how much do you feed your cornishX

[Wolfwoman]

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I haven't been measuring either, I have 18 right now that are 6 weeks old and I am carrying about 2 gallons (it's a 3 gallon bucket) of feed to them at 10am. When I go to remove their feed at 9pm at night there is usually still a little bit left. Guess I should figure out how much 50lbs translates per gallon?? lol

I also told hubby to buy three bags next time he went in. Ours are $17 for 50lbs. Now, within the next few days those meaties are getting OUT into the lawn! I was going to coop raise them, but it's just too dang much cleanup!

 

[Paul Ewing]

Twenty odd years ago when I was a kid showing broilers in the county fair we did something similar. We feed standard chick starter, but topped it once a day with powdered milk and Lone Star beer. Resulted in two grand champion pens, a reserve, and a third and fifth place over the years.

Cheers, Paul

 

[bnentrup]

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I am having trouble with the 'mash' recommendation; I cannot get them to partake and have tried different levels of moisture (all the way to runny). They just play in it! The older hens don't dig it either. What do you think is going on?

 

[SteveH]

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Did you have to sober them up for the show ?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I don't measure my feed either, but I keep food in front of them 24/7. Sometimes they'll run out before the next feeding time, but I never withhold food and they do fine. Mine also free range quite a bit.

 

[uhuh555]

Bnentrup,

What kind of starter are you using? If it is the traditional crumbles than 50/50 (volume) the water (milk) would be soaked up and form a ball when squeezed in your hand and also crumble apart with little effort. It should not be sloppy. Pigs like slop not chickens. When you get the mix right they will love it.

'Katie,

It’s the exercise from free ranging that makes them healthier. Even in tractors there isn't enough room for them to properly exercise. When confined they must have restricted feed or they will eat themselves to death form boredom. We call them "tractor potatoes" or "pennips" (as in turnip not potato). Nothing against tractors or pens, when you don't have the space or have big predator problems it is sometimes the only solution.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

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That's good to know. I was going to put them in a tractor this year because last year my layers kept eating the broiler feed (which was much more $$ than they layer feed). Oh yeah, and the pooped everwhere too.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

I fed mine during daylight hours only after 3 weeks of age (up until that age, they had feed 24 hours a day). When they came in at night it was to sleep. I kept there feed outside unless it was raining all day or pretty hard outside. Not sure of amounts. I did lay it out in two different areas -- right on the ground -- to encourage scratching (which it did). They free ranged, also. I fed them a game feed, which was 24% protein, until six weeks of age. Then I switched to an 18% locally mixed feed. I was very happy with the results! No health issues at all. And they were yummy! They were nine and ten weeks old when they were butchered.

 

[bnentrup]

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I am using the standard 20% starter crumbles/store mix. But I was in the thinking that it had to 'pour' into their bowl, not be playdough. Therefore, back to the brooder I go!

 

[bigredfeather]

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50/50 is what i do as well. They act like it is no different than just dry food.