Broiler Chickens

[GaryD]

Hi Miki,

Our current batch of broilers is the third one we've done over the past year or so.

The first batch and our current one (both starting with 25 chicks) were the most useful in a data-gathering context.

The second batch (of 12 chicks) was problematic.......the day old chicks were of questionable quality or had been chilled before we got them. Their growth was slower and less consistent.

Our short term goal (other than to produce chicken meat for our own table) is to gather data for a writing project. We need to establish the costs and other production information for chickens fed largely on proprietary rations.

The differences between our chickens and those that are reared in a shed include:

• they live in smaller social groups.
• they get to roam in a yard eating whatever they can catch
• they are exposed to normal climatic conditions.
• they get to eat some cracked corn in addition to their normal broiler finisher diet.

Our medium term goal is to produce organic chicken meat using a high proportion of home-grown food.....but first we have to have a datum....something to measure against.

Our long term goal is to breed our own broiler chicken and to produce everything it eats (except a little grain).

Gary

[nick]

gary have you looked at a cross between indian game fowl and say an australorp or leghorn. The indian game fowl have the best breast meat of any of the birds. I beleive the indians to be an average layer but that will probably not mean a lot if you have six or so.

[GaryD]

Hi Nick,

We have considered breeding a crossbred involving Indian Game fowl but, as you've acknowledged, the number of eggs that they lay is an issue.

We'll probably go for a utility line of Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds or Light Sussex where we can exploit their auto-sexing feature.....using the males for meat and the females for eggs

At this stage, we'll stick witht the chicks we're getting and focus on home-produced rations.

Gary

[nick]

gary where are you getting your day olds from?

[Jimmie]

The whole meat chicken thing is very interesting Gary. I went and purchased some small sized chicken wire the other day to build a small chicken run. Reading what you have done I think I will get just 10 chicks to start. How many square metre of small chicken run do you think I need for 10 at a time.
I figure I can start them off in a plywood box I am making 600 x 600 x 600 with bird wire on the front and a small door. I have looked at the local produce agency for one of those heater lights. They don't know exactly what it is I am trying to get. maybe that is because I don't know what I want
What is the type of heater light you use?
Jim

[GaryD]

Nick.....we get our day old chicks from a bloke at Peaks Crossing. If that's within reach for you PM me and I'll find you a phone number.

Jimmie......since broiler chickens need about four weeks on supplementary heat (particularly at this time of the year), I suggest that you build a brooder pen of about 1200mm by 1200mm (4' x 4'). This will be large enough to keep the chickens in until they no longer need heat.

For rearing them out to processing age (from six weeks onwards if you feed them a commercial ration), you need a shelter of about 1800mm by 1200mm (6' x 4').....for use as a night quarters. Attach a small strawyard.

You can make the strawyard using 1800mm by 1200mm sheets of Handimesh secured to each other by heavy duty zip ties.

The best housing option for broiler chickens (indeed any chickens) is a chicken tractor.

Sorry 'bout the delay in answering these questions......I've been otherwise engaged.

Gary

[nick]

thanks gary but a little out of my way at the moment.

Also for a brooding box i have had the thought that you could get a pallet from any where and then those thick cardboard boxes they use for pumpkins and such and use one of those with another on the floor(possibly covered with something initially to stop splayed legs) and then hang a brooding light over the top.

Cheap, easy and able to be binned or burnt at the end of the brooding period.

[GaryD]

Hi Nick,

You're right.....a recycled pumpkin box on a pallet would be good. Use wood shavings or shredded paper (even better) for the deep litter. Splayed legs are (more often than not) the result of a dietary deficiency in the breeding stock.

You need to cover the top to prevent access by rats or cats.

When we first began raising broiler chickens (too many years ago) we used galvanised steel round sections as brooder surrounds.

Gary

[GaryD]

Hi,

Today, we harvested the remaining 8 broiler chickens (out of the original 25).

They were 79 days old. They dressed out at 21.5kg – top weight of 2.9kg and low end weight of 2.2kg…..average of 2.65kg.

In the coming days. I'll tally up the total cost and give you a $ per kg.

Gary

[GaryD]

Hi,

I did the sums on the total 25 chickens.......they produced 47.4kg of chicken meat for a total of $201.05.....($161.05 for feed, $40 for the day old chicks and $6.00 for power to keep them warm during the first 3 weeks).....$4.36 per kg.

Gary