New to Meat Birds

[gavmonster]

Are Cornish X are 14days old. We put Life-Lytes in water. Do I need to do this until 7 weeks of age or is 3-4weeks long enough. We don't have them on medicated feed. They are on Purina Startena for Game Birds got 50lb. Should I switch at 4weeks or 6weeks afrad they will get to big if wait until 6 weeks. They need to live until July 27th my son has them in county fair. 30 protein seem very high. they are getting very big we are getting them a big brooder today or tomorrow.

Heard one of the birds sneeze today. I will keep an eye out and read about this now. We clean box daily.

thanks

 

[gavmonster]

We live in a subdivision and they are doing a trial run with us have meat chickens since my sons is in 4H. Most of the day they will be in the grass but will also be on our concrete porch in a chicken run we made. Should I put hay in the run when they are on the concrete?

Can you lock them up in the coop during the day or should they be in the run. Just afraid if gone for the day that some animal might get them. . July are weather is about 95-100 degrees very humid.

 

[BCMaraniac]

We live in a subdivision and they are doing a trial run with us have meat chickens since my sons is in 4H. Most of the day they will be in the grass but will also be on our concrete porch in a chicken run we made. Should I put hay in the run when they are on the concrete?

Can you lock them up in the coop during the day or should they be in the run. Just afraid if gone for the day that some animal might get them. . July are weather is about 95-100 degrees very humid.

If it were me, I would put hay or shavings on the concrete. Just make sure they get grit if there is a possibility that they might eat hay. As far as locking them in the coup, I most definitely would not. They will die in there with that kind of heat. If you have CX, it is hard enough to get them to get up and go drink anyway(they are very lazy). As far as predators go, hawks and dogs would be your most likely daytime predators....the others are mostly nocturnal. They have to have shade in that heat, so the cover on the run would protect them from hawks. Hopefully the run is dog-proof as well.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

I would use the shaving just because of the fact that they poop so much (usually right around the waterer) and straw wont be absorbent enough. Hay is hardly absorbent at all and is way more expensive. You could also use Stall Dry which should suck up all that moisture/smell, I'd use it under the shavings so they don't eat it. I'm going to try that with my winter batch because all my summer batches are kept on grass.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

I suggest to NOT use hay, it will start to rot/decompose when it gets wet and will make a slimey mess. If your want to compete at the fair then don't give them access to the grass as that will reduce the feed intake of the feed formulated for their growth.

For our 4H broilers we feed 2#/bird of a Turkey Starter, then finish them on Broiler Feed.

Jim