raising small scale chickens for the table

[mikep]

supplier recommends 80 days min for these breeds which is 11 weeks. Adlib feeding. I was thinking off adding milk as we have excess of jersey.

Supplier rec grower to start with. However apart from the 1-2% protein difference are these the same in ingredients?

Breed. If to want to go the whole hog try to get some of the better Light Sussex birds. These were the basis of the famous Surrey Capons. The hens fatten better then the cocks but both will take 20+ weeks. In terms of time you always get what you pay for. The longer the growing time the better the flavour, also the texture will get firmer and may to many seem tougher. We found that pot roasting was better for that reason.
Feed. Layers will do but it's dearer. Farmyard chicks got what they could find so don't fret too much, It is higher protein and includes more calcium and lots of maize to colour the yolks. Whole wheat added at one third will help the birds thrive as it stimulates the digestive system unlike pellets. Your milk is an excellent idea as the above Capons were finished on milk and oats. Try to get some rolled oats and soak in milk make a porridge. Feed adlib with a small quantity of pellets.
I don't like the idea of organic poultry feed as when I looked into it they had to use so much unnatural (for a bird) sh!t that it didn't seem right. Naturally chickens do not eat 'potato' extract or prairie meal shipped from south America or any other processed junk. Why feed your animals on something you wouldn't eat yourself?
It's great fun raising then but plan well ahead for killing as that is when the work begins.

 

[Marj]

Breed. If to want to go the whole hog try to get some of the better Light Sussex birds. These were the basis of the famous Surrey Capons. The hens fatten better then the cocks but both will take 20+ weeks. In terms of time you always get what you pay for. The longer the growing time the better the flavour, also the texture will get firmer and may to many seem tougher. We found that pot roasting was better for that reason.
Feed. Layers will do but it's dearer. Farmyard chicks got what they could find so don't fret too much, It is higher protein and includes more calcium and lots of maize to colour the yolks. Whole wheat added at one third will help the birds thrive as it stimulates the digestive system unlike pellets. Your milk is an excellent idea as the above Capons were finished on milk and oats. Try to get some rolled oats and soak in milk make a porridge. Feed adlib with a small quantity of pellets.
I don't like the idea of organic poultry feed as when I looked into it they had to use so much unnatural (for a bird) sh!t that it didn't seem right. Naturally chickens do not eat 'potato' extract or prairie meal shipped from south America or any other processed junk. Why feed your animals on something you wouldn't eat yourself?
It's great fun raising then but plan well ahead for killing as that is when the work begins.

Hi there,

Really great to hear that milk could be fed to chickens! As we are hoping to combine pastured chickens with a micro dairy.

Is there a maximum that chickens should have? And what about milky rinse water? This would just be water that was used to rinse e.g. milk pails, no chemicals of course. I suppose this could also be used to make the porridge? But I also guess it would be less good as drinking water as it might go off too soon.

I'm also very interested to hear more about alternative food sources e.g. types of plants that could be sown in with pasture (a permaculture book e.g. recommended Siberian Vetch, think also known as Hairy Vetch).

And anyone got a tip for a good info source on what chickens actually need from their feed (as apposed to feed producing companies telling me what chickens need...)? Protein, layers need calcium (e.g. Oyster shells). I don't seem to be able to get any wiser from a Google search...

Any tips or info much appreciated!

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

Just out of curiosity, how do you (anyone) feed milk to chickens?

 

[ShooTa]

in their tea like every british person would have it clearly!