Questions about 4-H meat birds!

[BirdGirl2004]

Hey guys, I have a couple questions concerning meat birds for this years 4-H! I will be getting birds sometime this week, and am wondering what type of feed I should start them in ( starter or grower) and also at what age I should be switching from starter to grower. Also, If you have any tips or tricks you use for broilers anything can help! I will be getting 8 if that helps with quantity and what not.

Thanks!!

* What do you use to clean your chickens before entering them in show...???

 

[snow5164]

I start them with starter, but my chicken breeder uses grower and that’s it with broilers . With only 8 birds I wouldn’t buy starter myself . I’m sure someone with disagree . I’ve only washed my hens with dawn dish soap ..

 

[Mrs. K]

I did them for the first time this year. Have deep bedding, and fork it over several times a week. Mine are not clean enough for show, but really pretty clean, would not be hard to get them up to show clean.

A trick, that I think has helped, is I soaked both the starter feed and the meat bird feed, before feeding it. They were so desperate for water, no matter how often I added fresh water. Once I soaked the feed to about the consistence of good sand castle material, that desperation left them. They eat a lot, and that dry feed makes them dehydrated.

I have enjoyed mine. I process on Monday.

Mrs K

 

[BirdGirl2004]

I did them for the first time this year. Have deep bedding, and fork it over several times a week. Mine are not clean enough for show, but really pretty clean, would not be hard to get them up to show clean.

A trick, that I think has helped, is I soaked both the starter feed and the meat bird feed, before feeding it. They were so desperate for water, no matter how often I added fresh water. Once I soaked the feed to about the consistence of good sand castle material, that desperation left them. They eat a lot, and that dry feed makes them dehydrated.

I have enjoyed mine. I process on Monday.

Mrs K

Thank you!

 

[BirdGirl2004]

I start them with starter, but my chicken breeder uses grower and that’s it with broilers . With only 8 birds I wouldn’t buy starter myself . I’m sure someone with disagree . I’ve only washed my hens with dawn dish soap ..

I bought starter grower MEATBIRD feed, so it specializes in meat birds, but also helps them with the beginning process of growing.