Hello, We are trying to raise meat birds for the 2nd year. We started with 26 last year and harvested 24. This year we started with 20 and are down to 8. We lost one during the first week of life. Then over the weekend of memorial day, something got into their outside pen and ate 9. We closed them back in the main house and ended that problem. None of that raised any red flags. Now, without any warning, we lost one on Friday and one last night. Any ideas? They are in the same closed in house as last year, with ventilation at the top. We live in Maine the temp gets down to about 50 at night. We do not have the light on anymore. They were born on May 4th. We fed them blueseal Chick Starter-AM for the 3 weeks. Now they are on Chick N Game bird starter/grower crumbles, non-medicated. Do you think that it is too cold? Do you think they are on the wrong food? We lost two in the last 2.5 days...and I am a bit nervous. We have 24 more babies that we just got last night, and I don't want to make the same mistakes twice. Thanks!
Hi there. I am sorry you're having problems with your meaties! I am not experienced enough to really help say what the problem could be, but I am certain your temps are fine. You birds are only 1 week younger than mine, hatched 4/27, and I am in NH, same night time temps as you... your birds are plenty old enough/feathered enough to withstand the temps, so that should be one less worry for you! Also, we are feeding the same feed as you, again, aside from something being wrong with the feed, and then I assume all your meat birds would be ill at once, I think your feed is just fine. Hopefully someone else will be able to help hun. Fingers crossed for you that your last 8 will be fine till processing! -Jessa
Hi Ladies - I'm hijacking the thread. I'm also from New England - NH to be exact! Anyway, I'm pretty sure the cool temps at night are not to blame. Did you change food recently? Outside of that I don't know enough about flock raising yet to have any more suggestions.
