I have 26 Cornish X's that are 3 weeks old now. I am just wondering what is the best age to process? Also other things to make them more tastey? What age can you pull away the heat lamp? A couple things I have started doing: 1) Started feeding 50% scratch to slow down their growth. Why...because it is still pretty hot here and I like there chances of surviving more as it starts to cool down. 2) The last 2 weeks I had planned on giving them 75% ground corn to make the meat taste sweeter. 3) We have been adding electrolyte mix in their water since we got them. This is our first batch but we are doing great so far. Only 1 has died of "natural" causes. Any advice will be appreciated!
I had only 2 meat birds and I heard usually 8weeks however you can keep them larger for a few weeks. Once they have trouble walking should be the time you should do it. Mine free range a bit in a pen and we did in it at 10 weeks because they free range and were smaller. We raised them with the egg layers. They were really smelly. Eat and poop all the time. The meat taste a little different when free range with bugs and grass and stuff, tastier. Hope that helps, not an expert.
Is there a problem with waiting til they are 14 - 16 weeks before you process? I have chosen to wait mainly because it is average 100 degrees here for the last month about. I don't want to risk anything with processing and the heat.