4 week cornish x small? pic added

[bigredfeather]

Unless your up against some kind of deadline, I wouldn't worry about the time it takes to get them to your desired weight. If it takes them longer to get to butcher weight, you most likely not encounter some of the problems that can occur from a bird growing too fast. People seem to be convinced that if you don't have a 4 pound bird in 6 weeks, there is something wrong. The six week time frame is based on the time it takes the big producers to put birds on the grocery store shelves. I doubt you have a set-up like a big producer. With only having three birds, you could easily have 3 that are a little slow. I have 63 of them right now that are 7 weeks old, and there is a 2 to 3 pound difference from bird the biggest to the smallest bird.

I think it is a good idea to do a few batches to set your baseline. I have found that it takes my birds 8 weeks to get an average of weight of 4.5 pounds. That is the size bird my family best utilizes. I do each batch exactly the same, and get the same results everytime. I use the same feed, schedule, and housing for every batch.

Don't get discouraged. Establish your baseline, and if it works, keep doing it. If it doesn't work, make changes, and see if the changes get you the desired results. Bottom line is everybody is going to get different results based on how you do things. At the end of the day, you need to find a way that works best for you, and produces birds that suit your family's needs.

 

[Minniechickmama]

If the expense of a higher protein feed is not what you want you can feed other foods to them as well. I have seen many other suggestions on what to feed for increased protein for hens that have quit laying. So, try some cooked eggs, cooked shell beans, soybeans, oatmeal and so forth to boost the protein, if they will eat it. I fed duck and goose feed to my broilers because that is what our elevator had that was not medicated. I just did 35 of the broilers today and I had a few that were under 4 pounds, but my average was about 5.5 at 8-9 weeks of age. I am not complaining! Some of them just don't grow like others and you have to accept it sometimes, I guess.
Good luck and getting them filled out.

 

[VA from WV]

I bought 40 at the county fair and sent all birds over 6 pounds to processing a month ago. They were all 8-9 weeks at that point. The batch was almost all cockerels, and we have one guy who was 8 pounds live.

I sent the remaining dozen to processing last week and I only had one that was under 6 pounds, but they were all pullets and just needed the time in the finishing run. The birds all got pasture time and didn't grow like they would have in industry.

IMO, from experience and everything that has been said it's going to take 8 weeks unless you do what they do in industry and confine for 6 weeks PLUS out them on a 20 hour day.