Wet weather cool temps stunting Cornish X growth?

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
You can do it, but I like to wait until temps hit 50 at night before three week olds hit pasture. The biggest thing it does is stress them and slows them down. If you're not in a hurry to get them out I would let them feather out a little more.

 

[anthonyjames]

Jeff,

I hope you are not getting the weather we just got here last night. Was sunny and 50 finally after 4 days of high winds, rain and sleet. Woke up this AM and 1 inch of snow on the ground. I must say when I headed to the pasture to check out my broilers (5 weeks) they were running around and having a fun time it looked like. I guess I am just glad I kept tarp on the top that is normally open.

They say it is supposed to melt today and get to 38 but I am so tired of this weather and wish the heat would come.

By the way can you shoot me some images of your hoop house where you start your broilers? I can't seem to find it. And what size was it? I am trying to replicate something similar to get the meat birds out of the barn.

Thanks

 

[DanIndiana]

Hey Armyman,
I'm in NW Indiana as well. I have some 2 week old meaties inside still. I know you had growth issues, but you 've been able to keep them outside overnight without extra heat?
That actually sounds encouraging to me. Maybe I can let mine out sooner than I think. Do you have any experience processing; just wondering because I need to learn quick.

 

[EGGTASKTIC]

I will join the bad weather ban wagon. I put my first batch out at 3weeks in the middle of driving rain, then it started to hail. I will agree with others, when it is cold and wet a layer of straw is a real asset. I also close in the tractor leaving just 1/2 of a side open. This year i even left a light on with the meaties so the could just keep eating all night long.

I have been lower the temp in the brooder during week 3 and pouring the food to the chicks and had good luck getting them to feather out.

 

[Armyman2007]

Dan I am not to far from you, our farm is on the Lowell/Cedar Lake border. Yes I put chickens out on April 10th when we had that freakishly warm day, they were 1 day shy of 3 weeks at that time. I have had them outside in a tractor since then. I have put scrap pieces of tin on the roof in an effort to keep them dry, and thrown hay in for them to lay on, but have no extra heat at all going. I have lost no chickens but like I said in the original post it is really stunting their growth. This is my first time raising chickens, so I don't have much experience as far as processing. I have been duck hunting for a long time though, and have cleaned quite a few ducks. Hoping the process is similar

 

[anthonyjames]

I must say we have had crap weather. 3 inches snow yesterday followed by sleet and then rain and now rain the next 2 days with a break for a day then rain all weekend. Then temps are promptly going to be in the 60's. I was out throwing about 2/3 bail of straw in the tractor this AM and the humidity from the birds inside was crazy. Just about raining inside the tractor. But must say as soon as I was underneath spreading the straw it was easily 55 - 60 with all those little bodies. 75 of them.

Temps have not been above 38 since last week Monday. Birds are 6 weeks old.

 

[awesomefowl]

We've had wet cold nasty weather, and my 4 week old CX are in a chicken tractor covered with sheet plastic. They seem to be fine, but aren't growing as fast.

 

[bigredfeather]

We had frost this morning. I went out to check on them b4 work and all was well. The open end of the tractor was facing the East, and they were all up and about. The birds are just over 3 weeks old in one of the tractors, but they have handled this cold/wet week really well. Out of 120 birds on the pasture right now, I have only lost 1, so even though I have been stressed about this weather, it may be for no reason. One thing I have really noticed is how fast they finish feathering out when placed in cooler temps. The ones I moved out Sunday still had yellow heads when I moved them, but are almost all white now, only 4 days later. Goes to show they are capable of adapting to their enviorment if needed.

 

[Matrix Escapee]

Yeah, mine feathered fast over the lsat 4 days too. I have had no heat on in the shed for about 6 days, and we have gone down to the mid 40's a couple times, and it really amazed me how fast they filled out.
We wanted to move them outside today, but my pen builder failed me and won't have it ready until today. Problem is, Friday through Sunday are chances for rain. The brooder in my shed is out of control nasty. We put shavings down everyday, sometimes twice. Still have too much waste building, and the bedding pack is putting off a lot of heat.
My biz partner is supposed to move them over to a new bedding spot today and shovel out the other side where all the bedding is decomposing/gassing off and kicking off all that heat.
I need to get the birds outside, but T-storms tomorrow after 2pm are in the forecast at 70% chance. Might wait until Saturday morning, but it says rain likely until 2pm at 70%.

ugh