new to the meaties!

[achickenhead]

Hi Everyone,

We are completely new to raising chickens and just joined the forum - though I have been lurking for awhile.

We have 10 meat birds (cornish cross giant broilers) and ten layers. They are all five weeks old. We just finished building our coop - we are very proud! It turned out amazing...they seem to be right at home.

They moved out about a week ago and we opened their door to the pen a couple of days ago. No one has ventured outside yet.

any advice re:meatbirds

any golden rules you want to share?

I have read a lot about the 12 hour on and off feeding. Is this a must? When should we start (or started)?

any pearls of wisdom ...any advice is appreciated.

 

[cassie]

Meat birds need a higher quality feed than regular chickens. Use broiler feed if you can get it. We use turkey feed. You start to limit their feed at about one week of age. Remove the feed at seven at night and give it back at seven in the morning. Extra vitamins in the water, such as Broiler Booster available from Murray McMurray goes a long way to prevent leg problems. You limit the feed to keep them from essentially eating themselves to death. The vitamins and the on/off schedule will not hurt your other chicks.

 

[achickenhead]

Thanks Cassie.

Well we haven't limited any feed yet and they are five weeks. Will talk to the hubby tonight about that! thankfully they can still walk and move! lol

I wasn't sure I would be able to say "goodbye" to the meat birds but now they look so good already! can't wait to get a taste.

Right now we are feeding a broiler chicken feed to all of them. they just started that about two weeks ago. we figure once it is time to eat the meat birds we can switch the layers over to the required layer food.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Hmm Cassie, I'm feeding my meaties the same starter/grower as our chicks upstairs from Purina. I wasn't aware that they needed a special feed nor have I seen a broiler feed.

 

[cassie]

The first batch of Cornish X I raised was a disaster. They were given to me and I really knew nothing about them. I fed them regular chick starter, no vitamins, and food in front of them 24/7. They died, or got leg problems, or whatever. I kept the one survivor for a pet and he got HUGE. Died young though. The next batch I got from a hatchery and raised them according to how the hatchery said to do it. I figured they knew what they were talking about. The hatchery said to feed the higher protein feed so that's what I fed. They also said to add vitamins and to limit the feed. I did that too. Must have worked because I have raised the last two batches with a minimum of problems even though I didn't butcher them until about 12 weeks because I like really big roasters.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
I don't believe my hatchery says anything about feeding specific feed, but as it happens mum just picked up some grower or something for the meaties today, they're at just over 2 weeks and are starting restricted feeding tonight, 7pm and the food goes away. I haven't lost any yet and they're just getting the regular vitamin additive in their water!

 

[beak]

Ours are almost 10 weeks. We are processing them next Saturday. We traded for them at 3 weeks old. Ours get Purina Flock Raiser. We feed them out of a couple of hog troughs. If we ever did it again we would get something long and narrow that could be filled from outside. I would never put them in anything I want to use again. These birds poop more than anything I've ever seen. Hope they taste good.

 

[jaku]

Do the 12/12 feed- it will save you money and also help keep your birds healthier.

Feed at least 20% protein feed.

Make sure they ALWAYS have water.

Get feed that they grind for you at the mill, rather than prebagged. It's cheaper and seems a lot better.