Meatie Experiment: FF 'vs' Crumbles

[jrsckn]

Thanks, it has been difficult, especially as a first time chicken owner lol. Processing date is 8/4 or 5 depending on if DH has to work so results should follow shortly. I've got all the data recorded in my notebook but I've stopped analyzing and posting it since week 6 because I'm trying to stay impartial. I found myself rooting for the FFGC too much so I even changed up the amount of feed fermented in the buckets; grain chicks have 3lb buckets and SFFC have 2lb buckets. I would've had to decrease the crumble amount anyway because it was expanding a lot more with the excessive heat.

Good luck with your chicks!

 

[binders]

Thanks for keeping us updated. Let us know how the final weights go. It must have been really hard for you losing some of them after all your hard work and number crunching. Just know that many are following what you are doing and are thankful for your data!

 

[daleeper]

Looking forward to see the final results. Trying to decide whether to start ff for our chicks, on their second week now on dry crumbles, but I don't want to slow their growth down much, want to get them finished around halloween.

 

[pigeonguy]

Just curious what happened.

 

[bruceh]

i want to know also

 

[off-grid hen]

Me three. Was there a taste difference?

 

[jrsckn]

Sorry for the lack of updates, school started and I've had trouble making time to post all of the results. Ironically, I've spent part of the past 6 weeks doing a broiler feed project at the poultry farm at Michigan State lol. I am working on the results now, hopefully I'll have them all posted by this wekend.

There was a difference in taste and moisture. The ff birds were more moist and had a better flavor or should I say they had flavor vs bland meat of the crumble fed chicks.

I also fed my layers ff and their eggs are hands down way better than any other egg I've ever tasted and have such a rich orange color and texture; yum!

 

[binders]

Sorry for the lack of updates, school started and I've had trouble making time to post all of the results. Ironically, I've spent part of the past 6 weeks doing a broiler feed project at the poultry farm at Michigan State lol. I am working on the results now, hopefully I'll have them all posted by this wekend.

There was a difference in taste and moisture. The ff birds were more moist and had a better flavor or should I say they had flavor vs bland meat of the crumble fed chicks.

I also fed my layers ff and their eggs are hands down way better than any other egg I've ever tasted and have such a rich orange color and texture; yum!

Have you notice that the size of the yokes are larger. Someone on another FF thread said they had noticed this and was wondering if you found this to be true?

 

[jrsckn]

Have you notice that the size of the yokes are larger. Someone on another FF thread said they had noticed this and was wondering if you found this to be true?

Honestly, I can't say, these are my first layers and they've only had ff since thy were 12 weeks old. But, they are as large as a supermarket sized large yolk even though they are only medium sized eggs; so in that respect, yes. I also average 12 eggs/day out of 14 pullets even as the weather is changing.

 

[jrsckn]

WEEK 6 RESULTS Wednesday 7/11/12 Day 43
Crumble Chicks
Average Weight: 13.219lb / 3 chicks = 4.406 lb
Wk 6 gain: 4.406 lb wk 6 – 3.137 lb wk 5 = 1.269 lb gain wk 6
Lbs Consumed: 20 lb total – 15 lb wk 5 = 5 lb consumed wk 6
Lbs Consumed per Chick: 5 lb / 3 chicks = 1.667 lbs consumed per chick
Lbs Gained per lbs Consumed: 1.269 lb gain / 1.667 lb consumed = 0.761 lb gain/lb consumed
Overall Feed Consumed: 5.797 lb thru wk 5 + 1.667 lb wk 6 = 7.464 lb consumed/chick
Overall Gain per lb: 4.406 lb gain / 7.464 lb consumed = 0.590 lb gain/lb feed
Cost This Week: 1.667 lb * $0.34/lb = $0.567 / chick
Overall Cost: Thru wk 5 $1.904 + wk 6 $0.567 = $2.471
Overall Cost per lb Live-weight: $2.471 / 4.406 lb = $0.561 / lb live-weight

Straight Fermented Feed Chicks
Average Weight: 28.562 lb / 7 chicks = 4.080 lb
Wk 6 gain: 4.080 lb wk 6 – 2.550 lb wk 5 = 1.530 lb gain wk 6
Lbs Consumed: 38 lb total – 16 lb wk 5 = 22 lb consumed wk 6
Lbs Consumed per Chick: 22 lb / 7 chicks = 3.143 lbs consumed per chick
Lbs Gained per lbs Consumed: 1.530 lb gain / 3.143 lb consumed = 0.487 lb gain/lb consumed
Overall Feed Consumed: 5.153 lb thru wk 5 + 3.143 lb wk 6 = 8.296 lb consumed/chick
Overall Gain per lb: 4.080 lb gain / 8.296 lb consumed = 0.492 lb gain/lb feed
Cost This Week: 3.143 lb * $0.34/lb = $1.069 / chick
Overall Cost: Thru wk 5 $1.699 + wk 6 $1.069 = $2.768
Overall Cost per lb Live-weight: $2.768 / 4.080 lb = $0.678 / lb live-weight

Fermented Feed + Grain Chicks
Average Weight: 30.118 lb / 9 chicks = 3.346 lb
Wk 6 gain: 3.346 lb wk 6 – 2.427 lb wk 5 = 0.919 lb gain wk 6
Lbs Consumed: 41 lb total – 15 lb wk 5 = 26 lb consumed wk 6
Lbs Consumed per Chick: 26 lb / 9 chicks = 2.889 lbs consumed per chick
Lbs Gained per lbs Consumed: 0.919 lb gain / 2.889 lb consumed = 0.318 lb gain/lb consumed
Overall Feed Consumed: 5.042 lb thru wk 5 + 2.889 lb wk 6 = 7.931 lb consumed/chick
Overall Gain per lb: 3.346 lb gain / 7.931 lb consumed = 0.422 lb gain/lb feed
Cost This Week: 2.889 lb / 2 = 1.445 lb; (1.445 lb * $0.34/lb) + (1.445 lb * $0.20/lb) = $0.78 / chick
Overall Cost: Thru wk 5 $1.544 + wk 6 $0.78 = $2.324
Overall Cost per lb Live-weight: $2.324 / 3.346 lb = $0.695 / lb live-weight


CONCLUIONS: The CC have the bext feed conversion this week and overall cost per lb while the SFF chicks gained the most.