broiler questions ...

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Brody

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ok - my goal had been to get broilers in early july and send them to camp at end of august - I know they wouldn't be big but hoped they'd be big enough
as I made more inquiries I have been offered some broilers (red) now

I know theory about chicks and have brooded some for a couple of weeks and transported many all kinds of odd directions over the years but I don't know squat about meat chicks in a practical sense

how long will they need to be in a brooder?
when would they go outside in a traditional setting?
what would happen if they had a 8x8 foot run in the basement with a day bulb for a few weeks?
how many could I keep in a 8x8 foot run if any ?


help me figure out what I should do ... please and thank you
 
Eleven of the chicks you brought home for me are red broiler crosses. The care sheets say they need to be at 95 degrees for the first week, and lowering the temp 5 degrees each week until the temp of the brooder and the temp outdoors are at equilibrium and then they can go outside.

I have found in reality that it is not necessary to be so strict. The guidelines are probably more of an "optimum growth" scenario. My 11 meat chicks are still with the 9 layers (even though they are at least 3 times bigger) in a 4x2 cardboard box. The brooder can expand to about 4 x 4 eventually. They pile together for warmth, so you don't want to give them TOO much space too fast. The heat lamp was probably keeping the floor space at about 80 degrees, but I lowered it a bit last night since it was so cold. The chicks will tell you what they need -- if they are piled in a heap they are cold -- if they are spread to the furthest corners from the lamp, they are too hot.

I intend to keep these in the brooder for about 3-4 weeks depending on the temps outside. I think we've been above normal temp, except for the last 2 days!! Once they are feathered the meat chicks will go into an 8x4 run until I feel they are too crowded. Meat birds are generally raised in tight quarters because they don't want them to do much but eat and sleep. I give them more room than the care sheets call for, but they really do seem to be happy just sitting in front of the feeder and nodding off when full. They don't seem to have the curiosity and interest in exploring that the layer chicks do.

That was a bit of a ramble and not exact answers, but I think you would be fine with the meat chicks. Keep them enclosed and warm for the first few weeks until their feathers have come in, then expand the space as they seem to need it (or reduce the bird numbers as it gets overcrowded -- belive me, you'll know when it's too crowded)
 
gotcha

need any more meat chicks?
so they'll be ok indoors for awhile longer than I had originally planned?

and how long til you tend to process yours? is 12 -14 weeks reasonable?
 
The biggest problem you will likely have keeping them indoors will be the smell. They eat constantly and poop constantly. So you will want lots of litter and will need to clean them out often. Been a long time since I brooded chicks in any quantity and they were not meat birds, but if you have an 8' x 8' area for them they should do fine, spacewise.
 
Brody":u483dsrn said:
and how long til you tend to process yours? is 12 -14 weeks reasonable?

Well, I'll start processing a few if they seem overcrowded and I need to reduce, but other than that I'm planning on 10 weeks. You won't believe how fast they grow!
 
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