Just purchased broilers what to do?

[Gersbud]

I have laying chickens right now. My other half just bought Hubbard White Mountain Broiler. Wondering if they are a good breed, what should I be feeding them when they arrive. Do I treat them the same as my other chicks or do they need special starter? Will they just sit there and eat themselves to death? I know they grow fast but just how fast will they grow?
Can anyone help with these many questions about broiler chicks.
Thanks

 

[justusnak]

I have never raised that particular breed, I raise Cornish Cross. I guess same bird, sorta. This is what I do.

FIRST: DO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM!

That tough! Mine do get attention, but I dont hold them, like I do the others. I will sit and talk to them for a few minutes several times a day, so they dont " scare to death" when I go in to feed and clean.

Do not put them in with your laying hens. They are pooping machines!!As soon as mine get a little older, they will get outside time, and grassy yard. They deserve it...considering thier short life cycle.

I free feed mine starter crumbles for the first 4 weeks. By then they are getting pretty well feathered out. Then I free feed them Grower/finisher for 2 weeks. By then they are 6 weeks old, and close to processing time. The last 2 weeks...I feed them 3 x's a day. WATER WATER WATER. THey will really go through the water.

The night before processing, I remove ALL FEED. Its better to have an empty crop for processing.
Have fun with them....and enjoy!

 

[willheveland]

very good advise.That should do. Will

 

[BirdBrain]

Gersbud,
You should consider feeding them a higher protein feed than chick starter...try game bird or turkey feed. You can also try Purina Flockraiser. The broilers I did this year preferred the pellets rather than the crumbles. I think it was because they could eat them faster.

 

[UncleHoot]

I raised that breed in my first batch last year. I started them on a 20% chick starter, then started switching them to 20% grower feed (mixed it up) between 2 and 3 weeks. By about 3 weeks, the broiler feed alone should be fine.

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
If your night temperatures don't fall under 40 degrees, you can get them outside in 21 days. I would provide a heat lamp, though.

They poop a lot because they eat food at a rate 3x that of a hen would do. They will also grow many times as quickly as your hens, so by 3 weeks they can crush your laying breed hens to death. So it's a good idea to separate by two weeks.

Also, the broilers must have a broiler ration not chick starter. Meat bird feed is a starter/finisher. They get the same food from day #1 through the end.

Quote:
Good advice!

Other things: Cornish crosses do not deal well with heat fluctuations. If it's hot then suddenly windy and rainy, they can drop dead. It's best to ensure they are in a tractor with protection from wind.

Some may drop dead, just because they grow too quickly. You may not do anything wrong and lose 1/3 of them.

Finally, take advantage of the fact that they create ample manure. Get them over where you plan to grow potatoes or corn this year.

 

[Gersbud]

Thanks a bunch for all the advice on the broiler chickens.
I have already told myself not to get attached to these chickens. Hopefully I won't. But then I do not plan on processing them myself. I have a person who will do this for me at a $1.50 per bird. This is goin the make the process a whole lot easier for me to deal with. Just take over live chickens and come home with frozen chickens in a bag..

 

[wynedot55]

feed them gamebird starter.an keep them seperate from your pullet girls.because they are pooping machines.

 

[greyfields]

I don't advise gamebird starter. Although, if you have no choice between pullet ration/developer or layer ration, I would say to use gamebird starter. I would stretch it with some cracked corn, though. About 4:1.

 

[mmajw]

When old enough you will want to go with something like Grower Cal Pellets. We like those for oiur broilers. Chick starter is great to start with