Raising Broiler Chicks

[Horsefly]

Hello everyone, I'm new here and had some questions regarding my broiler chicks. I've raised several batches of laying hens but ony 6 or 7 at a time and layers. I just got 15 day old broiler chicks to show with 4-H and have encountered some problems. I admit I hadn't really researched them much until I got them asuming their care was just the same as the light layers. They are 4 days old and some of them are sneezing and a few (different ones) have slight diarrea. They are all eating and drinking well as far as I can tell and are really adventurous. Should I be concerned about them, Im kind of worried. They are kept in a 40" by 17" wire cage with a plastic bottom. I have around 3 inches of pine shavings in there. There is a light in the cage and I have a small space heater blowing on one end. I have blankets around the cage and put a play tent over the whole thing so the heater wasn't always running. Could they have respatory problems because there isn't enouh air flow? During the day I leave the tent door open. My other question is regarding their food. I have always used starter grower feed for all the chicks Ive raised but after getting the chicks I found they should have a 26-30% protin food but what I have is only 18% I am getting some better food tomorrow but is there anything I could add for more protin. Is there anything else I could do that Im not doing to help them? Thanks for any help

 

[BirdMom]

Give them a bit of dry plain quick oats in their feed to stop the runny poos. That keeps them from getting pasty butt. Some soft scrambled eggs are a great source of protein.

Don't know about the sneezing, they might have come with a respiratory disease.

 

[herfrds]

I normally have my broilers on the highest protien feed I can find.
I start the day old chicks with corn meal for the first week then start introducing the commercial. I also mix in some hard boiled or scrambled eggs very finely chopped in that first week.

 

[Horsefly]

Thanks for the quick replies. I'll give them some scrambled eggs and oats tonight.
From what Ive read I should give them 26-30% protin the first 2 weeks then switch to a 20-23% protin food. I found a 32% gamebird food, could I feed that the entire time? Also what do y'all have to say about medicated feed, so much of it seems medicated but I don't really want that in my eggs or meat. What is the benifits or what is it medicated for? Anything else to help them grow fastest and best? This is my first time showing animals with 4-H and want to make sure it goes right.

 

[ChickenGirl78]

I am raising broilers for the first time myself. I opted out of having them vaccinated and have fed them non-medicated feed. Within the first few days I lost 4 chicks and now they are three weeks old and today I have noticed that they are sneezing and breathing heavy. I have them outside in a tarp coop with pine shavings on the ground and there is grass in there also and there is also air flow through the coop, a heat lamp and a light. I add clean bedding layered with diamataceous earth every few days and they were just put on an automatic watering system last night which I add apple cider vinegar and crushed garlic to every other day, is the plan. Anyone know if the sneezing and heavy breathing thing is normal? They are on commercial feed as well and the 26 of them go through a alb feeder a day. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you a bunch!! ;-)

 

[keesmom]

I am raising broilers for the first time myself. I opted out of having them vaccinated and have fed them non-medicated feed. Within the first few days I lost 4 chicks and now they are three weeks old and today I have noticed that they are sneezing and breathing heavy. I have them outside in a tarp coop with pine shavings on the ground and there is grass in there also and there is also air flow through the coop, a heat lamp and a light. I add clean bedding layered with diamataceous earth every few days and they were just put on an automatic watering system last night which I add apple cider vinegar and crushed garlic to every other day, is the plan. Anyone know if the sneezing and heavy breathing thing is normal? They are on commercial feed as well and the 26 of them go through a alb feeder a day. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you a bunch!! ;-)

I would ask over on the Meat Bird forum. Cornish X aren't typical layer chicks. Is it hot where you are? They don't do well in high temperatures. They eat a LOT.

 

[ChickenGirl78]

Hey there,

No it's not hot here in Alberta...we might get a warm summer day sometime in July. Been cooler and rainy here, so the heat is not an issue. Thanks for the tip on the meat bird forum, don't know this site well enough yet to figure out where I need to go.

Thanks again. ;-)