Finisher?? What is this, is it recommended?

[DottieMarie]

Our meat birds only have a few days left so it's probably too late to change their feed. But I've recently read something about a finisher food, what is this, how do you purchase it and is it recommended?

 

[belibutn]

Finisher is a lower protein percentage feed. It allows the meat birds to 'fatten up' without having to live for an extended length of time with the extra fat weight. You can find stuff at the Tractor Supply Company (if you have one near you) made by Dumor that is a 15% grower/finisher.

 

[greyfields]

In most of the country, you'll only have access to a starter/finisher. This means you feed the birds the exact same food from day #1 until their last day. This avoids any studders/hiccups while adjusting ot new feeds.

In areas where they raise a ton of chickens, you will often see a starter, grower and finisher as separate feeds. But, I think it's rather uncommon judging from posts on this forum.

 

[pdpatch]

The term Finisher comes from Commercial Poultry operations, it is designed to put weight on birds quickly in the last couple of weeks before processing. You can;t always find it in Farms stores where most of use get our feed from. But it is usually a custom mix that some feed store have bagged or can make if they have there own feed mill. The commercial growers in our area usually make there own. It's usually used in the last couple of weeks before processing.

But I have been told that if you mix a 22 % or so wild game bird feed with cracked corn at 50% for each by volume, some times about 5 to 15% sweet feed is added but not always, is the same thing. But for most people with small flocks just using what every you used as a grower ration will work.

Sweet feed is a general purpose bagged animal feed with molasses mixed in to coat the feed.


As small flock owners we are not always trying to duplicate what is done in a commercial operations. So using a special finisher is not always the best way to go or even practical for most people. My wife switched our last batch to a finisher and I noticed they did have some extra fat on them. But they were red sex link males which is rather slim bird to begin, and I haven't butchered them before, so I can't say for sure how well it works for small flocks. Some of our other heavey breed broilers do appear to be a bit larger then what I remember them to be but I didn't weight or measure them.

Tom

 

[DottieMarie]

This is all great information and will help me make decisions. The feed store I use told me I didn't need to swithch feeds but in a book I'm reading it mentioned using a finisher. I started to second guess the guy at the feed store but you help me renew my faith, lol.
I only have 9 birds and if we do it again will probably stick to just a few at a time. I'll stick with the food but may offer some treats using the mixture Tom mentioned in small amounts.
Thanks again for all your help!!