Cobb types

[gnipper 7,131]

Me and a mate are going to try rearing some meat birds in his garden but feed them on growers pellets, grains and greens along with whatever they can find in his garden in the hope of producing some healthier/happier meat without all the crap they get in the big sheds. Anyone done this before? I got him half a dozen 4 week old birds yesterday but they seem a bit big and lazy already, should we have got them at day olds and not fed them the shite to begin with or will they come good with a bit of sun and exercise?

Cheers, gnipper

[Guest bluemink]

tbh mate for the first month or so all birds are reared pretty much the same. big meat birds will be big and lazy so next time he might want to go for a slower growing bird that is meant for outside meat production. my advice would also be to finish them off for a few weeks with fattener pellets.

[wirral countryman 2,110]

hello gnipper,I rear these quite regularly and only ever corn feed and plenty of greens,they are not a very clever bird but adapt to the outside quickly,gradually mix more and more corn in with the pellets untill your on only corn,they get to full size very fast,10 or 12wks,some put on weight quicker than other's,that is the age to slaughter them,after this age they are normally too big for their legs and feet and is not uncommon to see them sitting down all the time due to the weight,I normally see this as the sign they are ready,they are greedy birds and are not cheap to feed unless you have access to a cheap farmer's corn supplier,if you bought pellets to the end each bird would be a very expensive meal and would be full of all the rubbish your trying to avoid,atb,wirralman