My Meatie Project - Frustrating Start

[mstricer]

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I have always fed mine Purina Non-medicated Start and Grow, plain water and also used pine bedding. I think 16 % is too low and 20% is too high, but that is a personal choose and I think others have done higher. My birds feather faster and grow to a good weight. Just plain ole Purina Start and Grow would be my suggestion. Did you think to have, any of the ones you lost, tested to see if they died from an infection or maybe cocci?
Michele

 

[mstricer]

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You do know that they had a case of Salmonella this year, as early as 6/2001?

 

[okie2]

No I did not.
What is the latest news about it now?

 

[jcatblum]

I bought 150 birds from them, right before the Salmonella hit the news. The hatchery didn't even contact me in ANY way about the confirmed case of salmonella. I will not order Mt Healthy birds again.

 

[okie2]

How about Cackle hatchery?
any good or bad about them?

 

[mstricer]

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I'm sure its been taking care of by now, I not ordering from their and I didn't mean to scare anyone. I heard about it in the summer you can google it, Salmonella at Ohio hatchery.

 

[mstricer]

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I don't know about any of the other hatcheries, I live down the road from Meyer and don't have to pay shipping. I have never had a problem with them. I do buy my FR from Freedom Rangers Hatchery, only because per the chick they were cheaper and Meyer doesn't hatch them and I had to pay for shipping. 7 cents is 7 cents and my business went elsewhere for them. They are great if you are considering FR get them from them, very nice people. My FR are only 6 weeks and growing like a weed. They eat less food then the CX's if you let them free range mine love to free range and are now roaming all over the yard. They found the garden today and the seed hill or bug hill, I don't know whats there, but all my birds spend most of the day on this big mound of dirt. They are slower to grow, the boys are getting bigger faster then the girls. I got more boys then girls this time. I may keep back a girl or two to breed with my Marans boy. we will see, I don't know if I want that much poop in the coop. (hey that rhymes)
Michele

 

[jessicayarno]

This is JMO but i think 16% is too low.. I started mine on 25% then dropping down to 20% at 3-4wks... I know most people start on 20%, but I go with 25% because the mill I buy my feed from has been making chicken feed for 85 yrs and i think they know their stuff, 25 is what they recommend..

 

[Tracydr]

I've never raised any kind of chick on 16%. I use 20% non-medicated. If you have cocci problems in your soil I would use medicated or have them immunized, I've never had to. I usually introduce chicks to soil that healthy chickens have been on fairly early so that they can build immunity.
I also give a bit of greens and veggies ( garlic chives are easy and I have tons, sprouts, melon, cooked squash, sprouts) while in the brooder. This gives wholesome enzymes and fresh, real vitamins/antioxidants plus starts their little gizzards working before they go out. I of course provide a little grit, as well.
Today the silky chicks I have in the brooder for my granddaughter had cooked pumpkin and chives.
The meat chicks go outside real fast 1-2 weeks this time) and I actually have them running around loose with my 20 hens and the banty rooster. This batch has been really active. I have a five and three week batch of Cornish X from Ideal ( only 6 apiece), along with red broilers and some red " packing peanuts", plus a few production red Pullets. These two groups of Cornish X have been scratching, running and really acting like chickens.
The Ideal chicks in these two batches have been much healthier than the Mcmurray's batch I had last summer. Don't know why but they are. No leg problems and so far, no deaths other then a few shipping related, first night issues.

 

[Beekissed]

I did some of the things from the above post....got the chicks outside soon and on the ground, free ranged with my DP flock, etc.

I doubt if the space had anything to do with it but 4x4 ft. of space for 26 chicks seems a little tight...particularly with how quickly these chicks grow, the necessary ventilation due to their higher metabolism and frequency and strength of feces, etc. If you do it again, I'd allow for more space.

I don't feed medicated chick starter and when they joined the flock at 2 weeks they ate the same as my layers. Their growth rate was similar to those fed high pro rations of continuous feedings but mine were fed once a day, free ranged all day, fed layer mash and whole grains and never lost a one. Of course, mine were brooded with a foster broody mom, so this helps a good bit.