so for review - been a year since I did meats

[Mrs. K]

Chick feed until week 3-4? Then meat bird feed? I know to dampen the feed, to help with them getting enough water, and I know that they drink a lot of water. I know to limit them on the meat bird feed to two feedings per day.

Mrs K

 

[RoosterML]

Go with the directions on the bag for the feed you will be using. I never moistened the food for them.

 

[RUNuts]

Are you doing CX? I use Chick Grower Granules (18% protein) the whole time. Used higher protein the first time and the poop reeked of ammonia. They weren't converting it efficiently.

Different thoughts on feeding schedules. I'd feed a bunch in the morning and after work there would be just a little bit left that they were finishing when I'd give them enough to fill the crops for the night. Hit or miss on the morning feed, but kept increasing the amount as they grew.

 

[Morrigan]

I use chick feed until the bag runs out, which is somewhere around the 2 week mark. Then I switch them over to Flock Raiser. I do fermented feed, although sometimes I fall behind with the fermeting, and on those days it is just moistened feed. I do think it helps with water intake.

Between 2 and 4 weeks, I slowly begin limiting food until I am down to two feedings a day -- once in the morning and once shortly before bedtime. To keep them from losing their minds, I throw some sprouted fodder and old vegetables around their yard, to keep them moving and hunting for food during the day.

I've raised several batches with the system and have had really good luck with it. Never had a broken leg or one suddenly drop dead on me.