Son was asking about raising some meat birds this year, know the basics but what you got for tips?

Things im wondering about,
Space pre bird
Inside only or give them a run
Ways to slow growth to prevent leg issues
Breed preferred

Any tips your willing to share

Fyi looking at May chicks if possible

Feed on the floor not in a feeder when they touch the feeder to eat it can cause breast blisters.

Like in a shallow pan or literally on the floor?

On the floor any bump to the skin can cause them.

I'd like to raise some but I've got soft in my old age and would have trubble butchering them. Plus I run alot and don't need any critters holding me down if I want to run off someplace with my bride.

The Cornish rock cross is what we raised, but when they get big the legs can get bad.

Don’t feed them free choice 24 hours a day. We feed them free choice during the daylight, then take the feed away for nights. We use a raised feeder about head high.

I've done 3 rounds of Cornish cross, starting another batch next week. I start them inside for 3 weeks, on chick starter, and then 5-6 weeks outside, on meatbird feed.
I use a chicken tractor that's 6'x8', and have done 12-18 birds in it, and that seems about right for square feet per bird. Not so tight that they seem cramped, but if they have too much room they won't gain weight fast enough because of they'll walk off all their calories.
I move the tractor once a day, and the poop is no big deal. I run sprinklers in the yard, and the poop basically disappears after 2-3 days.
They free-feed for the first 3 weeks, and then twice a day once their outside. 1/4lb per bird per day for weeks 3-5 and .3-.4lbs per bird weeks 5 until butchering, is what I'm planning for a feeding schedule this time. I did 1/4lb per bird the whole time last time, and ended with 5lb birds at 8 weeks last time, and want them a little bigger this time.
They're vicious when it comes to feeding time. I use a feeding trough that's basically a piece of gutter, they need 6" of space per bird and the feeder.

I've never had leg problems with the way I've fed them. I ran one over once while moving the chicken tractor and it dragged it's leg around for a couple days, but recovered fine and couldn't see any evidence of injuries when I butchered it.

We raise Cornish cross. Normally two batches a year in 8x8 chicken tractors. I’ve put about 50 in one tractor, but that’s too tight. After about 5-6 weeks you need to move it several times a day if you have that many. And you wouldn’t hardly be able to keep the water full. 30-35 is about ideal for that size tractor to me. If you use a tractor, take advantage of the free fertilizer and plant something behind it. Or run them through a garden area. We put ours in the tractor on grass from day one. I’ll block the area down and put a couple heat lamps in there. After a couple weeks I remove the blocked down area and begin to move them. We feed a 16% non gmo feed and grow them to a good size in 8-9 weeks. We have pushed them with higher protein game bird feed before and they grew bigger quicker. We have one or two with bad legs in most batches, but having one or two out of 50-80 isn’t a big deal to me. The worst issue we’ve ever had is letting them get too cold too early one time. At about 5 weeks their hearts were giving out. I think it was called water belly. We were losing 1-3 a night

Kids used to do 25-50.every spring.
Think they were like $0.50 each thru 4H.
They eat,drink,poop, repeat.
Think we usually killed at about 7 weeks

It's been a few years. Cornish x Rocks. Similar to Loosegoose, free choice x3 weeks, then fed twice a day. If HOT, put a fan on them. I lost half my birds one year in extremely hot weather, not realizing a fan would have saved them. Tractor is fine but would recommend getting them off the ground in last week or they will be full of dirt when you process. I also like to get the feed 6-8" off the floor to make them stand, strong legs = less cripples.
And if you're going to do them frequently, get or make an automatic plucker.

I have acess to a plucker so thats good, I think the tractor is out no grass to put them on just straight up sand. What do you all keep them in for those first 3 weeks? I can set up old stock tanks for the beginning but don't think that works for long.

I let mine run loose.

Good feed, plenty of water and ample space are keys. As mentioned once they hit the 3 week mark pull the feed at night to slow growth and prevent leg splaying. Earlier in the year is better as they don’t do well in the heat. I prefer to give them an outside run for more room and movement.

I use hanging feeders and just lift them at night. Fortunate to have a poultry processor who will dress birds and shrink bag for about $5 per.

Yep raised the cornish cross usually 25- 30 when they started to feather out left them out in a 12x18 pen for a couple weeks so they would get used to going back into the shed at night after that they ran free and at dark shut the shed door started them on medicated feed after that chop feed always available nothing wrong with their legs I wanted size not grillers so 10 -12 weeks depending on the Amish processers 7-9lbs dressed

like red rangers the hatcherys all have different names for them lot hardier and grow fast like cornish cross they sell them as meat birds decided to keep some few years back talk about big eggs been my favorite ever sencse