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Most folks butcher around 6-10 weeks. You can do it whenever, but that's the general rule. 8 is generally the ideal for feed efficiency, after which, they begin to put on more fat.

A pink bottom and bare skin is normal on a Cornish cross. The feathers will catch up eventually. A red bottom may mean the other chicks are pecking at him. You should start somehow getting him off food for about 8 hours a day if possible. Also, you might want to come up with a plan now for...

That gender pic looks just like my cornish cross meat bird roos. Is he larger/heavier than the others? I often get them in my mixed breed and hatchery choices batches.

Hi all, I have raised chickens for many years, and never had the issue we are having this year. No eggs. They just aren't laying, and I am puzzled and frustrated I can't figure out why! Here's our deal…. We moved cross-country last year from CO to IL. As expected, egg production from our...

Decided to move the chicks out and into a brooder. The remaining 3 eggs were all dead. One pipped and died, not sure why. The other 2 appear to have died earlier this weak. They were developed with down, but not very big. Still, 15 healthy chicks hatched out of 20 total fertilized eggs...

We have almost completed our first hatch, and I"d like to know your thoughts so I can make any needed improvements/changes for next time. Here's the process I used: I have a Hova-Bator with wafer thermostat, circulating fan, egg turner, and analog thermometer. After talking to a several very...

At this point, the first chick has been running around in there for 7 hours, but I will soon head to bed. Will he be OK to stay in there with the heat, humidity, and circulating air at least until morning?

Today is day 21, and several eggs pipped this morning. The first chick hatched around 2:30 pm, and the second hatched around 5 pm. Most of the remaining 15 have pipped, moved, or cheeped, and I'm not sure when it's safe to open the incubator. Almost everything I've read says don't open for...

Thanks. I will try the eggs first this summer. If it doesn't work, I will be sure to order a couple of "broody" type hens in my next order if necessary.

Sorry for that confusing statement. We have ordered from a hatchery twice, and been given many of all different ages (for both meat and layers). At present, I have 20 hens. We harvested our last rooster due to his turning aggressive, but I will be getting another rooster after an upcoming...

We may, but we are trying to set up the neck in such a way that they won't be able to get on top of each other. We will be doing some practice loads with all the animals, just to make sure our plans work (we are moving our whole farm). We may alter plans as we learn. I am just trying to...

The nests always have 1 fake. How many should I add for them to give it a second thought?

We have had layers for a couple of years now. I am ready to start allowing the hens to raise their own chicks, rather than to continue purchasing chicks. However, in 2 years of having chickens -- of all sorts of breeds and ages, hens and roosters -- we have never had one even threaten to go...

Hi all. I'n new to the forum, but not new to layers. I do have a new situation though, I would love your thoughts on. We are preparing for a cross-country move. As the plan stands now, all hens will be traveling loose in the "neck" area of a well-ventilated gooseneck stock trailer...