Broiler Meat Birds: To Brood Or Not To Brood

[PotterWatch]

Opinion is one thing, giving false information is another. The OP stated that broilers have been genetically modified, a myth that is false. You wrote "Nevermind that the birds ' organs fail because of unnatural quick growth. Nevermind they are barely moving before "harvesting" and many of them have half-naked bodies and can not walk still being a "chick" age." I guess you didn't read the stuff posted by people other than the OP very closely, or look at the pictures some of us provided of our broiler birds. I don't see any half-naked birds in those pictures. Nor do they look like they are suffering organ failure and barely moving. I have no problem with people who choose to raise heritage breeds rather than broilers but I do have a problem with people who make it sound like all broilers are unhealthy and raised in a cruel manner. It doesn't sound like you have ever raised them yourself but are basing your opinion on how someone else was raising theirs. I suggest you don't pass judgement or make broad statements about how broilers live unless you have tried it and found those things to be true despite raising them on pasture and with proper care. If you still find them to be half-naked, barely-moving, unable to walk birds who all suffer from organ failure, then I would suggest you didn't raise them correctly.

 

[bigredfeather]

First of all....
People! please, I thought we have a right to express our own opinion about certain aspects of raising meat flock on this forum. I guess I was wrong.
Again, this is my opinion. Does not matter if you have the same opinion on the issue or not, we should feel free to express our disagreements.
Natalija

You do have the right to express any opinion on here that you chose. But, if that opinion is filled with misinformation, others that know the truth should be able to challenge it. I did so using facts and actual pictures of my experiences. I'd like to see some pics or statistics from the OP that back the statements made.

Notice the OP has not responded to any of this.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

First of all....
People! please, I thought we have a right to express our own opinion about certain aspects of raisng meat flock on this forum. I guess I was wrong. These days you have to be politically correct... even discussing breeds of chickens people like or do not like...
Nevermind that the birds ' organs fail because of unnatural quick growth. Nevermind they are barely moving before "harvesting" and many of them have half-naked bodies and can not walk still being a "chick" age...
Again, this is my opinion. Does not matter if you have the same opinion on the issue or not, we should feel free to express our disagreements.
Natalija

First of all...
Opinion is one thing, but I get sick of people spreading misinformation real quick. I'm starting to make a list of the nonsensical lies people tell about animals just this weekend because... Well I don't know why they do it. To lie? To seem smart? This include things like miniature dairy goats being "dual purpose" goats, a rabbits natural diet being nothing but veggies and *extra scoffs* fruit, that feeding alfalfa CAUSES milk fever in dairy animals (milk fever is a low blood calcium level) VS other hays, and now that CX chickens are genetically engineered by scientists. I aint putting up with that.

Also, you say one farm raising these birds.
I'm raising CX's RIGHT NOW. If I didn't have a roof on the tractor they are in, they would have flown off already. FLOWN. With wings, up in their air, with more agility than my laying hens (half of which are heritage breeds). All of my CX's have feathers. Some of them are being slow to come in (under the wings) and some never will (a patch on the chest never feathers, a trait that comes from the very bird the OP suggested breeding instead, the Rock) but just standing there they look fully feathered otherwise. None have any health issues.
I've read dozens of people with CX's that roost like normal birds, that RUN and eat grass and bugs like normal birds... That are free ranged or tractors or are great foragers like normal birds...

If I walked into a farm and saw CX's, and they layed about all day, had organ failures (Dead birds!? High mortality rate!? You buy from there!?), and bare skin patches... I would think "they're doin' it wrong", not "oh what horrible birds, no chance for them!". There's no reason for a CX to be much worse than any other breed other than improper management. My CX's will grow slower than a factory bird, they may not reach full size for 10-12 weeks even (like many alternate broilers like Freedon Rangers), but I won't loose a single one and the day I go to butcher them, they will RUN or FLY to their fence thinking I have food.

