First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[Dave C]

I'm processing the Sasso tomorrow, so should have some weights for you.
A week late but been working away.

I'm having second thoughts on my breeder cockerel, there's a big guy with white head who is very big but moves well for his size.
And there is the slightly smaller lad who I'm sure will be fit enough to make it to breed next year

I see me keeping them both
Even though I'm suppose to be cutting back a little

 

[holm25]

Anybody seen JR? Is he working over the road again? He hasn't been on in over a week?

 

[lpatelski]

You MUST restrict the feed from 2 weeks on. You must watch for heat stress. My bird Betty was hatched 2/6/2015. I raised her by the chart. I have bred the chicks below CX over CX as replacements. They are heavy at 14 days. I need to start feed restriction now. Once they stop walking it is too late. I posted a feed vs weight chart. My chicks will be fed on the same program. I feed everyday-not skip a day- and give treats a few times a week, I cannot watch them starve. Betty is 2 years and 5 months. She lays 85g eggs.

Betty Boop .35 kg at 14 days
Harambo .34kg at 14 days
Dino .33kg at 14 days
Lazur .29kg at 14 days

 

[duluthralphie]

I have seen proof IN THIS THREAD that shows that the CX is more fragile than other birds, even when being raised correctly. A few people on this thread tried to raise them to breeding age and ended up losing a good number of them by breeding age. Ralfie only has a handful of Toads due to the CX being hard to raise and breeders dropping dead earlier than expected. He's only been working on Toads for less than 10 years and has already gone through 3 (I believe) Berts and hasn't processed one just for the heck of it yet, they have died of CX related complications.

I'm not saying it can't be done, but they are MORE FRAGILE than other chickens. No one can debate that they are MORE FRAGILE than other chickens due to all of the special care that goes into restricting the feed like crazy and them REQUIRING free range to be able to live to breeding age comfortably.

Not sure how/why you guys keep argueing with me about this when I am not saying that they are fat, lazy, dirty birds. I AM saying that due to their "Frankenbird" genetics, that they are more fragile and prone to issues like broken legs, bumblefoot, heart issues, etc.

I actually have a toad in the smoker as I type this.

They are harder to raise but so worth it.

 

[duluthralphie]

You MUST restrict the feed from 2 weeks on. You must watch for heat stress. My bird Betty was hatched 2/6/2015. I raised her by the chart. I have bred the chicks below CX over CX as replacements. They are heavy at 14 days. I need to start feed restriction now. Once they stop walking it is too late. I posted a feed vs weight chart. My chicks will be fed on the same program. I feed everyday-not skip a day- and give treats a few times a week, I cannot watch them starve. Betty is 2 years and 5 months. She lays 85g eggs.
View attachment 1085664
Betty Boop .35 kg at 14 daysView attachment 1085689
Harambo .34kg at 14 daysView attachment 1085691
Dino .33kg at 14 daysView attachment 1085690
Lazur .29kg at 14 days View attachment 1085692

So true, heat is a killer to them.

 

[holm25]

So with the batch of CD I have rn I have noticed that even thought they have full feed and are in a synthetic still choose to go pick in the back part and eat grass. I restricted feed for 3 weeks from day one and they don't hardly eat at all. When they go out in the morning and in the evening before lock up is when they do most of their eating.

 

[Dave C]

Dispatched the cockerels yesterday, went ok not a job I enjoyed but its what I signed up for when I wanted better quality meat which has lived a free range life.

I'm very pleased with the second generation Sasso types, weights ranged from 2.2kg - 2.66kg dressed at 15 weeks old.
On par with last years bought in birds.

So 1 year on and I would say it was a worthwhile project.
Fingers crossed they continue to breed true.

The Sasso x Marans were a different shaped bird altogether.
Lowest dressed out at 1.7kg, largest at 1.96kg.
They would of been better in another month or so but for 15 weeks they had as much meat yield as a 24 week Sussex in my opinion.

So the verdict is still out on them.
What you all think?

 

[Kusanar]

I actually have a toad in the smoker as I type this.

They are harder to raise but so worth it.

But is the toad in the smoker a Bert? I didn't say that you don't process Toads, but that you don't process Berts.

 

[duluthralphie]

The Bird in the Smoker is a Toad. It is not a Bert. Smoking a Bert would be a High Crime. They are the King Bird....

There is a whole legal process that we have to go through to smoke a Bert. There is a Bird on Death row now that use to be a Bert.

It requires the Bert to commit at least one major crime. This Ex-Bert drove his beak about 1/4 inch into my leg when he decided he did not want to go to bed one night. But even that did not send him to death row. A few nights later at bed time he decided to jump a pullet (toad) and breed her. Which is his royal right to to.

This Ex-Bert jumped on the pullet and bred her hard and furiously. So hard he ripped the feathers above her wing and drew copious amounts of blood from the cuts on her back.

For this offense the Ex Bert was given a trial. The Judge in the trial after examining the evidence, Declared this Birds name to not be Bert, but from now forward to be known as "OJ".

OJ was condemned to death for his crimes. However, A bleeding heart liberal judge stepped in and demanded we attempt to rehabilitate OJ. OJ is not in a cell on death row. He has been given a certain but secret amount of time to rehabilitate himself.

If he does not rehabilitate himself or if he is released and breaks probation the original sentence will be reinstated and the sentence will be carried out.


This is OJ in his cell.

 

[Molpet]

The Bird in the Smoker is a Toad. It is not a Bert. Smoking a Bert would be a High Crime. They are the King Bird....

There is a whole legal process that we have to go through to smoke a Bert. There is a Bird on Death row now that use to be a Bert.

It requires the Bert to commit at least one major crime. This Ex-Bert drove his beak about 1/4 inch into my leg when he decided he did not want to go to bed one night. But even that did not send him to death row. A few nights later at bed time he decided to jump a pullet (toad) and breed her. Which is his royal right to to.

This Ex-Bert jumped on the pullet and bred her hard and furiously. So hard he ripped the feathers above her wing and drew copious amounts of blood from the cuts on her back.

For this offense the Ex Bert was given a trial. The Judge in the trial after examining the evidence, Declared this Birds name to not be Bert, but from now forward to be known as "OJ".

OJ was condemned to death for his crimes. However, A bleeding heart liberal judge stepped in and demanded we attempt to rehabilitate OJ. OJ is not in a cell on death row. He has been given a certain but secret amount of time to rehabilitate himself.

If he does not rehabilitate himself or if he is released and breaks probation the original sentence will be reinstated and the sentence will be carried out.


This is OJ in his cell.