WE NEED HELP!!! ANY ADVICE??? 4-H Broilers

[Brunty_Farms]

Corn packs on fat, protein packs on muscle. Since muscle weighs more than fat you want to stay clear of the corn as much as possible.

Also Try a fish meal supplement. Get a 50 lb bag and mix in the correct amount with your feed. This helps pack on more weight.

Wanted to ad two things that you havn't heard yet. One would be the strain of the broiler. Go with a good hatchery that breeds their own broilers. Welp is very good but expensive, seems to me that a little extra money in buying good birds won't be a problem. Ask them for their cornish roaster strain. Normal 308 that most hatcheries sell won't work. They are not bred to get 10 lbs in 6 weeks. None of the cornish crosses are bred for this kind of weight gain. But it can be done with expensive proteins and good management.

Secondly but just as important, is to turn the lights off. Give them at least 6 hours of NO lights. This is crucial for broilers growth, most of their growth is done when they are not moving and sleeping. With 24 hour lighting they move too much and they don't get the proper down time they need to recharge for the next day.

Good luck.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Oh ir were so simple, Brunty.

I have a sneaking suspicion that they are not mixing their feed appropriately. Combine this with cracked corn and they will be less efficient and not grow as fast as they should.
JIm

 

[willheveland]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

Quote:
Oh ir were so simple, Brunty.

I have a sneaking suspicion that they are not mixing their feed appropriately. Combine this with cracked corn and they will be less efficient and not grow as fast as they should.
JIm

Wouldn't cutting the mixture with cracked corn actually lower the percentage.I could see where they would pick out the corn first,like Harp mentioned.
I use a 16% grower mash that is pretty heavy in ground corn already,so I never mix in more corn,but then I mix in a Bloodmeal.bonemeal.fishmeal mix that my feed store sells(like 80%protein).I mix it like 9 to 1 and it puts me to like 23%.It's like $35. per 50lbs, and is used for dairy cows. Will​

 

[crzy4peafowl]

Thanks so much for all the replies. We are going to stick with the 30% protein turkey show chow next year without the ground corn mixed in to keep the protein levels high. Would adding the fish meal or bone meal that you guys have mentioned hurt them? In other words, is there such a thing as too much protein? Where do I get this fish meal from?

YOU GUYS AND GALS ARE AWESOME!!!!

 

[moduckman]

Since it is for six weeks, feed only the high protein stuff. Corn makes heat and heat makes them eat less. We never fed corn to our broilers when my kids were in 4-H.

 

[Slightly Cracked]

We have not competed in the Broiler Show either but I have visited with our extention agent a lot about this subjuect!! Here in Oklahoma all of the kids get the birds shipped from the same place on the same day so that way they all start out the same, they are leg banded to ID which bird goes to what kid. The kids from the panhandle has always done extremly well. Why I ask. They keep the birds cool, like as in air conditioned rooms so they don't stress in the heat ( Our state fair is in September, the kids have the birds for 6 weeks) They keep them dark for long periods of time so they just eat and sleep, very little movement. I have other "rumors" about bacon grease and such but I figgered that is just hooey.

Talk to your 4H person or contact you extention agent to give you some insight.
And/Or talk to someone that has broiler houses to see what they do on a large scale. We have done this. We was told good nutrition, keep them cool, very little movement.

Good Luck

ETA: more info.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

I would not feed or mix in any corn in to their feed until right at the end if I was to at all. Keeping them dark for a time will also help alot. You want to achieve as little movement in the birds as possible to get big gains in short time frames. The high protein turkey feed will work great by its self. I always have the 27% high protein here for the turkeys and one batch I decided that I would feed that to the Cornish X's and man did they grow fast, too fast. I had alot of health and leg problems with that batch. You must feed wisely and stay on top of it if you are to feed the high protein stuff. But they will grow fast and big quick.

 

[brooster]

My first year showing them i took 9 week old 10-11 ld birds i used turkey starter from start to finish nothing else and got reserve roasters. My second year i started with turkey start and then went to purina show chow. I had one perfect bird finished to the end of the keel bone, and two other "good birds" consistency in the pen is EVERYTHING so i got reserve roasters again. Do you have a fryers and roasters class? at six lbs you could be just into the roaster class, with much larder meatier birds to compete with, you might want to get your birds earlier. Hold them upside down and feel the end of the keel, it should not be boney, it should be square with the muscle extended to the end. Remember you want three cloned birds.

Also i have McMurrays cornish roasters, but they probably all come from the same stock anyways

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I don't understand what your trying to say?

Corn is good for quick energy and is the fuel for these birds. But when it comes to packing on meat you want to add more protein. If you add corn it just adds fat on them, and if your wanting the heaviest bird possible.... you want them to gain muscle... not fat.

You can get fish meal at most feed mills. If they don't have it they probably can order it for you through their supplier.

 

[KareyABohr]

This sounds terrible I know...but don't let them move around a lot. Keep them pretty still and quiet and make sure they have food 24/7.