What am I doing wrong?

[glassparman]

I don't think it's heat. I have raised several batches of Jumbo Cornish here in Mojave, CA. It gets 105+ in the summer.

I found some rules for those big meat birds.

1. Plenty of clean water.
2. Plenty of shade.
3. A breeze is good in the heat so don't keep them locked up in a coop.
4. Restrict food as they grow, they will eat themselves to death!
5. Segregate from other breeds.
6. Very clean coop and pen.


Hope this helps.

Michael

 

[ODS-n-ENS FARM]

I agree with wanting unmedicated meat. I start them on the medicated feed because I feel the medication in the feed (that is safe to use to finish) is safer than sulmet. Sulmet has this warning on label "WARNING: DO NOT MEDICATE CHICKENS OR TURKEYS PRODUCING EGGS FOR HUMAN CONSUPTION. TO AVOID DRUG RESIDUES IN EDIBLE FLESH- WITHDRAW MEDICATION FROM CHICKENS AND TURKEYS TEN (10) DAYS PRIOR TO SLAUGHTER FOR FOOD." Sulmet is sold in grain stores ,most likely to find it in the cattle section.

 

[moenmitz]

Just a word of advice that MAY help....there is research being done on feeding unground whole grains to chicks and turkeys to prevent coccidia. It would seem that the GIZZARD becomes so strong from grinding the grain, that it also grinds up coccidia eggs when ingested. So far, there is no definite conclusion that it works, but results have been positive. We have been feeding ours un-ground wheat, rye and oats, rigth from the start. We start with just a little bit, mixed into their feed, and work up to about half and half. The tests that have been done showed NO difference in weight gain when fed up to 40% whole grains- honestly- even though we feed a bit more than that, we have some really nice, plump birds. (Granted, I feed 28% turkey starter for the other half) Our Freedom Rangers are 9 weeks, and some are over 7 pounds- most are at least in the 5-6 pound range. We also feed our layers a whole grain mix. So far, we have NOT had any incident of coccidia, and I am hopeful that we wont. It has been 6 months, so I know that isn't a real long time frame to be conclusive of course. We have not used any medicated feed. If you are having trouble with it, it is certainly worth a try, and might prevent you from having to use coccidiastats. Of course, if you already have a definite outbreak, you will probably need to treat it to keep them alive. Anyway, just thought I would pass this on, maybe someone cna benefit form it!

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
This is completely incorrect. The crop does not grind anything. The crop is a like a pocket to hold food. The gizzard is what grinds up food.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

I think I am going to try and go natural here by trying some vinegar in their water to help with what may be happening.


Found this info on the "How to raise chicks in your backyard" website.

www.webelfin.com/chickens

Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis is a disease that seems to be much more disasterous in young chicks than it does in the old birds. It is a parasite which is carried in the chick droppings, and good hygene can help prevent it. You suspect you have it when you see blood in the droppings of the chicks. Medicated feed helps to prevent it, but if you do not want to use medicated feed it can be arrested fairly quickly by putting vinegar in the drinking water - 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a quart of water for 3 days. Clean out the litter and the drinking water. A friend who raises lots of chickens puts vinegar in the water from the start until they are almost grown up. Some strains are more lethal than others, and some only affect one breed of chicken and not another. Always disinfect the chick house between batches of chickens, but it is essential to do so if you have had coccidiosis in the last batch. Vacuuming the floor is not good enough, you have to kill the parasites.

Has anyone else here tried this? If so, how did it work?

 

[MissPrissy]

I think most of us that have had chickens for a good many years always use raw organic apple cider vinegar in the water. It not only aides sick chicks/chickens/animals/people but promotes good health in perfectly fine and healthy chicks/chickens/animals/people. It is a standard in my chicken raising arsenal of tricks.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Quote:
So, are you hinting to me that this is a good idea?

Thanks MP for all your help

 

[MissPrissy]

Apple cider vinegar is a good thing.

 

[Cason]

I use medicated chick starter for the first couple weeks- then switch to non medicated.

 

[moenmitz]

Quote:
This is completely incorrect. The crop does not grind anything. The crop is a like a pocket to hold food. The gizzard is what grinds up food.

This is NOT completely incorrect, I apologize for saying "crop" instead of gizzard-my knowledge of chicken anatomy is limited, I am new to this, and I come here to learn, like most others. There is no need to be rude and dismissive. My intention was to offer what might be valuable information to the OP, and you could have POLITELY corrected the inaccuracy in terminology without making a rude, all encompassing, negative statement about what I was saying. I will edit my previous entry so as not to misinform anyone.

IF you are interested in the actual study, here is where I read about it.
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/pou3617