MEAT BIRD'S " TELL US HOW YOU DO IT"

[erinszoo]

Day 4

25 cornish x, cornish mix

2.65 oz average
2 oz smallest
3 1/2 oz largest

Being fed 1 lb dry weight fermented feed - grain and chick starter mix
Food available all the time
Brooder light on all the time

All of them have at least doubled their weight and some have tripled their weight in four days. Using way less feed than the last time we did cornish x when we used just regular dry feed. So far they aren't making a mess with their feed at all and their poop is almost negligible. We cleaned up under their brooder light one time so far. Using sweet pdz to help with moisture and odor ... of which there is none so far.

 

[bruceh]

week 4 cornish x

the 32 birds are doing well. growing out evenly. all birds are feathering in nicely. feathers have a shine and very bright. the birds are 95% feathered .the only part of the that is not totally feathered is the head. they all appear plump and full. bare spots from growing have evened out they are still jumping and flying around. pecking order is being established. who gets to eat first etc. i moved the feeding to a 4 ft gutter. the poop is firm they are drinking more 1 to 1 1/4 gallons.
the brooder did have some smell but faint. added more pine shavings.

can not get them outside thunderstorms. maybe tomorrow.



food intake had to be increased due to their demand.

here is the totals to date :

cost of chicks - $ 48.00

starter feed - $ 5.00

50lb bag of mash - $ 18 .70 ( 50lb + 35lb = 85 @ $0.22 per lb)

total cost for feed and chicks - $ 71.70 / 32 = $2.24 per bird

feed cost to date 28 days - $ $ 23.70 /32 = $ 0.74 per bird

cost per day in feed per chick - $ 23.70 / 32 = .$0.74 / 28 =.0.0264 i count it as $0.03

misc cost:
pine shaving bedding @ $ 6.00 x 2 .25 = $ 13.50

apple cider vinegar @ $ 7.00 x 1 = $ 7.00

total cost = $ 20.50


total investment to date
chicks $ 48.00
feed $ 23.70
misc $ 20.50

total $ 92.20 / 32 = $ 2.88 per bird

 

[Beekissed]

Bruce, I forgot to ask or missed it if you mentioned it...are you free ranging these meaties?

 

[bruceh]

bee i will be. i have to get them outside. just did not want to put them out in the rain. should be by friday. i feel bad. they need to run jump and play out in the sun. at 4 weeks they should have been out last week.

 

[Beekissed]

Aw, look...an avatar of Bruce!

Great pic, Bruce!

 

[erinszoo]

Cornish x / Cornish - 24 (lost 2 to cat)

Day 8
113 oz total weight
4.7 oz average
6 1/4 oz largest
3 oz smallest

Weight gain 418% from day of arrival.

Feeding mixed chick starter/ grain fermented feed. Started with 1 lb a day fermented (about 10 oz dry) now up to 3 lbs fermented (about 2 lbs dry).
Feed costs:
chick starter 25 lbs - $8.29
grain 50 lbs - $12.00
ACV - $3.89
Straw bedding - $6.00
Chicks - $51.00

Total cost so far - $81.00 / 24 = $3.38 per bird ... however, we won't use all of the ACV and probably not all of the bedding straw either

We've changed out bedding once so far today. Almost no smell to them although their bellies are still starting to get naked from their growth and it looks wet because they climb in their food. They went out on grass today for the first time. We very active. Chased and caught bugs, scratched in the dirt, and jumped around spreading their wings which are almost feathered.

 

[bruceh]

Cornish x week 5

out of 32 Cornish x i have had zero lost. due to weather i got these birds out to the pen late. all 32 are in a outside pen. they will be on pasture this week. all birds are doing well and adjusting perfectly to all the weather conditions. feathers are all in. growth rate has been very good. being my scale broke i have to do this by eye. my guess is all birds are between 2- 3 1/2 lbs. i am using fermented feed and these birds are the slow growing strain from mt-di. i do not recommend keeping these birds in a brooder past 3 weeks. after 3 weeks the brooder became very damp from droppings and had a distinct odor .

food level stayed the same for this week 35 lbs used. my hope is to cut feed even farther once on pasture.

i had an interesting encounter with these chicks. 1 of my laying hens has adopted the cx chicks she first roosted on the fence for a couple nights to observe them. this morning she was in the pen. interesting enough she has showed these chicks how to act like chickens. they have learned from the hen how to scratch the dirt and go for shelter. in the pen i have 2 dog houses. before the hen adopted them i showed the chicks the dog houses by placing each one in the houses. not one learned from me. however when the hen showed the chicks the chicks followed. the chicks through observation only would scratch the ground a bit. tonight i observed the chicks actually foraging for bugs.

so here is this weeks statistics:

total to date:

cost of chicks - $ 48.00

starter food - $ 5.00 ( 5 lbs )

mash 16% - $ 26. 40 ( 120 lbs x $ 0 .22 per pound )

total cost for feed and chicks = $ 79.40 / 32 = $2.48 per bird

feed cost to date 35 days = $ 31.40 /32= $0.98 per bird

cost per day in feed = $31.40 / 35 = $ 00.089 i count as $0.09

amount of feed used to date = 125 lbs 125/32 = 3.9 lbs per bird

misc cost : ( variables )

pine shavings @ $6.00 x 3 = $18.00

apple cider vinegar = $10.89

total misc = $28.89

total investment to date:

chicks $48.00

feed $ 31.40

misc. $ 28.89


total $ 108.29 / 32 = $ 3. 38 per bird


if you don't add the misc cost the cost would be :

chicks $ 48.00

feed $ 31.40

total $ 79.40 / 32 = $2.48 per bird


my personal belief is that all the extras add up but not necessary. however i grow my birds slower and healthier. i have only had 1 death in 75 Cornish x. the death was caused by a drowning. i grow my birds to 13 weeks and achieve huge weights . my last batch weighed in at 8 to 11.4 lbs dressed.. the jury is still out in these birds. we will see.
i do know that my feed bill on fermented feed is about 40% less than with dry feed and i am feeding 7 more birds. i feel the birds are about 1.5 lb less than the last batch from mt-healthy for the same growth time. i account this to 1. being a different strain of cx 2. delaying them out on pasture by 2 weeks .3. different type of feeding. only time will tell the outcome.
according to mt-di weight schedule it appears my birds are a week behind in weight.

 

[Beekissed]

Where are the pics, man??

Wanna see pics of the chicks and the new "mother" together and such.

 

[bruceh]

bee it is raining hard outside. i will try tomorrow to get them. it is very sweet. the hen lets them eat first. she roosts on top of the dog house to watch the chicks. she is a special bird. she was the loner bird and hung out with herself. now she has found a purpose.

 

[Beekissed]

That's always good, isn't it? Everything should be able to fulfill its purpose in life.