Meaties not really huge

[Sami]

Hi
I switch to the grower at 3 weeks because I was running out of starter. I read to switch them at 4 weeks but didnt want to buy another starter bag since it was only one week difference. Mine are 8 weeks on Wednesday and are not at processing weight but that is fine with me as I would rather them go longer and not have any health issues. Knock on wood I haven't lost any yet. I did buy a bag of turkey finisher yesterday and mixed it with the chicken grower to bump up the protein... All seems good do far. Im going to go and weight some tonight. My largest ones toes are really crooked do I am really keeping an eye on her as she will ge the first to go and I don't want her in pain. I have read that they need to rest in the fridge for 3 days before cooking or freezing to prevent toughness. It's quite the learning experience but I am enjoying it.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Hi
I switch to the grower at 3 weeks because I was running out of starter. I read to switch them at 4 weeks but didnt want to buy another starter bag since it was only one week difference. Mine are 8 weeks on Wednesday and are not at processing weight but that is fine with me as I would rather them go longer and not have any health issues. Knock on wood I haven't lost any yet. I did buy a bag of turkey finisher yesterday and mixed it with the chicken grower to bump up the protein... All seems good do far. Im going to go and weight some tonight. My largest ones toes are really crooked do I am really keeping an eye on her as she will ge the first to go and I don't want her in pain. I have read that they need to rest in the fridge for 3 days before cooking or freezing to prevent toughness. It's quite the learning experience but I am enjoying it.

I would feed your turkey finisher straight. Your grower was probably 20% protein, and the turkey finisher is 22%. When you mix them, you get a 21% protein, which isn't much of a bump. If there is a feed mill around you, see if they have a poultry protein supplement. You can also check out their hog protein supplement, since at my mill the poultry and hog supplements are the exact same recipe, except the hog supplement is 50 cents cheaper a bag

. The supplement my mill makes is 35% protein. You can add some of that to the turkey finisher to get them to 23-24% protein, since you want them to bulk up. Also, you say you feed them greens--that's fine, but the greens have 0% protein, and every bite of greens they eat is a bite of high protein food they're not going to eat. Think of it this way--when you want to lose weight, you eat salad. Not saying it's wrong or right, but it may be a reason your birds aren't weighing the way you think they should.

 

[Sami]

Just checked my turkey finisher. It is 18%. Grower is 16%. Thanks for the info on the hog supplement. Good point about the grass. I have just been hand picking the clover from my yard and giving a bucket as a treat so they definitely are not filling up on that.

 

[phalenbeck]

My 2nd batch of Cornish X this year are just plain smaller that any before. I do 2 small batches per year for 4 years now, and have come to the conclusion that sometimes in the chicken hobby wierd stuff just happens. This group is about 2 weeks behind at 5 weeks. Today I would guess 10+ weeks till finish instead of 8+, my usual. I got then from my local feed store that gets birds from several different major hatchery. Sometimes it just goes different.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Just checked my turkey finisher. It is 18%. Grower is 16%. Thanks for the info on the hog supplement. Good point about the grass. I have just been hand picking the clover from my yard and giving a bucket as a treat so they definitely are not filling up on that.

You may have to ask someone who actually knows something at the mill, since the supplement I buy is what the mill uses to mix up their store-brand poultry mash and I have to order just the protein mix in special. It was the very nice manager of the mill that told me the hog supplement was the same thing but cheaper.

 

[Sami]

Just found some info. I went and ripped the tags off of the old feed bags and the chick grower is only listed at 15 %! No wonder I am behind in weight

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Just found some info. I went and ripped the tags off of the old feed bags and the chick grower is only listed at 15 %! No wonder I am behind in weight

Wow, I wouldn't use that chick grower for anything, not even growing chicks! The starter grower I use for layers is 20%, and the layer ration I use is 18% (which admittedly is higher than standard). Even Purina Layena layer pellets are 16%! That stuff you bought is awful for... well, for anything!

 

[Sami]

I know! I was totally shocked. My layer feed percentage is at 17%. Guess I should have asked but I just thought that the grower % would naturally be higher. Live and learn. They should grow like crazy now that the are at a higher %

 

[ZooSD]

I'm using ACE - HI GB/Turkey starter from Star Milling. I'm reading the tag and it's not less than 28% protein, not less than 3% fat, not more than 4% fiber and not more than 8.9% ash. I seem to have good luck putting on the weight with it and my birds move around a fair amount. They don't free range because I don't have that kind of room but they get weeds and greens daily that they pick through. I keep a banty roo and a couple of EE pullets with them to move them around. Anything that is still around after 8wks is given what my layers eat. The smallest I've processed to date is 6lbs/8wks. I didn't have any fat on them until I processed the last 4 at 12wks, they were all meat.

 

[snowangel]

Hi I have 25 cornish rock they will be 4 weeks tomarrow. Do I have to buy a special scale to weight them. This is my first time with Meaties. They are all doing well. I give them vit. in there water.They stay inside with my 5 other egg layers got them all the same time.Is there anything I need to do different? And will the meat be tough if they are over 8 Wks?