I wish I had known!!

[Gerty0630]

Looking for “I wish I had known” advice for a first time meat chicken raiser.

i have a regular layer flock, so I am not looking for newbie chicken advice.

I will feed them 20-24% medicated starter feed.. available 24 hours a day. Heat lamps (since it’s still cool where we live).Supplemental light to allow them more time for feed. They’ll have a large area to free range during the day.

ive read that the birds can grow so quickly their legs don’t have the strength to hold them potentially. I want happy healthy birds.. I don’t need them to be as big as possible, as quick as possible. We have Cornish and rangers coming and while I’ve read then can be processed at 8 weeks I don’t mind processing at 12 if it means they’ll actually be able to walk.

thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[Hidrainja4]

New recommendation is twelve hours on feed and twelve hours off feed to control growth/ overgrowth. Vitamin packet sold with chicks to strengthen legs. you could get a timer for the lights. Good Luck

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

I've raised meat birds before, mine had unlimited food and were the biggest and grand champions at the fair.

 

[RoosterML]

I do not supplement light. Feed and water free choice. They poop a lot so be prepared for the mess. I love the chicken tractor for daily moves onto fresh grass. Clean area makes for clean birds come processing time.

 

[Folly's place]

The Freedom Ranger types are going to do better than the Cornishx birds, especially if you want them huge and living to twelve weeks.
Last year we raised a few Cornishx birds, and limited feeding to about 12 hours each day, and they survived to nine weeks' processing with no real issues. I wouldn't try for twelve weeks with them!
Mary

 

[Gerty0630]

New recommendation is twelve hours on feed and twelve hours off feed to control growth/ overgrowth. Vitamin packet sold with chicks to strengthen legs. you could get a timer for the lights. Good Luck

Oh good, thank you!

 

[Gerty0630]

Yes we were going to do the chicken tractors so perhaps I won’t supplement light either. Thank you!!

I do not supplement light. Feed and water free choice. They poop a lot so be prepared for the mess. I love the chicken tractor for daily moves onto fresh grass. Clean area makes for clean birds come processing time.

 

[Gerty0630]

The Freedom Ranger types are going to do better than the Cornishx birds, especially if you want them huge and living to twelve weeks.
Last year we raised a few Cornishx birds, and limited feeding to about 12 hours each day, and they survived to nine weeks' processing with no real issues. I wouldn't try for twelve weeks with them!
Mary

I don’t necessarily want to do 12 weeks so much as I was thinking a little slower healthier weight gain. Thank you!

 

[Morrigan]

I've raised both.

My system for raising CX is this: For the first two weeks, I do not limit food at all. Starting at week 2, I start limiting food, until I get to a point around week 4, where I am only feeding them twice a day -- all they all they can eat for 20 minutes, each morning and evening. In between, they get to roam about a large yard, and I usually dump a little extra extra low calorie food like produce and weeds in there, to encourage movement and foraging.

I butcher in stages, starting at week 8 or 9 and ending at 13 weeks. I start by taking out the largest and any that look like they are walking a little slower then the others. I've never had one drop dead on me, and no broken legs either. I'm sure I could have let some of them go even longer than 13 weeks if I had wanted. They key is limited food and plenty of exercise.

The Rangers are easy. They really won't over eat like the CX and you don't have to do anything special with them food wise.

 

[Morrigan]

I should add, that by 12 and 13 weeks, we had some CX dressing at at over 10 lbs.