Milford chronicle., 1959-03-06
Feeding Tips For
Better Conversion
By EIalne Townsend Diekerson

Efficiency in broiler feeding has
reached q peak undreamed OF Just
a few years ago according TO Dell
marva Poultry Industry's Keen
Delmarva Growing Cozngnitfee.
Some OF this progress can BE credit
ed to scientifically Formulated ra-
tons but growers also Are I'm line
for share OF the credit
AS a grower you determine the
efficiency or your operation by figur-
ing the cost per pound OF meat pro-
duced. You can't afford to be satis-
fed with the progress made 10
date. To remain In business ana
complete with other broiler pro-
ducing areas you need to continu-
ously strive to increase efficiency
and decrease your cost of produc-
ton.
The extension poultrymen with
the universities serving the Dell
marva Peninsula point out that
cost of feed represents so to 10
percent of the cash cost OF produc-
ing broilers today. Feed cost there
fore Us the area where the greatest
potential saving can be made.
Rapid growth is important be-
cause it increases the total tonnage
of meat sold at any given age and
in turn increases the possible profit.
There is tendency also for rapid
growth and good feed conversion
to go along together. Birds have to
consume feed for rapid growth but
not waste 1t as this will show
up as poor conversion.
As broiler grower you are
interested In practices that will
give you rapid growth and good
conversion Here are some recon-
mendations:
Have th0roughly-cleaned chick
feeders or box lids set around the
brooders before the chicks arrive.
Use any arrangement that will let
the chicks get to the feeders when
ever they want and be sure to let
some of the feeders run under the
hover. The easier il is for chicks
to find feed the more they will eat.
The feed troughs should be kept
clean and free from litter and
filth otherwise there will be de-
creased feed consumption. BY ad-
justing the lip of the feeder to the
height of the birds back you will
not only keep litter out of the feed
but you will reduce the amount of
feed that the bird is able TO bill"
out OF the feeder. Feed In the litter
does net produce meat.
Another factor that viii reduce
T. ~f %e Nr@& a
feeders too full IL you are usiAg
troughs. Trough feeders should not
be filled more than 1/S full or there
will be excessive 'sbiAing" out.
AS the birds grow cider keep adj
justing the height of The feeders
and make sure you have sufficient
number Of feeders. The number and
distribution of feeders Is just as
important as total feeding space.
Too few feeders regardless os their
length result in crowding and some
birds not getting their fair share.
The Keep Delmarva Growing"
committee recommends at least 20
five-foot trough feeders or 20 to
2 round hanging feeders per 1000
birds. Birds should not have TO
walk more than 10 feet for feed.
How often should the birds be
fed, When using troughs the birds
should be fed at least 8 times daily
and once daily when using hanging
feeders. Also some poultrymen re-
commend when using hanging
feeders shaking them down three
times daily when chickens are un-
der FIVE weeks OF age and four or
five times daily afterwards.
It's the small details that mean
the difference between good or
poor quality broiler-or the diff
erence between profit or loss Let's
pay attention TO these details and
Keep Delmarva Growing"