Meat Bird Feeding Experiment

[Arielle]

Yesterday I bought my 15 cornish X chicks destined for the freezer. I am interested in a couple of goals. Better survivabiliyt, and cheaper growth, and healthier fats on the flesh. I may not be able to attain the last goal as I now understand the good fats are derived from a grass based diet rather than the standard commercail feed which is mostly corn and soy. Obtaining enough greens might be problematic; can I grow enough greens for the last 2 weeks during the fattening up period to make a difference. Not sure.

First goal is to create two feeding methods, dividing the chicks into 2 groups at age 2-3 weeks.



Day one--Integrated i nto current brooder of older chicks as baby sitters. 1 heat lamp for all, in a room that is abou 60 degrees and next to a window. Free choice chick starter, medicated. Brags ACV added to their waterers; using pop bottle type waterers. 2 waterers set up and three feed pans.

Day two ( today) -- chicks are looking good.

 

[travifive]

oooohhhhh! I love a good science experiment. Since you are separating into two groups, what will the difference be between the two groups? Are you going to pasture raise or free range and when will they be taken out of the brooder?

My $.02 hypothesis is this. I think you will achieve cheaper growth & healthier fats by better grass forage(ryes & legumes). I think the two goals work hand in hand. As for dropping the mortality rate, I was able to drop mine to approx 3% by switching to the deep litter method and a larger brooder than normal during the brooder weeks. Then watching carefully for leg issues I dropped from 24hr ration to 12on/12off at 3wks(a couple starting splaying their legs out) for only a week then back to 24hr. Mine are 5 weeks and 3 days and I haven't had a single leg problem(praying that holds true.)

I'm looking forward to see the results. Good luck! Can you post pics?

 

[Arielle]

oooohhhhh! I love a good science experiment. Since you are separating into two groups, what will the difference be between the two groups? Are you going to pasture raise or free range and when will they be taken out of the brooder?

My $.02 hypothesis is this. I think you will achieve cheaper growth & healthier fats by better grass forage(ryes & legumes). I think the two goals work hand in hand. As for dropping the mortality rate, I was able to drop mine to approx 3% by switching to the deep litter method and a larger brooder than normal during the brooder weeks. Then watching carefully for leg issues I dropped from 24hr ration to 12on/12off at 3wks(a couple starting splaying their legs out) for only a week then back to 24hr. Mine are 5 weeks and 3 days and I haven't had a single leg problem(praying that holds true.)

I'm looking forward to see the results. Good luck! Can you post pics?

THe goal is two groups-- therefore have enough chicks in each group to validate the findings.

Have not decided the feeding plan for each of the groups. Free ranging is out at this point. Grass is starting to grow, that is an option if I can cut with a scissor. I am looooking at the feeds available to me-- one is 22 % turkey feed, and another is 20% turkey feed. THen I might be able to get broiler raitions-- I need to ask at feed store.

I do not have alf or other legumes available. That is one of my goals this year to turn forestland into more grassland--big project to do by hand.

I bought my chicks via Meyers--what source did your chicks come from? And what % protein and manufacturer are you using to feeed?

ANd please, I want everyones 2 cents on this. I figure I have about 2 weeks to get them started and into a new area side by side. I can't do deep litter yet-- I'm still learning how to make this in a couple other pens. One pen is just warming up so I am hopeful !

 

[Arielle]

I wonder if I can plant peas now and feed the whole plant to the chickens in about 50 days?

 

[travifive]

I bought my chicks via Meyers--what source did your chicks come from? And what % protein and manufacturer are you using to feeed?

I got mine from Cackle this year and they have been the strongest looking batch so far. For the first 5 weeks I mixed my feed using a blend of gamebird 26% and starter grower 18%. I have both laying pullets and broilers so I give the layers starter/grower straight and broilers get a 50/50 blend of the two. At 5 weeks I just so happened to change feed stores and the new one couldn't get me those unmedicated without a special order so I switched to mix of crimped oats, corn, milo, and wheat and I supplement with "calf-manna". It's a 25% non-medicated ration that looks like it will allow me to save money as the calf-manna ration for poultry is 1 teaspoon per bird per day. I'm still playing with the amounts right now to see what gives me the right amount of growth without leg problems. All the feed I use is non-medicated and made by Prime Quality except for Calf-Manna, it's made by Manna Pro.

Also, I think your idea about growing peas is right on. I would love to overseed with rye to complement the abundance of sweet white clover in the chicken pasture but it's not in the budget right now.

 

[Arielle]

I have been looking on line and found a number of suppliers that sell 1, 5, 10 pounds of rye. But maybe you are talking about needing to seed large tracks of 5-10 acres, then , yes, you need about 100# of seed.

DH is working on clearing the land this spring. A quick method to kill the trees is to double girdle the trunks, then clear in the winter. Getting light to the floor is the most challenging with a full canopy. Ferns grow very well here! lol Maybe chickens can eat those?? We humans eat them in the spring as fiddle heads . . . .

I'll remember cackle-- I want to learn to deal with 25 birds at a time. Do you butcher your own? I have learned how and have been practising on both chicken and turkeys. Figure once they are at 8 weeks I can butcher over 3 separate days. WOuld like to see if I can get a few up to 10-12 weeks to see how big they get and still be healthy. A challenge . . .

 

[travifive]

Ferns grow very well here! lol Maybe chickens can eat those??  We humans eat them in the spring as fiddle heads . . . . 

I've never heard of people eating ferns. What do they taste like?

I do process my own chickens. I am currently working on accumulating the parts to build a whizbang chicken plucker to make things more efficient. Even though we've raised meat birds for the past 5 years this is the first time I've ever raised them to sell. The goal is to raise 6 batches of 50 from now till November.

How much more work is cleaning a turkey? I wouldn't mind trying my hand at those later on.

 

[Arielle]

FYI-- know the laws about processing to sell. You can get around the laws to a certain extent if the buyers help on processing day is my understanding. I would check this out more thoroughly though and not take my word for it.

I"ve done a couple turkeys. A larger pot would be helpful. I can only get in one section at a time where as the whole chicken can be scalded at once. So takes much longer to pluck a turkey. Easier to get my very large hands inside to clean it, that is for sure. I do need better tools for both chicken and turkeys. Right now I only use a scalpel

6 batches of 50 is well worth the whiz bang!! I can pluck a chicken in 15 minutes, with a little more time for the details. THen dress it. I usually do 3 at a time as my hot water is too cool after that. I would like to have two pot of scalding water to work with; while one is on the fire, the other is helping out. THen switch pots. Alas, I have only one large canning kettle to handle chickens and turkeys. THe turkeys are heratage. If I raised BBW, they would go to the butcher as I grow them to 35# dressed for the toms.

day3-- no casualties. Everyone eating like pigs on 18 chick starter medicated dry.

 

[Arielle]

About the ACV in the water. I wonder if these broilers drink more water to go with the higher feed consumption? THat would increase the amt of good bacteria in the gut.

 

[travifive]

I have watering nipples in my brooder where the heritage birds are and my pasture pen with the CCs and by 4 weeks they are abt double the water consumption. At 5 weeks my 50 CCs were at close to 8gal per day.