Help me think this through please....

AUFan

In the Brooder
11 Years
Mar 21, 2008
32
0
32
This is cross posted(hope that was okay...didn't see where it wouldn't be...but I am new around here
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Sorry for all the feed questions...just want to make sure I know what I am doing before the little peeps get here next week!
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I am looking to raise as close to organic(can't be totally organic because I can't afford the feed
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), free ranging chickens as possible(for my area). I am getting 25 Delawares next week. The extra roos will be eaten(we got straight run). They were NOT vaxed for cocci.

Here is what I am thinking:
Purina Start and Grow medicated(I can't find nonmedicated around here and its too late to have it ordered and in in time for the peeps that will be here next week) and then switch to flockraiser(unmedicated--this will probably have to be ordered) around 8weeks and then adding in oyster shells when the gals start laying. I am thinking that the extra roos will have to be at least 12 weeks or older before being processed since they are a dual purpose breed(right?) so they will have been on the flockraiser for at least 4 weeks prior to processing. We also hope to hatch out a few babies if possible so they could start right with the flockraiser(if some of our hens are cooperative we would just leave them with the hen and they would have a chance to build natural immunity to the cocci thus not needing the medicated chick feed).

Any problems with this?? What am I missing?
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Im not sure of the processing age for the roos, but your plan sounds fine to me. FlockRaiser is a good, all purpose feed. And I'd also have to order it unmedicated because the Purina dealer here only carried medicated. But I have used it before in the medicated form.
 
That's exactly what we do. (Only we didn't get straight run.) We fed ours the same thing, and also got some Layena feed when the hens started laying. Our roo was 4 months old before we sent off to the butcher (
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we still haven't eaten him yet...)
I think you've got it pretty much all together. But if you want to hatch chicks from your own flock then you will have to keep 1 or 2 roos for the breeding.
Well, good luck!

PS - and welcome to the forum!
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Great thanks guys!!

Oh yes! I meant any extra after we decide who gets to stay for breeding!
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