Didn't you mention they had big red combs? At this age, only the cockerels should have red combs... Does your 'runt' have a lot less red in her comb than the others? If so, I agree. She is your only pullet. Yikes!
8 Weeks Old...White...Fat Legs...Won't Perch...Lay Around...Huge
- Thread starter rckirby
- Start date
Hi,
I have skimmed through the thread, interesting.
I have a year old CX rooster, I use him as a sire on Dixie rainbows making what I call "toads". They are fast growing big thighed meaties.
I had 3 hens but a weasel killed them this past Feb.
My avatar is a picture of my CX rooster, Bert.
I have a couple friends on here that have hens a year old. We raise them differently than most people do.
You can over feed, and in my humble opinion most people do, a CX. A CX has to be fed less protein than a normal chick to slow its metabolism down. I feed mine 14-16% protein when they are young, twice a day for 15-20 minutes they get all they can eat.
By the time they are 2 weeks old I have them free ranging part of the time. I keep them in an enclosed pen and brooder, opening the pen to free range when I can.
By the time they are 3 weeks I let them free range, depending on the eagle population in the area.
I feed them mainly scratch grains at this point and make them work for their food. I still give them some mash twice a day but not much and never high protein.
Last fall I processed most of the birds at 13-14 weeks. Keeping Bert and the girls for breeding. I had several birds dressed out at over 12 pounds.
The best part about CX's if you feed them very little is they have the sweetest personalities and love people. You do have to be aware of problems they can have, mainly leg and a desire to overeat.
Not to barge in on your conversation but, I just wanted to present another side to CX's. Bert is one of my Dw and I's favorite bird.
We have a thread going for those of us that love our CX's as pets and food at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...at-birds-and-super-excited/3220#post_15387192
I have skimmed through the thread, interesting.
I have a year old CX rooster, I use him as a sire on Dixie rainbows making what I call "toads". They are fast growing big thighed meaties.
I had 3 hens but a weasel killed them this past Feb.
My avatar is a picture of my CX rooster, Bert.
I have a couple friends on here that have hens a year old. We raise them differently than most people do.
You can over feed, and in my humble opinion most people do, a CX. A CX has to be fed less protein than a normal chick to slow its metabolism down. I feed mine 14-16% protein when they are young, twice a day for 15-20 minutes they get all they can eat.
By the time they are 2 weeks old I have them free ranging part of the time. I keep them in an enclosed pen and brooder, opening the pen to free range when I can.
By the time they are 3 weeks I let them free range, depending on the eagle population in the area.
I feed them mainly scratch grains at this point and make them work for their food. I still give them some mash twice a day but not much and never high protein.
Last fall I processed most of the birds at 13-14 weeks. Keeping Bert and the girls for breeding. I had several birds dressed out at over 12 pounds.
The best part about CX's if you feed them very little is they have the sweetest personalities and love people. You do have to be aware of problems they can have, mainly leg and a desire to overeat.
Not to barge in on your conversation but, I just wanted to present another side to CX's. Bert is one of my Dw and I's favorite bird.
We have a thread going for those of us that love our CX's as pets and food at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...at-birds-and-super-excited/3220#post_15387192
Last edited:
Yes, one CAN buy straight run ... But most people buy the CX because they want a fast growing meat bird ... Males grow bigger, faster ...
Yeppers, many buy the females because they are suppose to have a better feed to weight gain ratio. If I wanted uniform birds in my freezer I would buy straight runs. Females I believe are cheaper from hatchery I use.
Just keep doing what you are doing and give them a chance. Yes, they will probably die young, but killing them would not be helping them; just giving them the same fate as their poor siblings. These ones were spared - have come across a life of freedom and existence that the rest were not lucky enough to get. Let them live.
TXchickenchick
Chirping
I have, more than once, seen the painfully uneducated tractor supply employees trying to sell cornish x to a customer clearly wanting egg layers only. It IS the fault and responsibility of tractor supply. They should have some responsibility for the animals they sell and the customers who count on them to help make the right choice for their family.
I bought cornish x last year for meat. I carefully restricted feeding and they free ranged with my laying hens. They were HUGE. But they were very healthy. I got 6 and ened up with three roosters and three hens. I only managed to butcher one. It was so painful and hard for me. I gave some away. But I kept one rooster. Big Meanie Meatie was his name.
It didn't really fit, he was precious. He died in March, barely over a year old, but he did have a good life. He was in love with my Brown Leghorn hen and the feeling was mutual. They spent every day side by side. I wanted him to go to sleep peacefully sitting in a patch of flowers but it didn't happen that way. He died during a horrible storm just inside the door of the doghouse he used for shelter...I am assuming it was a heart attack. But for a meatie he lived a long, happy life. I miss that big guy. Sorry for the super long story. I was looking at pics of him last night and feeling sad so I just wanted to share.
I bought cornish x last year for meat. I carefully restricted feeding and they free ranged with my laying hens. They were HUGE. But they were very healthy. I got 6 and ened up with three roosters and three hens. I only managed to butcher one. It was so painful and hard for me. I gave some away. But I kept one rooster. Big Meanie Meatie was his name.
It didn't really fit, he was precious. He died in March, barely over a year old, but he did have a good life. He was in love with my Brown Leghorn hen and the feeling was mutual. They spent every day side by side. I wanted him to go to sleep peacefully sitting in a patch of flowers but it didn't happen that way. He died during a horrible storm just inside the door of the doghouse he used for shelter...I am assuming it was a heart attack. But for a meatie he lived a long, happy life. I miss that big guy. Sorry for the super long story. I was looking at pics of him last night and feeling sad so I just wanted to share.- Thread starter
- #37
- Jul 20, 2013
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I'm gonna have to take some pics and post. I'm really curious as to what the heck I have!!!! They are funny to watch and we've cut way back on feed and let them free roam from morning to dusk. They swarm me when I come home from work.
- Thread starter
- #38
- Jul 20, 2013
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I couldn't get all six in one picture, but the one at the feeder has a very small comb.
The one at the feeder is your only pullet. The others are most definitely cockerels.
I couldn't get all six in one picture, but the one at the feeder has a very small comb.
If the rest look like the ones on the foreground, they are boys. I heard the boys have difficulty mating and dancing and what not properly. Is this true?
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