Meat Bird Tips

[Keisha]

I'm getting cornish rock cross chicks to show at the county fair. I've raised them once before but that was a few years ago. The chicks that look the best, and gain the most are the ones that win. So what are the top things you should do so they are healthy and gain alot, and the things you shouldn't do?

Thanks for any advice

 

[buckeye chickens]

If you have no maximum weight rules feed a game bird or turkey starter for the first three weeks then go with a broiler feed that is made for show birds with 22 to 24% protein and 4 to 5% fat. Honor by Purina makes a good one. Leave the lights on all the time 24/7. Put the feed and water at the other ends of the pin to make them walk more. Also try to keep the feed/water up to make them stand more for better leg meat.
Good luck. If your countys like ours with over 100 pins of birds with everone getting them from the same place and same time its also alot of luck.


A very good read is http://gallus.tamu.edu/Extension publications/ps-5141.pdf

 

[Freebird]

Quote:
That sounds like the idea that inspired stock racing...everybody's got the same restrictions on their car (bird genetics), it's just comes down to how good you drive, how good your pit crew/engineering is, and how lucky you are.

 

[cassie]

I have never raised Cornish X, or any other chickens for that matter, for show. That said, if it were me, I would go ahead and limit the feed to twelve hours on and twelve off. Take the feed away about seven in the evening and give it back at seven in the morning. I would also put vitamins in the water like Murray McMurray's Broiler Booster. It helps with leg problems. So does limiting the feed starting at about a week to ten days of age. They might grow a little faster if they have feed in front of them 24/7, but that won't help you if they end up crippled or they keel over dead.

 

[buckeye chickens]

Leave the lights on. I know of someone who had ten and was feeding a 27.5% tuckey starter all the way till fair and the all ten lived with know leg problems. I have 15 that are two weeks old today and eating a 30% game bird feed, all 15 are looking great know leg problems.

 

[Huny]

Our fairs have always required purebreds for the fair, they are talking about letting meat birds in. For meat pens do they let you do crosses? I wouldn't worry so much about getting them huge, as much as getting them huge and there alive. More than 6-8 weeks on that high of protein and I think you will have heart attacks and the such. Don't start them too early I would think.

 

[Huny]

Also, the quail forum was talking about putting the birds in complete dark to make them gain wait. Is that a game bird thing? Sorry for stealing the thread!

 

[buckeye chickens]

Quote:
Our fair and most in Ohio show the Cornish X. We have know weight rules but, need one. some of the kids chickens at six weeks old are the size of ours at two weeks, without and feathers but, pinfeathers. Thats is downright abuse. Then they take there 1lb no feather bird and sell it for $100 to $125, the same price as the kids who feed there's get. Makes me so mad.

Never read the complete dark thing, may work?

 

[Keisha]

If your countys like ours with over 100 pins of birds with everone getting them from the same place and same time its also alot of luck.

Actually theres only a few pens of the meat birds. Last year I think there was 3 pens? Everyone has to order the chicks to get them at the same time from the same place. That way noone has a advantage over anyone else.

Thanks for all the tips so far​

 

[BirdBrain]

I was talking to the rep for Lone Star feed and he suggested for show that we feed the gamebird feed and the last couple of weeks add additional oil on their feed .