New to meaties! Few Questions.

[newchickmom]

I do not know for sure what to feed to the cornish X chicks, and when do I start them on the meat bird feed?

Is there a chart somewhere that shows how much they eat per bird, per day, from day 1 until processint time?

All help and opinions will be greatly appreaciated!!

 

[happyhensny]

This is also my first year with Cornish X's.

Quote from Mt Healthy Hatchery on care of Cornish X:

"We recommend a 23% protein starter ration for the first four weeks and a 20% protein grower ration the remainder of the growing period. Because of the rapid weight gain of these chicks, we suggest a vitamin supplement."

 

[newchickmom]

Is that the same as Rural King's Medicated, Chick Start and Grow?

 

[happyhensny]

I'm not sure. We do not have RK here. I guess just check the protein content and aim for that percentage.

 

[blueskylen]

TSC sells high protien flock raiser - I think it is supposed to be for turkeys,etc, but it works well for the meaties. I did not use medicated feed on the ones that I have raised, but if you are going to put them in a tractor to eat grass,etc, probably would be the best. Just give them as much as they want to eat in the morning and more in the afternoon time, but no feed at night. I found that it may be better to feed 2 times - once in the morning, and once in the early afternoon, and then they are not so ravenous the next morning - just watch for them gaining too much weight. You could pick one chicken and mark it somehow, then every day or so weigh it to see if it is gaining at a good speed during each week - then raise or lower the feed level. It depends on how big you want your broilers . A 1 lb weight gain a week would produce an 8 lb bird, and would dress out around 5 lb - that is approx guesing tho
hope this helps.

 

[pardenx3]

We have a small flock of meaties, and we are feeding them Flock Raiser from Purina. We keep their feeders full 24/7. We have about 40 birds(cornish) that are 31/2 weeks old now, and going through about two and a half 50lb bags of feed a week.

 

[jaku]

I feed regular broiler feed the entire 8 weeks. Broiler feed is usually 20-22% protein. Chick starter doesn't have the nutrients they need, and with only 8 weeks of life, there's really no point changing feed. Plus, if you get your whole batch of feed in bulk and have it ground at a mill, instead of buying it prebagged, you'll save about 50% in total feed cost. For every 25 birds you have, plan 500 pounds of feed.

 

[cassie]

We feed broiler feed when we can get it and turkey feed when we can't.

 

[phoenixmama]

For meat chickens...we do 20% feed the whole time, feeders kept full 24/7.

 

[Paul Ewing]

Quote:
Welp Hatchery has a chart similar to what you are asking about. It is at:

http://www.welphatchery.com/cornish_rock_care.asp

Cheers, Paul