Finishing-how to get more fat on the carcass?

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

Quote:
Congestive heart failure is the condition, and as I'm sure you know, results in the body cavity filling with fluid.

To answer your question about putting on fat, the best thing to do is to gradually lower the protein level in their feed, not throw a bunch of carbs at them at the end. Doing this at the end will put on fat, but most of it will be around the gizzard area. Lowering the protein early on will result in putting fat within the muscle as well. Big industry lowers the protein at several different stages. If you have ever grilled a store bought chicken over charcoal, you'll notice once the meat heats up, the fat starts to come out causing fire on the charcoal. I just grilled several of ours, and had no flare-ups at all. Difference, I use a 23% protein all the way thru, so my birds are lacking the intermuscle fat.

Hmmmm....I wonder why my hens had so much fat (I personally don't like fat) on them, they received 22% protein from start to finish.

 

[becky3086]

The two that I just butchered today were very fat but then they were well past the 8 week mark. I would rather not have had so much fat on them as well.

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
Congestive heart failure is the condition, and as I'm sure you know, results in the body cavity filling with fluid.

To answer your question about putting on fat, the best thing to do is to gradually lower the protein level in their feed, not throw a bunch of carbs at them at the end. Doing this at the end will put on fat, but most of it will be around the gizzard area. Lowering the protein early on will result in putting fat within the muscle as well. Big industry lowers the protein at several different stages. If you have ever grilled a store bought chicken over charcoal, you'll notice once the meat heats up, the fat starts to come out causing fire on the charcoal. I just grilled several of ours, and had no flare-ups at all. Difference, I use a 23% protein all the way thru, so my birds are lacking the intermuscle fat.

Great information. So, flip is CHF with hepatic portal hypertension and ascites.
I've added a bit of laying ration to their feed to bring down the protein for the next ten days. Interesting to see how that works.
Are chickens that succumb to leg problems typically thinner, even if butchered as soon as they can't walk? I'm also wondering if that could be part of the extreme leanness.

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

Quote:
Congestive heart failure is the condition, and as I'm sure you know, results in the body cavity filling with fluid.

To answer your question about putting on fat, the best thing to do is to gradually lower the protein level in their feed, not throw a bunch of carbs at them at the end. Doing this at the end will put on fat, but most of it will be around the gizzard area. Lowering the protein early on will result in putting fat within the muscle as well. Big industry lowers the protein at several different stages. If you have ever grilled a store bought chicken over charcoal, you'll notice once the meat heats up, the fat starts to come out causing fire on the charcoal. I just grilled several of ours, and had no flare-ups at all. Difference, I use a 23% protein all the way thru, so my birds are lacking the intermuscle fat.

Great information. So, flip is CHF with hepatic portal hypertension and ascites.
I've added a bit of laying ration to their feed to bring down the protein for the next ten days. Interesting to see how that works.
Are chickens that succumb to leg problems typically thinner, even if butchered as soon as they can't walk? I'm also wondering if that could be part of the extreme leanness.

The one that I had to butcher early because of leg issues was actually one of my smallest birds.

 

[homesteadapps]

Let the hatcheries know when you get chicken with excessive problems. If a lot of your flock is experiencing leg problems a good hatchery would want to know same for the flip. Most of the hatcheries purchase their Cornish Cross eggs and hatch them and the feedback we consumers give them let them pass it on tho their egg sources.

 

[Saltysteele]

we feed ground corn with protein and enzymes added, and you are correct about the coloring of the fat. it is very yellow, as yellow as the shanks on the FR's

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
I had two out of seventeen. Is this a lot?

 

[homesteadapps]

I don't know if it is or not. You will have to decide that for yourself.

It is 11.76% or 12 of 100 birds.

You could always ask them if this is normal, or if any other people have had this problem, or even if they have advice to see what they say.

Communication is always good.

When we do buy chicks from hatcheries we use a small local hatchery and do business face to face. I know, not everyone can do this but it does help to develop a relationship with the people you are doing business with, even over the phone.

We've even called to let them know how pleased we were before.

 

[pinkwindsong]

I want to add weight on my birds too. i was told to add corn.. but with the high heat i dont want to bring their body temp up do high as eith corn>>> anything else their on th e finisher feed. it has some corn in it..

Im glad I read about flip.... I learn everyday.. I love it here..

)O(
Pink

 

[Saltysteele]

i'm not sure if i buy into that line of thinking. we've had CX's in the past and fed them the same thing (ground corn mixed with enzymes and soybean meal protein) we've always fed every chicken or turkey or duck we've had, and have never had any issues.

my experience tells me you shouldn't have any issues with feeding corn, but we're in michigan and only get up to mid 90's max (usually) in the summer when we're raising them.

someone else may have a different experience, i speak only for what we've done.