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[Sonia]

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[greyfields]

Mine are thriving. I put a brick under the tractor and let them out during the day. They come running up to me, the big giant bird food giver God.

 

[dangerouschicken]

My husband is the hummingbird feeder God. You two should hang out.

I had three of my Cornish Crosses die in the 100+ heat yesterday. There is a story about it on my blog. Please feel free to comment people. I need a little support

Glad to hear other meat birders are having success.

 

[Sonia]

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[HFC]

How old were your birds that died dangerous chicken? I'm trying to get 8 weeks out of mine. They're six weeks old and it's been 90+ every day since they got here. 95+ every day the last three weeks.

 

[L&Schickens]

I ordered 6 red and 6 blacks from Ideal. I got 2 red and 10 blacks. Don't know what the deal was, but that is ok I guess.
Mine are a week old and are bigger then the egg layers I also ordered. I have started to separate them from the eggers now, but they all go out daily on the grass and have a great time in the grass and the dirt and sparing with each other. It has been hot here the last few days, but being outside in the fresh air under a tree has helped. I think mine are doing quite well and are not at all slow as was described. They can keep up just fine with the eggers.
I hope to keep a trio out and try and raise more my self.

 

[dangerouschicken]

Quote:
I would be VERY careful. My birds were about 3 weeks old. I put 9 outside, and 3 died very quickly. They were literally out there 3 hours and they were dropped over, dead. When we realized what had happened, my husband and I rushed the others back down to the basement where it was cool (the brooders are kept in there). We had to force 2 of them to drink water. It was the runt we call Wilbur and a big guy. They were really fighting us, wanting to give up and die. I was prying Wilbur's beak open and pouring little sips of water down him. His body temps were just through the roof. I was holding him with one hand under his body, and he was so flipping hot I was dripping sweat off of me, just from holding the little guy. I can't imagine how horrible he must have felt. But he lived. The other six all lived. They are peeping and happy today like nothing happened

So yeah, now I have only 6 left of the 10 meat birds I started with (culled one with a splayed leg at 2 weeks of age). Totally depressing. Not going through this again.

 

[greyfields]

Ice cubes in the water helps a lot... or get some of those re-freezable plastic 'ice' cubes and rotate them daily.

 

[HFC]

I've been filling the waterer with ice water for the last week or so.

I also moved them to a shadier part of pasture about a week ago.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.