Some questions...

[centavo71]

I am afraid that I have a list of questions almost as long as my arm! I will, however, make sure I try to ask things in the right spots!

I have around 20 mixed leghorns that are around 13 weeks old and some new baby cornish giants that are 2 weeks. It has been quite something to see the difference between the 2 birds from the time I got them. The little cornish giants and much less 'skittish' than the LHs. The other thing is that they um...are growing SO SO fast. I am wondering (and this shows how new at this I am) how much SHOULD I be feeding them? Also - at what age can start giving them scraps like I am giving the bigger birds? I get the feeling that these little birds would eat until they couldn't walk if I let them. They are on 20% chick starter. Oh and I read on the website where I got them from that I should have put something called 'super booster' in their water at first - oops, didn't do that. Is that okay?

Ok, I will stop there!
Thanks all!
HennyPenny

 

[RendonRoo]

If they are freerange or have access to grit you can feed treats. No harm done without the superbooster. That's just to boost them a little after shipping. Will leave the rest to someone with that breed. Good Luck and welcome to BYC>

 

[centavo71]

Thanks for the input!

 

[cmom]

I have never given my chicks any super booster. My last batch of chicks I did put some vitamins with electrolytes in their water for the first week.

 

[vsavor]

Quote:
Hi Penny
Here is a page from Miller Hatcheries that may help you with feeding the little pigs. http://www.millerhatcheries.com/InformationFactSheets/Broiler_Info/Farm_Feeding_Meat_Type_Chicks.htm

They CAN eat themselves to death, but the only time I've had that happen was when I denied them food for 12 hours first. One died overnight and had stuffed its crop full of grain, I imagine it suffocated.

If you explore the Miller Hatchery site further, there are lots of warnings and troubles that seem to happen to broilers. I've raised mine on grass from the beginning (going out at 3 weeks old), moving them every day and I've had almost no trouble with them. I've fed all but the first batch my own grain (I think I've raised about 6 batches of 30 now over 2 years) with very good results. You will find that if you leave them too long before slaughter they will begin to look like they have trouble walking due to their weight. Apparently these hybrid birds usually die before they are old enough to reproduce and if they do live long enough are too big to breed properly. They were developed to grow meat quickly and efficiently and not much else!

Good luck, they are very tasty and worth growing
Verna

PS you don't have to use medicated feed, in my opinion. I think this is recommended because the commercial growers have some many chickens in the same place

 

[centavo71]

Thank you so much! I have been letting them outside for about a week now - they are somewhere around 4 weeks. I will look further at the miller site - funny, that is where I got them from and never thought to look there

 

[JakRat]

Quote:
Hi Penny
Here is a page from Miller Hatcheries that may help you with feeding the little pigs. http://www.millerhatcheries.com/InformationFactSheets/Broiler_Info/Farm_Feeding_Meat_Type_Chicks.htm

They CAN eat themselves to death, but the only time I've had that happen was when I denied them food for 12 hours first. One died overnight and had stuffed its crop full of grain, I imagine it suffocated.

If you explore the Miller Hatchery site further, there are lots of warnings and troubles that seem to happen to broilers. I've raised mine on grass from the beginning (going out at 3 weeks old), moving them every day and I've had almost no trouble with them. I've fed all but the first batch my own grain (I think I've raised about 6 batches of 30 now over 2 years) with very good results. You will find that if you leave them too long before slaughter they will begin to look like they have trouble walking due to their weight. Apparently these hybrid birds usually die before they are old enough to reproduce and if they do live long enough are too big to breed properly. They were developed to grow meat quickly and efficiently and not much else!

Good luck, they are very tasty and worth growing
Verna

PS you don't have to use medicated feed, in my opinion. I think this is recommended because the commercial growers have some many chickens in the same place

I bought a mislabeled cornish that was suppose to be a gold commet and he did have be sent to chicken soup heaven because he could not walk after only 3 months of living. I controled how much he ate, gave him vitamins and did all I could because I did not want to use him as food, but with no luck. I miss him, but thats what he was breed for. Now, their legs can break if they get to big so you might want to watch out for that too. Hope this helps!