I think you've already received some good advice about Cornish Cross and the need to supplement their feed. I have read stories about people pasturing CX with good results, but be warned that they will lie out in the sun and overheat and die if the sun is where the food is. They will need lots of water and lots of shade if raised in a tractor.
Last spring I allowed a broody hen to sit on some eggs (first time I'd had a rooster so there was no point in it before) and my hen only hatched one egg. Thinking that would be an issue, I went to the feed store and all they had was CX chicks, so I purchased two to see if my hen would accept them. She did, and they were raised in a spacious yard with fresh grass and room to explore. It was funny to see how much larger the CX were than the other chick. Also interesting that even with a mama hen clucking and calling the babies out to explore new things to eat, the CX tended to stay near the food dish and didn't follow the hen around much.
Last spring I allowed a broody hen to sit on some eggs (first time I'd had a rooster so there was no point in it before) and my hen only hatched one egg. Thinking that would be an issue, I went to the feed store and all they had was CX chicks, so I purchased two to see if my hen would accept them. She did, and they were raised in a spacious yard with fresh grass and room to explore. It was funny to see how much larger the CX were than the other chick. Also interesting that even with a mama hen clucking and calling the babies out to explore new things to eat, the CX tended to stay near the food dish and didn't follow the hen around much.
