that -- there are several threads where folks have tried differing weighed amounts that you can read up on) intervals and then they just kind of stand around and wait. If, like most folks, you have an away-from-home job then trying to limit protein intake is going to be a bit challenging. You could try putting vegetable sources of fodder that they would have access to during their periods without the feed (remember to run it through a mini-chopper or something similar for them at this age). Best of luck.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I fed 24/7 the first three weeks with natural light then put them on 20 minutes of food twice a day. They got worms, grasses, leaves,etc from day 1, but also grit. Healthiest birds I have ever seen!