My Cornish X experiment

[duluthralphie]

I had 3 turkeys when I started and they were happy together.....

They grew into 14 turkeys, 15 guinea hens and 150 chickens in a few months....So watch them reproduce!

Turkeys are very noisy. In case your neighbors would be upset. They are friendly and will come running when they see you, or anyone. They greet you with a bunch of Gobbles.

 

[Double Kindness]

Hmmm, then I might just have to stick with chickens, ducks and rabbits. Btw, I think my nzw x sf doe is pregnant. OMG bun buns!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Just a note to update.

I still have 4 CX's alive.

They are all in the 15 pound range.

I let them free range, feeding them only scratch and a little 16% protein layer mash now and then.

They still live in the same brooder as pictured, except it is covered by snow, so I call it an igloo. I have a waterer outside for them that stay open until about zero.

I kept 3 hens and a rooster. The rooster is not the largest bird and not very aggressive I hope he knows how to do his duties in the spring. They are 19 weeks old.

I am going to be moving them when I get the time and get off my lazy rear to the "summer" coop. I will give them a paddock and a portion of the coop for just them. I do not want them breeding with my other roosters.

I probably will not add anything here for a while again.

BTW I did get a bunch of nice birds for the freezer some around 11 pounds dressed! The meat is super tasting, tender and just what I wanted way better than my first batch....

Next post will most likely be when I get frog eggs!

 

[carsonwild]

Cool thread.

 

[duluthralphie]

Bump..

 

[nj2wv]

What a great read. Very informative. My CX are a week old tomorrow. These are my first batch of CX. I am considering saving a few so I can hatch my own too.

 

[duluthralphie]

I wish you well, I would keep 3 hens and 2 roosters if I was you. I did not keep enough roosters I only kept the one and I am scared to death something will happen to him and ruin my whole experiment for this year.

Remember do not over feed the CX's to make them into good birds!

 

[nj2wv]

Thank you. That is a good idea to keep two. I may experiment with CX rooster over dp hen. Dp rooster over CX hen. CX rooster over CX hen. See what is best on meat. Have three pens with one rooster and two hens. Mark and incubate the eggs at the same time and see who is the best overall. So I guess four hens and two roosters.

 

[duluthralphie]

Thank you. That is a good idea to keep two. I may experiment with CX rooster over dp hen. Dp rooster over CX hen. CX rooster over CX hen. See what is best on meat. Have three pens with one rooster and two hens. Mark and incubate the eggs at the same time and see who is the best overall. So I guess four hens and two roosters.

You're very welcome, Gosh, we are all so polite,

.


You are actually purposing what I am trying to do. I really want to know how it works out for you. I am so afraid I am going to go out and into the coop and find my only CX rooster dead every day. I know it is not a rational fear, or maybe it is based on their short life spans, I just know I wish I had kept another one.

I originally kept 3 hens and 1 rooster. I lost a hen to a weasel about 2 months ago. I was devastated. I know they are meat birds but I have come to love them.

 

[nj2wv]

It is a rational fear. You never know what could happen. I have to build another chicken pen and get a new thermometer and candler. The last batch of regular barnyard mutts didn't hatch. I have time yet they are only a week old.