meat chicks

[jaku]

My three week olds have the same thing- gross looking, aren't they?

 

[Gersbud]

I too have 25 of the little pooping machines. They are just now 2 weeks old and they are ugly little things. Hope they taste a whole lot better then they look.

 

[HobbyChickener]

You have to keep them cleaned up. The "wet" bedding that they lay in will take those feathers right off. (I am fighting the same issue with 18 day olds). This is why I can't wait for them to get to the tractor!!!Freezer!!!!Grill!!!Fryer!!!

 

[AussieSharon]

Quote:
OK OK I'll get 100 BUT only if I can keep them at your place~!

 

[bluebirdfarm]

well , mine are not really chickens , they are PIGGYS.
they are 103 piggys and i sure hope they taste like chicken!!!
i should have only gotten 50 , o well hind site .
at least they will only be here for a short time and then , the BBQ will be hot and ready.
ha ha

 

[deweb52]

I have 49 white mountain broilers that have feathers on wings but every place else is half bald.
I thought I might have been doing something wrong. They are now 3 weeks old and are most definitely big pigs. When we first got them, we put them in a kids pool w/ bedding. It wasn't too bad keeping it clean but when they started to get bigger, we had to put half in another pool. As they grew, it got harder to keep everything clean. They are finally big enough for the coop. I give them extra vitamins in their water. They are not a pretty chicken but since they are going in the freezer in a few more weeks...who cares

 

[LoneCowboy]

I have 49 cornish X They are doing well exect for cocci twice. Do any of you get them vaccinated for cocci?

They are 4 weeks old I think, Gee better figure that out. I can't do 100, they would be eating 6 bags of feed a week by the time they are done. I'm thinking 3 is pretty bad. They are pretty gross, all the easier to eat them.

 

[greyfields]

The cocci vacine is a great question. Since organic farmers can vaccinate, but not medicate, a coccidiossis vaccine was rushed to market to try and meet demand. According to the poultry expert at WSU Extension, the testing results were not stellar... but it showed a trend of protection over control groups. But, it's not a vaccine in teh sense you get 100% protection.

So, if you want wholesome food without antibiotics, the vaccine is an option. If you don't care what goes into your food, then use medicated feeds or amporilum in their water. It will provide better protection.

I think the vaccine may be a happy medium. Currently, producers like myself have no choice but to let sick chickens die. It's always a bad feeling. Using a vaccine would at least make me feel like I'm doing something more than nothing... but the price is currently very expensive. I thought it would add over a $1 per bird to my costs, so I coudln't stomach it either.

In the long run, the only true solution to coccidiossis is to breed your own animals/livestock from your animals which show a natural immunity. Using vaccines and medications is not suistainable... although, I would always vaccinate to prevent pain and suffering.

 

[deweb52]

I have no idea if mine have been vaccinated. Got them from local farm store via townline poultry. Once these are done..we're getting another 50 but this time I'm going thru MMM. We'll get the Cornish X's. Mine are going through 50lbs of feed a week. I drive 40 miles & get feed from Amish. What I pay for 100lbs from them is what I would pay for 50 lbs from feed store. It's much cheaper & worth the drive.

 

[bluebirdfarm]

i had mine vaccinated for cocci and mareks disease, it was .!7 cents per bird for each one so it was not too expensive.
We moved the piggys today into an 8 X 8 brooder and hopefully that will hold them for a while . i know one thing the browns ( 29 brown eggers from MMM) that were sharing the room with them are SURE happy to have it to themselves , they were a lot friendlier when i moved them , only had a few minutes to play with them before i had to come to work , hope they are ok , i onlyb have to work two hours so i will check on them soon..........
so far i have a few named , of course the NN are Paris and Nicole , and i think they are red sex links, aphrodite , delphinius and venus (still have to name two ),corella (?)
Queen Anne and Elizabeth , my special order silver wyandottes, and riddler ( ? she is the free exotic , i think)
i have 5 barred rocks , unnamed and 3 white rocks unnamed ,and 8 not sure what they are? I will try to get piccys , maybe this week end . they are twoo weeks old on Monday 19 of may.