Just ordered my first batch of meaties! Any suggestions?

[CHIC]

I know I am supposed to do the timed feeding, other than that, any suggestions? Also, when is it safe to put them outside? I can't have full grown birds in the brooder.

 

[CHIC]

Ok, so since they grow super fast, does that mean they feather out super fast too?

 

[Brunty_Farms]

They will be bald at about 3 weeks and they look weird but by the fourth week they have enough of a "blanket" to keep them warm.

 

[CHIC]

So my "little" meaties are one week old now. I got a bunch extra to sell and I haven't sold one single one! In the mean time, they are eating me out of house and home, literally. I don't know what I am going to do if I don't sell some of them soon, I definately can't afford to feed them until processing time! They are PIGS! I would have never guessed how much they eat and drink, even with the warnings!

 

[the simple life]

How old are they?

 

[CHIC]

They hatched Oct 28 so they are about a week old, a little more than a week.

 

[the simple life]

Are they really eating that much? Mine are two batches of one and two week olds and I have 68 chicks and I just bought my second 50 lb bag of food today.
They do eat all the time but they are so little it doesn't make much of a dent in the bag for a while.
Its been said on here that one 50 lb bag should last 4 chicks until the time they are processed at 8 weeks.
I just found a grain mill not too far from me and I can get 1000 lbs of feed in 50 lb bags for $191.00 which is $100.00 cheaper than buying the bags individually at the feed store.
They also let you mix and match your order so that if you want to do half layer pellets and half broiler or whatever other combination you want you still get the discount.
I am getting the feed this weekend and will get all my food this way from now on.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Yeah, you'll go broke in a hurry buying it in individual bags- plus you'll literally be buying a bag of feed almost every day for that many birds! The $191 is actually higher than we pay around here.

 

[the simple life]

Yeah, I noticed that feed around here cost more than alot of other areas.
Individual bags of layer feed run around $14.00, starter is almost $16.00.
I have seen members here post that they pay half that and it amazes me, I let the layers free range all day so it helps somewhat in their feed cost.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Yeah, mine works out to about half that. It also helps to buy higher quantities. For 75 birds, they'll eat almost 1500 pounds of food. I've been getting by with 500 pounds for each 25 birds. If you buy that all together, you save a bunch of money.