6 week mark

[Two Creeks Farm]

My plan is to run a batch of CX in the spring and fall, and FR in the summer for an early fall trip to freezer camp. I think I missed my mark a wee bit by getting the CX around easter, next year I will place an order a few weeks prior to that so if we get an early heat wave they will already be chillin and grillin LOL! After reading all teh issues on here about the CX I figured the FR's might be a better option but after running the 1st batch, I would do them again in a heartbeat. The real decision will be a look at the checkbook and meat quality when these batches are complete.

 

[chickenfeverforever]

Could you raise the % of feed they are getting for the final 2 weeks? Mine are only pushing 2 weeks but I feed mine a mash. They love it. Its about 100 degrees here. I think it helps because they are getting a lot of added water with their food for hydration.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

I dont see why not BUT you probably run a higher risk of flip if they get a growth spurt at the end combined with high heat. Drinking doesnt seem to be an issue here as long as they arent to far from it.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Well, 2 died today in this heat. I was able to catch them at the end and they are now processed......

 

[FeedYourself]

Quote:
A whizbang is great! Especially if you can cobble together the motor, switch, etc. without laying out the cash for new.

I don't have a motor...so I started shopping around. I was able to find a rental (lucky me) for $10/day for the cones, plucker, scalder, and table. Prior to finding that, I also had found the EZ Plucker on Ebay. I probably would have gone that direction rather than building the whizbang just because it would have worked out to be the same price for me.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

There wasnt any time for a plucker last night. We hit 103 in the shade and lost power for many hours.....it was real job doing what needed to be done with nothing. Luckily, power came back on within minutes of finishing the last bird so I was able to wash and get them in the fridge to rest. My wife and I have decided if for some reason we miss the mark to have the cornish finished by mid may that we would hold off until fall from here on out. If I hadnt been home those birds would have gone to waste and I dont like waste.


The others are doing fine, very hungry, drinking well etc. The weakest links couldnt take it I suppose.

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
I found 2 dead and 1 almost dead in the hoop house tractor when I got home. Worst part was they were the 3 biggest ones in there, so not really surprised. The 2 dead where face down w/ no purple comb, so I'm pretty much ruling out a flip. I think they just overheated. Nothing like throwing $15 of feed/chick and $15 profit on the compost pile.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Same here, no flip, just face down and barely breathing. They had been under some pine trees and there was a breeze, although it was pushing 100 degree temps LOL! I had checked on them about an hour before and all was well, just panting like everything else here. It wasnt a shock, just came at a very bad time with no power. They dressed at 3 lbs so they will atleast make a meal. All organs looked really good, no yellow fluid in chest cavity, very clean carcass. I do believe we are on the right track with how to raise them like we want to atleast, but we sure cant control the weather.

 

[chickenfeverforever]

What are you guys doing to help them thru this heat???

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
Not much I can do other than keep water in front of them and hope like heck they make it thru it. Luckily it's a little cooler here today, and after it rains, the humidity is supposed to drop. Yesterday we had a nice breeze blowing, so that may have helped them to stay a little cooler. I tell you what, Ohio weather sucks for raising broilers. If I get them too early I battle keeping them warm enough in the brooder, but if I get them too late, I have to deal with heat and humidity as they mature. After this weeks butcher, I'll be down to 120 of them, and I'm a little glad this round is about over.