How long until able to process free range cornish x?

[luvmyEs]

This is my first time raising CX and I admit I was expecting lazy, Godzilla size chickens. They aren't! The hatchery the feed store ordered them from is Ideal. Before bringing them home, I thought they would be ready to process the second week of July. They are not very big right now, so I am thinking they won't be ready. I am feeding them FF and they run around eating bugs, grass, etc. Any idea when they might be ready? My next dozen is scheduled to arrive at the feed store next Friday.

 

[lizanne]

Do you have a picture of them? How old are they, and how much do they weigh?

 

[phalenbeck]

I have gone between 8-12 weeks to get a 5+ lb. bird in the freezer. My current batch looks like 12+ weeks, they have been really slow. I do things close to the same way each time, so I guess genetics, weather.

 

[lizanne]

That is weird. All my Cornish x that I processed at 12 weeks were over 6 pounds (without guts or the neck). My one that was processed at 14 weeks was over 9 pounds. I have 3- 17 week old girls left that are about 13.5 pounds live weight. They free range, and I don't restrict food. Has It been overly cold?

 

[luvmyEs]

Here is a picture of them. They are 5 weeks old. I don't know how much they weigh because I have nothing to weigh them with.





I don't think it has been overly cold at all. It has been very rainy the past couple of weeks.

 

[Hiesenburg]

Nice work! They look about 3.5 lbs. live weight. I can tell you this, when I process cornish game hens they are 3 lbs. live weight and come out right at 2 lbs. I would wait until they are about 5lb. to 5.5lbs. live weight if you are doing it for markets or wholesale. If they are for you then decide at what weight you would like your processed chicken and figure out the live/dead ratio. Representing Unity, Maine here. We have gotten some serious rain as well. Hope all goes well.