What to buy?

[stifflej]

Ok, I know I am pounding the boards with questions, but trying to decide if I want to do meat birds, or not. If I order the super Cornish X, should I get both male and female or just male, and if I do get males, is there something I need to do to the roos at a young age (3-4 weeks)(read that somewhere, but can't remember exactly what it said to do. Also, should I pay the extra to have the vaccines applied? (Marek's and Coccidiosis $3.50 for each, 25 chicks).

Also, can someone tell me on average that a chick will eat per day (average lbs/day)(trying to figure out costs)

Thanks.

 

[silkiechicken]

Males will be ready about a week earlier or just a bit larger than the females when you butcher them all. Nothing special needs to be done. You are thinking about capions which is not necessary after the special breeding selections to get large growing meat birds. I personally do not vaccinate and just feed medicated chick starter (mareks is not an issue here). Amprolium in feeds is just a thamine blocker and inhibits cocci from replicating in the gut as a preventative so the birds can gain an immunity. As for feed. I figure about 15 lbs per bird for 8 weeks. But you can search and find more "exact" and varying estimation techniques for the feed to weight conversion ratios.

 

[stifflej]

Thanks for the reply. Got another question now, how long do you keep the chicks on the medicated starter feed? At what age would you start "adult" feed?

 

[Red Tie]

Broilers stay on broiler feed from start to finish. There is no withdrawl time from their feed. I used Purina Broiler Show chow. You must be sure to feed a high protein feed for best results and fewer leg problems. Mine weighed in at seven weeks (the roos) at nine lbs live weight. Dressed at seven.

Jane

 

[stifflej]

Since I would be getting chicks, do they need any spacial heat requirements, or can I just let them loose in the barn?

 

[blue90292]

what part of the country are you in, what are you night temps and when do you plan on getting the chicks??

 

[stifflej]

Central PA, current night temps in the 50's (too cold for August) probably wouldn't get them until around the end of September (night temps probably in the 30's by then), but if need be, I may wait until spring, depending on how they will do in the colder weather. If it makes more sense to wait until spring, then that is what I may do.

 

[Peruvian]

Keep the chicks around 95 degrees the first week. You can drop that 5 degrees/week until they start to feather out.

 

[blue90292]

i'm definitely not the one to be answering this, but

if it is your first try at meat birds, you might want to wait till spring. the chicks will need to have heat lamps at that temperature. they do produce their own heat, but they need an overall temp of 95 and then down 5 degrees every week, just like chicks.

i know of many people that have lost their birds due to smothering when a storm or something came through and the electricity went out. all the birds huddled together and smothered each other. the other thing is keeping your water from freezing in those temps.

it can be done, it just needs a little more care, i think.

i hope someone from up north answers you soon.

michele

 

[willheveland]

I think you can do it as long as you get them no later than the begining of september and process at the end of october.I'm going to try it.I usually do a batch in the spring|summer but I want to try it in the fall.
I live on the NY|PA line so I'm not too far away.Our weather should be about the same,maybe you are alittle warmer.
good luck and get started soon. Will