The Importance of Proper Feeding and Maintenance For Your Meaties

[jaku]

My buddy and I wanted to squeeze one more batch of Cornish X's out of this year, so we split a batch of 40. Yesterday was butchering day. Keep in mind that the birds in the following photo are the SAME birds, hatched on the same day, same hatchery, etc. I drove to the hatchery, picked them up, and dropped 20 off to my buddy, and kept the remaining 20.

I feed my birds with a strict 12/12 program of 22% protein, mill ground feed. I also pasture raise them, in movable PVC tractors. My buddy gives his a feeder full of 20% TSC (Dumor) feed "a couple times a day." He keeps his in a smaller area of his chicken yard, penned separately from his layers.

Here is the result from our butchering day. My 20 birds are on the right- separated by parts in the tubs. His SAME 20 birds are bagged on the left. Weighed out, he got 52 pounds of meat. I got 114 pounds.

Feed and raise properly, and they will treat you right. Otherwise....

 

[Elphaba2140]

This is a very nice trial comparison. Thanks for posting this!

 

[Bossroo]

Jaku... you validated the old Scottish saying... " The eye of the master fatens the cattle".

 

[Lorije1]

Wow! I need to up the protein because your friend sounds like my program... except mine have access to grass and bugs. I feed the 20% Dumor. I do sometimes mix in Gamebird 24%... And I keep food available the 12/12. Hmmm.
My meats are just over 3 weeks old, so I'll get on the ball for their last 2 weeks.

 

[MeatKing]

wow, what difference!
Thanks for sharing!

 

[deerman]

Sound like your friends didn't get enought feed, 2 times aday ? Should have feed in front of them all day. Sex of the chicken will also make a big differents, males put alot more weight on.

your avg 5.7 lbs

his avg 2.6 lbs. sounds like he straved his...


Mind avg over 5 lbs also with males over 6 lbs also fed on 24 % first 4 week

 

[Looking4ewes]

Mine are on the light side. I butchered two at 7 weeks at 3 lbs. dressed. I feed 21% mill ground feed free-choice and the birds are allowed to free range within a large confinement, 12' x 20', during the day (20 birds total). The coop is insulated but unheated at night. They also get excess milk, about 1 gallon a day. They are all cockerals. I was hoping to get them to 5+ lbs. at 8 weeks. Any suggestions for an increased rate of gain? We did have a cold spell there for a bit, and perhaps they are moving about outside too much (which they enjoy greatly). Should I put a heat lamp on them? I did have leg issues on a couple of them, but I didn't know about the 12/12 feeding method until recently. I purchased them from Eagle's Nest in OH.

 

[jaku]

Let me add also... I'm not suggesting that the problem is with the Dumor feed, or the protein percentage of it. A 2% difference in protein content wouldn't make much difference. I've fed Dumor feed before, and I've fed 20% before, all quite successfully. The main reason (for me) to get mill ground feed is that it's about half the price. The issue here, I believe, was the assumption that you can raise these just like regular birds- just casually feeding them. They need to eat for those 12 hours!

 

[deerman]

could be the cold, some feed will go to keep them warm. Take them to 9 weeks should get them to 5 lbs.

I keep feed in front of mine 24/7 but only 12 hrs of light, so they don't eat all night.

 

[halo]

Thats an amazing difference. I was wondering if it was the percentage protein, or the amount of feed that was the difference. Thanks for clarifying.

Did I miss how old these birds were when you butchered them?