My Cornish X experiment

[duluthralphie]

OOPS I forgot. I have figured out how I will determine which CXs do not go to camp!


I am carrying poultry rings with me of different colors. I am putting the rings on the birds I find furthest from their pen. I will carry the 2 colors a blue and red after I mark them and remove markings as needed. I will put the a red and blue on the boys and on the girls!


Of Course, I being like Noah, am only taking pairs, so 2 boys and 2 girls will try to live to spring.

 

[Betsy57]

I (knocking on wood also) have never had any problems with any sicknesses. I do not give mine any medication or medicated feed. I know I am running a risk, but I take it for medication free meat. I know by the time I process the drugs would be gone, or most of it. I still go without though, besides my wanting medication free meat, people are willing to pay a premium for it. ( not that I try to make money, but selling some helps offset feed costs)



My method is called " a wing and a prayer method".

Okay, I'm kinda confused. You said you give them medicated chick starter at first and then poultry feed, no medications but then you ay your feed has Amprolium in it. Are you referring to the early start of medicated chick starter or does the poultry feed have medication in it? I've been feeding mine organic feed (Countryside Organics) for the chicks and putting a little Corid in their water. They're a week today and have doubled in weight (1.75-3.55 oz). They're drinking more than they're eating at this point. They're not eating anymore than my egg layer chicks at this age but I imagine that will pick up here shortly.

 

[duluthralphie]

Okay, I'm kinda confused. You said you give them medicated chick starter at first and then poultry feed, no medications but then you ay your feed has Amprolium in it. Are you referring to the early start of medicated chick starter or does the poultry feed have medication in it? I've been feeding mine organic feed (Countryside Organics) for the chicks and putting a little Corid in their water. They're a week today and have doubled in weight (1.75-3.55 oz). They're drinking more than they're eating at this point. They're not eating anymore than my egg layer chicks at this age but I imagine that will pick up here shortly.

I think you have me confused with Old folks.

I never feed medicated starter.

We all do it a little different, that is what we learn on sights like this. It is interesting to see what everyone does differently.

The CX"s drink a lot of water, I think it is needed to metabolize the huge amounts of food they eat for the growth they have.

This batch is drinking way less water than my last one. I think, and this is only my opinion, the last batch had diabetes or a chicken like diabetes. They were so large so fast and it took a toll on their systems. I know in humans diabetes will force a person to drink a lot of water. They also had lots of leg, heart problems and ascites.

By slowing down their growth I think I have avoided that.

BTW my CX's are out free ranging again today, some made the trip to last nights feeding spot for the DPs. GO MEATBALLS!!!


BTW you can get medicated and non-medicated chicken feed. The feed stores try to sell the medicated stuff, so if you do not say non-medicated you may get medicated.


You can also use game bird feed, it is normally not medicated and is around 28 percent protein. I use that for young turkeys and Guineas.

 

[The Old Yolks]

I feed medicated chick starter with Amprolium in it for the first 10 days then they get poultry feed for the rest of their growing time. Unless you actually have had a case of coccidiosis or you feed the wild birds near your coops I don't really see a reason to feed it the entire time.

 

[Double Kindness]

Egads! The wild birds flock to my yard all looking for scraps or seeds, not minding my greyhounds or us especially a duckbilled magpie and something that looks like a hawk... which is why my chickens are in enclosed areas now. The itty bitty songbird finch looking birds still get in through gaps of 1" though.

 

[Betsy57]

I think you have me confused with Old folks.

I never feed medicated starter.

We all do it a little different, that is what we learn on sights like this. It is interesting to see what everyone does differently.

The CX"s drink a lot of water, I think it is needed to metabolize the huge amounts of food they eat for the growth they have.

This batch is drinking way less water than my last one. I think, and this is only my opinion, the last batch had diabetes or a chicken like diabetes. They were so large so fast and it took a toll on their systems. I know in humans diabetes will force a person to drink a lot of water. They also had lots of leg, heart problems and ascites.

By slowing down their growth I think I have avoided that.

BTW my CX's are out free ranging again today, some made the trip to last nights feeding spot for the DPs. GO MEATBALLS!!!


BTW you can get medicated and non-medicated chicken feed. The feed stores try to sell the medicated stuff, so if you do not say non-medicated you may get medicated.


You can also use game bird feed, it is normally not medicated and is around 28 percent protein. I use that for young turkeys and Guineas.

