Are some strains of CX hardier than others?

[lomine]

I've only done CX for the past two summers. Last year I ordered layer and CX chicks from Meyer. I think it was about 25 total, they came in two shipments because the second package was to replace doa chicks. I won't blame Meyer for the chick deaths as I think it was the fault of the Post Office but there were, I think, about 4 or 5 CX chicks that died during or shortly after shipping. I wish I had kept records. This year I ordered layer and CX chicks from Murray McMurray. I ordered 30 CX and got 1 extra. They all survived shipping but this time I used my parents address to they only spent one day in the mail.

Last year I lost 3 or 4 CX before the butcher ages of 6 to 8 weeks (different ages plus 2 different butcher days. This year I only lost 2 CX. One died around week 5. This one was significantly smaller than the rest so I think there was something wrong with it. One died at 11 weeks (the day after I was going to butcher but didn't because I got sick ).

All in all I think the McMurray chicks were much hardier and more robust. They just seemed to move more. Has anyone else ordered CX from different hatcheries and experienced something similar?

 

[GoodwinFarm]

We've ordered Cx from many different hatcheries and have noticed a wide variety in health, weight gain etc from different hatcheries. In general, you will lose fewer in early times if you order from hatcheries close to you (stress from shipping) and losing chicks later (like the 11 weeker) is more likely related to husbandry, predation or some other bad luck. We don't order from Murray any longer only because we have had such good luck with Hoover's which is closer to us.

 

[lomine]

We've ordered Cx from many different hatcheries and have noticed a wide variety in health, weight gain etc from different hatcheries. In general, you will lose fewer in early times if you order from hatcheries close to you (stress from shipping) and losing chicks later (like the 11 weeker) is more likely related to husbandry, predation or some other bad luck. We don't order from Murray any longer only because we have had such good luck with Hoover's which is closer to us.

Other than Murray, what hatchery would you not order CX from again?

 

[Hawgfan]

I don't raise them, but different hatcheries do offer different strains. Most I'm familiar with advertise which they sell, and I believe some even offer a couple options. One is typically very fast growing and efficient. The other would be a slower growing type that is more robust and forgiving to raise. Your individual feeding practices can have an effect on this as well. Colored broilers, which are usually red and are sold under a number of names, are always a slower growing option.

 

[lomine]

In my case both batches were feed different food but it was the same protein percentage and the had the same feeding schedule. It’s by no means a controlled study though, there were differences in housing.

I was specifically interested in finding out which strains of CX people found very hardy and which they thought were weak and wouldn’t get again. I like my layers from Meyer and would order some of those again but I wouldn’t get CX from them again.