[FiB]

Soooo...following on from the 'layers pellet taint' thread and in advance of 20 (fingers crossed!!) light sussex chicks hatching (many of which will be destined for the table).....  If I wanted to try an alternative to chick crumb  ---> layers pellet (for taste reasons)  what would a 'chick to tastey roast bird' feeding regime look like? 

My current 3  free range but have free access to layers pellets and a handful of mixed corn morning and evening.    And also what would be the optimum age /weight to kill at?  (Feel a bit strange planning thier dispatch before they've even hatched!!!  But following last years experience of 4/4 un-tasty cockrels - ya gotta have a plan!!).

So I guess in a nutshell Im after what quantities of which raw ingreedients - corn, grit, other stuff I dont know about!! - (ideally dodnt want to just change to organic/better layers pellets/chick crumbs) do they need at which age?  Thanks all, Fi

[suziequeue]

Will be watching this thread with interest. Am in a similar situation and want to avoid cardboard tasting cockerels. We have started our chicks on crumb with coccidiostat. No further plans yet.

[chrismahon]

we started ours on chick crumb (no ACS as it inhibits growth), went to growers/ rearer (Smallholder so no GM or chemicals) and on to layers when the first hen laid, about 26 weeks. In the meantime the cockerels had been moved to a separate pen and were kept on growers until slaughter at 6 months. Tasted great. We did throw in mixed corn and fruit and greens as well. They were on a grass run, until they destroyed it.

Mistakes we made were slaughtering too late and not employing a 'peacekeeper' with the cockerels. An older bird who assumes top role and stops the others from fighting (which toughens the meat and reduces weight gain). He would be pulled out when they reached 6 months to avoid him being challenged. We slaughtered some at 9 months and they were tough, so tasty curry only. We waited to get the weights up, and lost the quality.

The slower they grow the better the taste. So I guess Hubbards will taste like cardboard always. Ours were Wyandottes and Orpingtons. The skin on a Buff Orpington is too thin to make a good roaster.

[in the hills]

My flock are fed layers and several good helpings of mixed corn per day. They free range all day.

We did eat 4 cockerels from last years hedgerow hatch. They were Friesian Fowl (light bird) x RIR. Obviously not planned for the table but had to go so thought we should eat them. Dispatched at 5 months ..... starting to tread hens in a not too gentle fashion ! Always kept with main flock .... free ranging and same diet.

Was a bit apprehensive when I roasted them as one neighbour said all her birds whatever age they were dispatched were tough and stringy due she thought to free ranging. Ours were really tasty and tender. Not a huge amount of meat but enough for three people for a roast meal and broth the next day.

Also interested in knowing advantages/disadvantages of moving from layers to a more natural grain diet.

[chrismahon]

No advantage In the Hills. Just a different way of raising chickens. Watch the quantity of maize. Can make them fat and they go off laying. Need to balance intake to get 15% protiein, 3% max Calcium and the carbs and vits. Layers pellets make it siple to get the best from your chickens especially when kept in a small space. Obviously cost more than grain, Oyster grit and free ranging though.

[darkbrowneggs]

Try this link
http://www.darkbrowneggs.info/#/marans-as-meat-birds/4554492879

[in the hills]

Wow, Darkbrowneggs 

Your site looks fantastic! Just had a very quick look for now, but thats tonights reading sorted.

Hope I can resist your hatching eggs though 

[FiB]

oooooo!!  Great site thanks Dark Brown eggs - I now want to try hatching some of your eggs!!!  Will keep an eye out for when you have hatching eggs available!!  So am I right in thinking you dont use layers pellets?

[Castle Farm]

http://castlefarmeggs.co.uk/?page_id=108

[Fowlman]

Once off heat all my birds go on a grain diet, so about 6 weeks onwards. I dont bother with growers/rearers. Its mainly wheat with a little maize and rolled oats, they do free range so any extra protein needed they forage for themselves, keeps them fit and active. Bored fowl get fat and unhealthy habits occur such as feather pecking and egg eating.

Edited to say similar to castle farm above.

[FiB]

Another fab site - many thanks!  That's it I'm making the change.  What about chicks?

[suziequeue]

We've had 6 out of 7 (and I think the seventh was our fault  ) cuckoo maran chick s hatch out two weeks ago.

Today's new game is jumping on Mum's back and se ing how long you can hang on whilst she walks around......

We will be working flat out this weeekend to make some more good big fox-proof runs for chicks/cockerels etc so that we can rotate them around

DBE's website is fantastic. Really informative.

[chrismahon]

Hi Castle Farm. The use of woodash is the prescribed method of red mite control in France I am told, as all the chemicals we get here for them are banned. One day soon we will have enough land to operate a traditional chicken system and do exactly as you have comprehensively detailed on your link. In the meantime we are stuck with pellets and pens.

Darkbrowneggs -another great page from your site. Must spend some time and read it all. Looks like you are also a Lewis Wright reader.

Chicks used to get mashed boiled egg and fine ground grain FIB. I'd stick with the chick crumb.