Should I supplement?

[LibbyR]

I’m raising Murray’s Big Red Broilers for the fair and would like them to be as big and as good as possible for the show/sale in 4 weeks. They are on 22% Nutrena Meatbird. Should I give them some stuff to boost them or just keep pouring the feed. They probably are around 4-5 lbs and are 9 weeks old.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Get your most growth by increasing protein using a game bird or turkey starter ration.

I like Purina game bird chow, 30% protein turkey starter, but they don't sell it in my local feed stores. Best they can get is 26% game bird pellets.

I know there is a 24% starter made by Nutrena and sold at TSC.

Beyond those suggestions.. I would say just keep pouring on the feed. They will also be their heftiest if they are not free range but confined to a smaller area.

Good luck at the fair!

 

[LibbyR]

Get your most growth by increasing protein using a game bird or turkey starter ration.

I like Purina game bird chow, 30% protein turkey starter, but they don't sell it in my local feed stores. Best they can get is 26% game bird pellets.

I know there is a 24% starter made by Nutrena and sold at TSC.

Beyond those suggestions.. I would say just keep pouring on the feed. They will also be their heftiest if they are not free range but confined to a smaller area.

Good luck at the fair!

They are confined for that reason! Next bag will be the switch to that! Thank you so much!

 

[Compost King]

Not everyone is going to agree on this but feed them eggs. When I am growing out my meat birds (which are half heritage half red rangers) I give them egg yolks since I only eat whites. They mass out a little bit faster when I do.

 

[LibbyR]

Not everyone is going to agree on this but feed them eggs. When I am growing out my meat birds (which are half heritage half red rangers) I give them egg yolks since I only eat whites. They mass out a little bit faster when I do.

Thank you for the suggestion. You give them raw? I’ve been trying to figure out whether I should risk salmonella or not but I would use store bought eggs (which are all I’ve got since my layers are still growing pullets).

 

[Compost King]

I give them raw, They eat bugs crawling around in chicken manure, they can handle anything that comes with Raw eggs... but if you want to cook them to be safe it won't hurt. I wouldn't do it unless you have a surplus of eggs... that nutrition is better off in your family than in your broilers.

 

[Mosey2003]

The higher protein is better earlier rather than later, but you may as well give it a try. I picked up some 2 week old Cornish Cross cheap and they seemed a bit small for their age, so I gave them the turkey starter for a week and they exploded.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

You give them raw? I’ve been trying to figure out whether I should risk salmonella or not but I would use store bought eggs

Energy from eggs is 34% protein and 64% fat. Half that protein is found in the yolk. And protein from eggs is more digestible if cooked according to my research. A LOT of the nutrients are found in the yolk. Giving the yolks would equal about 17% protein and 64% fat. Fat will equal energy but it may be missing building blocks for muscles, feathers, and such... just as discussion. Feeding birds short term with intent to process, you can probably get away without too many health issues.

No, I would never feed raw eggs from the store to my flock and risk any form of illness or disease. Noting Salmonella is not in every chicken flock, so from your own flock it *may* not be an issue. If I drop an egg, they are free to go at it and I don't worry about anything. But if I do give eggs to them, they are cooked purely for the digestibility. I want my maximum benefit. I also do this only when we have a glut of extra eggs. I either scramble or boil whole and step on them when I feed them out.

I know there is a 24% starter made by Nutrena and sold at TSC.

Hubby was there last night... the 24% chick starter feed was made by Dumor actually. Not my favorite brand, but still made by Purina for TSC, I believe.. I went ahead and grabbed a bag to try for my grow outs and see how I (and they) feel about it... since my LFS said they had an invasion of weevils in their game bird starter and I wasn't willing to do that.

 

[LibbyR]

The higher protein is better earlier rather than later, but you may as well give it a try. I picked up some 2 week old Cornish Cross cheap and they seemed a bit small for their age, so I gave them the turkey starter for a week and they exploded.

They’ve been on as high as I could get until I now found there’s a 26%version. They look great but I’m really just trying to see how big I can get them.

 

[Mosey2003]

Just pointing it out for future reference

I plan to get a batch of Cornish X chicks early early next spring and I'll probably have them on turkey feed for the first two weeks ish. See how well they do.