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NO Leg problems

cheri n chicks
By cheri n chicks
Posted · 241 Views · 4 Comments

Pros: Large Birds

Cons: more care in & out of coop

I have succesfuly raised cornish cross breed with no leg problems. We use Willard Water, remove feed at 7 pm until 8 am.
They are ready to eat in the am BUT do not sit in front of the feeder 24-7 and just eat.
I have them out side in the day, you have to make sure they do not hurt themselves when getting out of the coop. Some of the girls do not want to use the walk way they just want to hop out.

We just butchered 15 and had a couple that weighed 8 lbs, with an avg of 6.5. So I feel good about what we are doing. AND great flavored meat !

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4 Comments

ooptec 5/26/12 at 6:55am
hey,
I also free range my cornish X's and can report same results as you. They are smart and good free rangers.
It was so hot here when they got to the size I wanted to butcher at so didn't. I like them larger than fryers but smaller than roasters and by the time it cooled off last fall they were all roasters. In the 8 to 10 lb range.
No leg probs and as a bonus they go broody and are as good at setting as the other chickens
cheers
TMNfarm 5/26/12 at 1:25pm
How old were yours when you butchered?? Mine are 6 weeks old now and HUGE! They don't have any problems and I have managed to raise all 12 of the ones I bought fairly easily so far, but a few of them only walk a few steps before they plop themselves down to rest. I am concerned that they may develop leg problems soon. I was planning on butchering them between 8-10 weeks if I can wait that long. I feed them 1/2 of an ice cream bucket of meat bird food twice a day, so they don't have unlimited access to food, either... This is our first attempt at raising chickens of any sort. We also have 12 layers, and the difference in size is amazing!
PancakeShiners 5/1/13 at 2:03pm
Your review settles my unease quite a bit. Thank you. Some of the things people say about them... I wonder if it's just not the best care, breeding problems, or if they really are that way. Me, I love big, wide chickens. Love them. :3 So I was planning on keeping Cornish Rocks, raising most of them for meat, taking the necessary precautions (supplements, limiting feed, special care, ect...) and keep one hen. I love big chickens. But can they live as long as other chickens if they are taken care of properly? I'm willing to spend extra time to care for one.
ooptec 5/2/13 at 8:12am
gee, mine free ranged daily from first to last light for 3 mos. till butchered at 8-10lbs. I put out about 3/5 of a 5gal pail of mixed grains (screenings) which is prob 2/3 wheat, 1/3 peas and the rest a little bit of seed seeds once a day. This feeds about 42 birds incl 5 turkeys, 9 geese, 4 guineas 20 meat and egg chickens and a few others.
No probs w/legs, have 2 cornish x hens that are 4 years old now sorta as pets I guess. Tho mostly too tough to eat but they still lay so good enuf.
No leg probs ever, they tear across the yard after a bug as well as anything else.
New BABIES 10 days away in 'bator, wyandotte layers, then every 4 days after duckies and goosies next
cheers
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