Miss Prissy!! Pic of my CC x's...how to fatten them up in three weeks?

[cjeanean]

I'm planning to butcher the last weekend in July/the first weekend in August. They aren't that big, and when I butcher will have cost about $7/bird!!! How do I fatten them up quickly??? They're eating 22% gamebird starter....And those are 5 gal buckets. Also, how does live weight = butchered weight?? If they're 5 lbs doesn't that mean I'll have a 3lb butchered bird???

 

[steffpeck]

Feeding them the gamebird starter might be the problem. We fed ours a meat bird pellet after about 2 weeks on the chick starter. I never did weigh our birds live so I don't know what the live vs. dressed weight will be. Good luck with your birds.


How old are they??

 

[cjeanean]

They are at least 8 weeks old. I got them from the feed store for .50/ea at three weeks. I don't know if it would help accelerate their growth to give them something else for the last month or if it would throw everything off!! I asked Miss Prissy and she said that since I get the gamebird starter cheap to keep giving it to them, but I'm wondering if there's something I can supplement with that will bulk them up a bit....

They're all roughly 5lbs apiece.....

 

[Acre of Blessings]

From what I have read and understand, after dressing a bird you will lose up to 3/4 to 1 pound +/- per bird. Maybe a little more.

 

[MissPrissy]

Those are good sized birds. They seem to be growing at a steady rate. They may not look big now at 5 lbs but in three weeks they should put on another 3lbs. A 4 - 6 lb bird is good size for the table.

I would start mixing in some corn in their feed now if you are interested in harvesting the fat and rendering it for smchaltz.

I know many people on this forum have said not to feed them corn it just makes them fat, it's not good for them, blah blah blah - but you are raising these birds to suit your better interest not their own. They have 3 weeks left to live out their life. If you want certain products from them feed them that way to get it.

You will loose 1 - 2 lbs when they are dressed BUT remember to harvest the liver, gizzard and heart to recoop that weight. Even if you don't eat it you can cook it for other animals - dogs, cats, etc.

Keep going. You are doing good.

 

[cjeanean]

Wow, that makes me feel so much better, MP!!!! I know I talked to you about these before, but now that I have pics and u can actually see them.....These birds are gonna cost about $7 apiece, and I have ppl wanting to buy them but I don't want them to have to pay 7 bucks for just a few pounds!!! So corn mixed with their feed?? Whole corn, cracked, or what??? I do give them scratch here and there, but they won't eat any scraps that I put out for them. Thanks so much, everyone!!!