Keeping a Cornish x to point of lay

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TimCline

TimCline

Chirping
Mar 31, 2016
194
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Inez, ky
I'm going to attempt to cross a buff orp roo to a Cornish cross hen. Any advice on keeping my Cornish alive that long? When to begin restricting feed? How much to feed then?
 
TimCline said:
I'm going to attempt to cross a buff orp roo to a Cornish cross hen. Any advice on keeping my Cornish alive that long? When to begin restricting feed? How much to feed then?
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How large is your run? You posted somewhere else that you weren't in a position to let your birds free range right? Limiting protein will likely help, and encouraging them to forage as much as you can inside the run. I'd limit treats, and then limit them to greens and such although an occasional meal worm is probably ok - I wouldn't give them daily (again, protein). Many people ration them to meals, but if they're housed with other chickens that may be tough to do - maybe you're able to quarantine them for meal times?

Realistically, these birds were 'born to die' at around 8 weeks old, so anything you can give them after that is a bonus. I'd just watch them and if they make it and seem healthy - let them keep going until/unless they start showing signs of illness/injury/pain that would warrant euthanization.
 
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I'm thinking pen them separate and feed them only what they can clean up in x amount of time once or twice a day. After about 4 weeks. Thoughts? I could rig up a small tractor if that might help also.
 
Everything I've read says the key is very small feed rations and free ranging to get exercise, also possibly switching to a low quality feed like scratch. This is something I've often considered but haven't made the step of having multiple breeding pens. I also have been kicking around the idea of just getting a breed like new Hampshire and trying to breed them back up to the far growth they had 100 years ago
 
I've had my CX for almost 2 and a half years. He seems to be in good health. He free ranges constantly. I'll let him have some scratch feed once a day and it seems to be working.
400
 
I'm going to use this thread to log my progress on these as I go. Got these tuesday. Cornish X from TSC
400
 
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