Fattening Chickens

[daisydoo]

Hi

Can anyone help me please. I've been given 20, 8week old Ross Cobb chickens for the table. I already have chickens which lay eggs, but I've never had any to fatten before. Can anyone tell me what feed you give chucks to fatten them. They are quite fat already and considering they are only 8 weeks old are bigger then my laying hens!!! However, I was given a bag of feed but I noticed it has chemicals in it and its made up of fish derivitives which is not how I want to feed them. I also have a pen for them, attached to their shed, but they have been used to being shut up and not allowed to wander and I was advised they shouldn't as the weight will come off. (My egg laying girls are shut up at night and are free to roam during the day, which is how I think it should be). Anyway I would like to feed drug and animal free feed, can anyone tell me what they feed please.

Many Thanks
Daisy

[Annpan]

Organic feed is available to order from our local agricultural supplier... it is around 3 times the price of non-organic but it is available. Perhaps you could try your local one?

I personally would let them out to wander around, quality of their life is important to me, rather than being an extra 1lb heavier at slaughter.

[Thurston Garden]

As Annpan says, let em out. At least when you eat them, you will know they have had a reasonable life with the sun on their backs, scratching and dust bathing which are their natural wants.

When I bred Sasso's for the freezer, I fed them growers pellets when they were younger but when I was finishing them, I was feeding them turkey pellets - quite expensive anyway, I dread to think what organic pellets will cost. You can also feed them a high proportion of barley/wheat but I would mix this in with the turkey pellets so they get all the required nutrients from the manufactured feed.

At 20 weeks they must be a fair size already! Commercial Cobbs are oven ready at 47 days.....

I had a 6lb Sasso at 13 weeks (interestingly, Cobb are looking to go into partnership with Sasso for a new strain of bird).

[Odsox]

I found that maize meal or kibbled maize is great for fattening Cobbs, but you would need to let them out on grass to get other nutrients.
Mine usually lived for 16 weeks that way, a lot less intensive than commercial ones but certainly tasted better.

[Millymollymandy]

TG- she says she has 20 x 8 week old birds!

[Thurston Garden]

TG- she says she has 20 x 8 week old birds!

Doh :tard: