The Grand Experiment

[rjohns39]

I thought it would be appropriate to attach the spec sheets for both strains.

 

[Kiki]

I thought it would be appropriate to attach the spec sheets for both strains.

 

[rjohns39]

They've eaten a lot today but I won't know how much until we measure.

 

[rjohns39]

OH BTW I gave them some meal worms today... aka I threw monsters in there with them. It's going to take a few days for them to realize it's a treat. Funny enough, my heritage birds were all around my feet wanting their treats.

 

[Morrigan]

Very interested in what you find!

I do a 2 x day on my meat birds, and never thought a lot about the timing. It seems there is the initial frenzy, but they would pretty much wander away and collapse in a food coma after 20 minutes. Usually, a little bit would be left in the bottom, and over the next couple of hours the big eaters would return and take care of that.

I don't have green grass this time of year, so i sprout fodder for them and toss them some either as a mid-day snack or right before dinner. They LOVE that stuff. It's amazing how chickens gravitate to green. I bet they do really well on your pasture.

 

[rjohns39]

10/5/2018: Both sides are still pretty consistent on feed. Each side went through about 16 ounces yesterday. Lost a cobb overnight to pasty butt so butt inspections will be done shortly. BTW, I have an 8oz scoop and a 24oz scoop, so all measurements are approximations based upon scoops. I can reconcile at the 100 pound mark.

 

[aart]

BTW, I have an 8oz scoop and a 24oz scoop, so all measurements are approximations based upon scoops.

I was wondering how you were measuring....
.... especially what is left in troughs after allotted time, and what might have spilled,

 

[rjohns39]

Right now I'm measuring how much it takes to top them off to a full feeder. When they are a week old, I'll take the tops off the feeders. I've resolved myself to never knowing what they kick out and lose.

 

[aart]

Right now I'm measuring how much it takes to top them off to a full feeder

That makes sense, much more accurate.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Wh

There are several different strains of CX. The cobb500 and Ross708 are both slower growing birds that do better on grass. Cobb500s grow out fast early but slow down in the end and Ross708s start slow and then speed up in the end. Most hatcheries and feed stores just buy CX with no idea what strain they are. Most hatcheries who can provide specific strains aren't interested in dealing with the quantities that we buy. I actually had one hatchery who shall remain nameless tell me that if I wanted 300 birds every five weeks spring through fall, that I just wasn't worth their time and effort.