Product Models

As a Field Ops. Supervisor, and chicken grower, let me make a few statements first. Everything that I say following, hinges on a few things that the grower must do first:

A. Houses must be pre-heated correctly.
B. Adequate water must be available.
C. Ventilation must be good.
D. Feed lines must be kept filled.

The only reason that I state this is that it is not possible to achieve the results that I will describe unless the basic requirements are met. The “Feed Caddy” is the best and most economically efficient method of putting out feed for brooding and first full house turn out. Growers using the “Feed Caddy” have seen around a 95%, 24-hour crop check. During a chicks first 14 days it will gain weight at around a one-to-one feed conversion ratio. Never again in its life will it approach this performance. The feed availability that the “Feed Caddy” provides is superior to any other method that I have seen. Being able to put out a solid band of feed from center house to brood end wall has many advantages. First of all, the chicks can be deposited on top of paper and on top of feed. The response from the chicks is amazing. Chicks are born on paper so the sound of their claws and paws on paper is stimulating. Then, the chicks have anywhere that they want to turn for food. Chicks will start to feed immediately. I have seen approximately 20,000 chicks clean up 2,200 pounds of extra feed in 3 to 4 days.

One important thing is not to let the paper lie under a waterline. If paper is under a waterline it will cake. Most caking, if not all, is caused by grower mismanagement. Paper is a very good feed management and stimulating tool. Paper saves enough spilled feed to pay for its cost each flock.

With this thought in mind, we built an extension for the axles to allow us to use five-foot-wide paper. This extension allows us to place paper underneath the feed lines and pans with enough paper left to put out our band of feed next to the feed pans. We pull a 14-inch tire in front of the paper to create a furrow so that the chicks do not waste feed. The results that I have seen from growers’ performance is outstanding.

Keep in mind that most growers that use a “Feed Caddy” are probably the more proactive growers in the area. By saying this, what I mean is that every other environmental factor has been taken care of. With that said, I have seen grower flock weights average from .2 to .4 pounds per bird weight higher than other growers. Putting this all together is what helps your bottom line. Higher 24-hour crop fill equals lower first week mortality and faster growth during this critical time. Quicker first week growth equals better feed conversion and higher bird weight coupled with lower mortality which adds up to more money in the grower’s pocket. When I see a win-win situation for the grower and integrator then the decision is easy. The “Feed Caddy” is money in your pocket.