Okay, sorry. We're all confused! Old Folks said he/she gives medicated feed. Well, I have been giving them a little Cord in their water just as a protection.
I thought they could get a disease by eating their own poop and since they are bound to be doing that, I medicate. Am I wrong?

 

[Bladeguy]

Betsy, I'm a newbie, but I have read a lot on here to get the scoop on medicated vs. Non. I was getting a lot of conflicting information, but I think I have it now (then someone will correct me and I will have to look again, lol). The medicated feed has Amprol in it, which basically will help the chick or chicken fight cocci. There is cocci in every soil, and in most chicken poop too since once the chicken is exposed to soil, it will have cocci in its system. My understanding is that there is potential for a chicken never exposed to be exposed to too much too soon, hence many used medicated feed. I am under the impression that the medication stays in the chickens digestive system and is not digested at all, but kills off some cocci to help the chicken's immune system. Many chickens are exposed to cocci at different levels with no medicated feed and their immune system fights it off to keep levels safe. So should you feed medicated? That's up to you. I did fermented feed for 4 weeks, a little ACV with the mother in the water, and had no issues with my 50 meat birds, but that is me in my soil. Also, I am definitely no biologist, but I just don't like the idea of introducing the medication if it may not be needed, and I'm not versed enough to know for sure if any of it goes into the meat I'm going to eat. I prefer to err on the side of no medication until I absolutely see a need for it. Again, that is only my opinion, and each person has to decide for themselves what is the best route for their chickens/food. I'm on no crusade to stop medicated, and may, some day, change my mind on it too, as I'm always trying to learn more. My advice....worth everything you paid for it too!!!

 

[Bladeguy]

Ralphie, if I remember right, yours are 4 days older than mine. Mine just took off in the last five days or so. Last Thursday, the biggest chicken I weighed was 4.5 lb., and now I have a 6 lb. bird, and a bunch at 5.5 lb. The smallest one I found was just under 4 lb. now. It seems like a switch has turned in their brain and now they are eating voraciously instead. I change two things on the last 3 weeks....I stopped fermenting their feed, and I gave them less space in their fenced in area. But even the smaller space didn't seem to change anything for 2 weeks, so I'm not sure what happened in the last 5 days, but I went from figuring I'd need 10-11 weeks, to looking at sending some to freezer camp next week, and the rest by the end of next week, which is 9 weeks to just shy of 10 weeks they will be in the freezer.....unless I have a few really small ones, then I may keep them around and let them grow a little more. I want to do most next week though, as I'm renting a whiz bang plucker from a customer of mine and I want to do as few by hand as possible. I don't think my wife and kids are going to want to help too much, as they are pretty attached to these birds. My wife isn't even sure she will be able to eat them, but I told her, "one taste and you will forget all about their cute little faces!" I think it is good for my family to actually see where our food comes from so they respect life more, and are not wasteful of food. Sorry, rambling and I probably need to get some work done.

 

[LindaB220]

OOPS I forgot. I have figured out how I will determine which CXs do not go to camp!


I am carrying poultry rings with me of different colors. I am putting the rings on the birds I find furthest from their pen. I will carry the 2 colors a blue and red after I mark them and remove markings as needed. I will put the a red and blue on the boys and on the girls!


Of Course, I being like Noah, am only taking pairs, so 2 boys and 2 girls will try to live to spring.

Great idea, Ralph, let us know how it turns out.

 

[LindaB220]

Okay, sorry. We're all confused! Old Folks said he/she gives medicated feed. Well, I have been giving them a little Cord in their water just as a protection.
I thought they could get a disease by eating their own poop and since they are bound to be doing that, I medicate. Am I wrong?

Yes, this time your wrong. Only use corid for10 days as a preventative. Usually a half dose. Eating poop will not hurt them. The natural and easiest way to do it is to put a shovelful of dirt out of the garden or run in the brooder with them and let them eat it to build up natural immunities. I did buy a bottle of Corid to have on hand in case there is an outbreak but I've never even opened the bottle. It's there if it's needed. Chicks are healthy naturally. I had to get used to the fact that they are going to eat dead bugs and poop and a lot of unappetizing things. But for them, it's right.

I never buy medicated feed. It's not necessary. I do ferment their feed and find it makes them extremely active and healthy. Saves me money on feed also.