 

[Bossroo]

First of all....
People! please, I thought we have a right to express our own opinion about certain aspects of raisng meat flock on this forum. I guess I was wrong. These days you have to be politically correct... even discussing breeds of chickens people like or do not like.
I have to agree that when you, Evan, wrote that CX are "terrible,disgusting creatures" it sounded...well... cruel. And I agree with Angel that this is NOT their fault that people made them like that. I think I would say it is "terrible, digusting" what people are doing these days to produce their "meat" quickly. Nevermind that the birds ' organs fail because of unnatural quick growth. Nevermind they are barely moving before "harvesting" and many of them have half-naked bodies and can not walk still being a "chick" age.
I never thought about it ( I am new to chickens) until yesterday when I saw the big flock of almost ready to "harvest" CXs. Now... they were raised in perfect conditions( I myself am a customer of this farm - I got my heritage birds there), so I know these people who run this farm and how respectfully they treat all of their animals.
My 6 y.o.son saw this flock of CX's and ran to see them. And I did not like what I saw...They were SO different from my heritage flock - they looked like bunch of barely moving old and tired chickens. Many of them had skin exposed. Some of them were laying down. That was NOT a pretty picture I have to say. I felt sorry for these birds. I will never ever raise them after what I saw.
Again, this is my opinion. Does not matter if you have the same opinion on the issue or not, we should feel free to express our disagreements.
Natalija

Well ... Some people that practice political correctness seem to be bashing at every oportunity . I am right and you are wrong, so follow me. Since you are new to chickens ( I have raised them for half a century) , how do you know that the CornishX were being raised in " perfect conditions ? Did they say so ? In my OPINION, the people that raise their CornishX in " perfect conditions" don't have a clue as to proper animal husbandry or their birds wouldn't be is such a deplorable state. Definately a model to NOT to base one's own animal husbandry practices on. As the old Scottish saying goes... " The eye of the master fatens the cattle" !

 

[Natalijaasbj]

Hi!
Thank you for your reply. I do agree with you that I do not have an experience. And yes, the pesron who started the post had wrong info about origins of the breed. The pictures you, guys, posted here do look good. I guess I just happened to see the flock in the farm where they were at the stage of ready to harvest - very "ripe". But this farm pasture-raise them and feed them non-gMO, non-corn, non-soy food. The pasture is huge. So there is nothing seems to be wrong in their husbandry.
The heritage birds they raise have the SAME conditions, but they are beautiful, vivid, great looking birds.
May be you do have better husbandry and your birds look great. I just think than when we breed birds we should not think what is good ONLY for us, humans (like quick meat), but also what is good and natural for the birds. And being unable to live long life, develope naturally ,lay eggs and reproduce - I think this kind of breeding is somewhat unfair to the birds.
I do not blame anybody. It is just my honest opinion.Everybody can choose their philosophy on the matter.
Have a good day.

 

[PotterWatch]

Are you implying that CX are not physically able to lay eggs and reproduce or just lamenting that they aren't allowed to reach reproductive age? If you are saying the former, you are incorrect. If you mean the latter, that is simply your personal preference, not really anything that has to do with the breed. Even if I were raising heritage breeds, I would be processing around 16-20wks which is right at the edge of reproductive age, and certainly still would not be considered a long life. The pictures of CX birds I posted were at processing age and a couple were actually older than what I normally process.

 

[SmokinChick]

Natalijaasbi,
Life is not fair!
I do want meat quickly and I want the biggest bang for my dollar. I raise CX and I'm proud of it!
they are perfect for my location and needs. My birds are comfortable and safe from predators. They want for noting. They know nothing other than their 120 sq. ft. tractor that gets moved to fresh grass daily. Then they are killed quickly and as humanly as I can do.
The fact that some may develop health issues in 10 weeks is no problem. They will be in the freezer by then.
As others have said, the OP said her/his piece and added nothing but regurgitated bunk. No fact. She may not like the CX breed but her/his post brought nothing to the table.

 

[Natalijaasbj]

i AM SURE you, guys, are doing excellent job in raising them it is really good that you do that. Thank you for being honest.
It is deeply philosophical issue. I just believe these creatures - chickens in general - were created certain way, and I myself would not want the "human touch" to "develope" them in some kind of way that it is not how it was supposed to be in the first place. I eat my heritage birds just fine, No problem here. I am NOT against early death of meat chickens. There is something "unnatural" the way people breeded CX. I just think chicken species should be continuing on how they were supposed to be, and the breeders should respect their way of "being", their design.
BTW - bland taste of organic CX I ate - was one of the reasons I go with Heritage meaties.
With respect,
Natalija

 

[SmokinChick]

The breeders all breed for traits they want continued. Coloration, temperament and size. Just depends what you want in a chicken.

 

[Natalijaasbj]

I am aware of that. The other question is - to what extent it is fair to the animals. Chickens are so curious and intelligent creatures. Should we really "make" them something else.
Like there are some cat breeds when people breed them to have small "cute" noses, but these cats start have problems with breathing.This kind of breeding in my opinion is not fair to cats and the way they were designed.