broiler update

[tim1970]

Well my cornish X are now 1 week old. I ordered 70, the hatchery sent 2 extra, but 2 died in transit, and I have lost 6 more (64 left). I also ordered 5 egg layers, so I have something to compare growth to.


Well after 1 week, the ones still alive seem to be doing well. They are moving around a lot, and not just laying on top of each other. As far as size most of them are quite a bit larger than my RIR. However, a few of them are only slightly bigger, if at all. Also, most of them seem to have a couple of small bald spots right where there wings attach to their bodies (Shoulder bone area, if they had shoulders

Also, a lot of them seem to be bald on their bellies.

They are eating well, and are DEFINITELY pooping machines. I have them in a 100 gallon cow watering trough, and still have to clean it out daily. I am feeding them a 28% game bird starter, and plan to do this for 2 weeks, and then switch to a 20% starter/grower for the rest of the time.

Also, I ordered my 70 from a smaller hatchery, not one of the ones I see mentioned all of the time on this site. So I am anxious to see if my birds will do as well, and if they grow like I heard they do.

Any comments how they are doing, or what I should change would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Tim

 

[wynedot55]

sounds like your broilers are off to a great start.an are growing real good.8 isnt a bad death loss.

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
By two weeks your egg layers will likely be in peril of being crushed to death. You will need to split your brooder into two parts if at all possible.

Quote:
This will change very quickly.

Quote:
That is standard for a Cornish Cross. They grow too quickly to put energy into making feathers. They will be bald little babies most of their life, which is one reason they aren't ideal for free ranging.

Also, having a bald keel is a breed trait of the Cornish showing through.


Quote:
My brooder is a 150 gallon old galvanized stock tank with a rotten bottom. *lol* Funny how things work out.

Quote:
All hatcheries get their broilers as hatching eggs from the same 3 breeders. So, you are getting the same birds someone from MM would.

 

[tim1970]

Quote:
This will change very quickly.

what will change quickly? The fact they are moving around a lot right now or that some of them are only slightly bigger than my RIR pullet that is the same age?


Thanks for the comments....


Tim

 

[greyfields]

They will double the RIR in size pretty quickly.

 

[tim1970]

I lost 2 more birds yesterday.

I am not sure what I am doing wrong. When I go out to look at them, they seem to be doing fine. They are all walking around, and eating and drinking. Then I go out the next morning, and find dead ones. I have 62 birds in a 150 gallon water trough, so there should be plenty of room. (They are 1 week old) I also completely remove and replace the pine bedding every night. They never run out of food or water. The temperature seems right, because they are not bunched up close together, or panting like they are hot. I am not sure what else to do. I am feeding them a 28% game bird starter. Maybe that is too much protein? I am keeping them in my garage, could that be a problem maybe because of air circulation? I don' think it is temperature, because I am keeping the garage 80 degrees at all times with a space heater. Plus I have 2 heat lamps on them. Should I expect this many losses with Cornish X just because of their breed?

Any help/comments would be appreciated.

Thanks

Tim

 

[greyfields]

One week is really too young for cocci or other infectious diseases to have settled in. I believe you have adequate space. I use a 150 gallon stock tank, too, and have had 100 birds in mine comfortably.

The only thing I could suggest is an electrolyte pouch in their water. This may just be one of those times where the broilers drop dead through no fault of your own. Frustrating.

 

[MissPrissy]

I did jumbo cornish x last fall. At week 12 when the last of them were dispatched they were at 13 pounds.

13 pounds. Like a small turkey.

You will be amazed at how these are going to jump in size over night.

 

[tim1970]

Well, I lost 2 more yesterday. I am not sure what is going on. When I check on them they seem healthy. They are starting to run around the brooder, and even flapping what wings they have. So whatever it is comes on suddenly, but it does not kill them instantly. They will lay down on their sides and start breathing hard before they die. Maybe it is just the breed. I am not sure at this point. I am down to 62 out of 70 that I began with.

I am tempted to move them outside to my coop inside my barn, but we are supposed to have a cold front come through this weekend with lows in the 50's and high's in the 70's. If I give them a heat lamp, and they are out of the wind, should they be able to survive this? They are 1 week and 2 days old.

Thanks

 

[Redfeathers]

This is a long shot, but I have a friend that had unexplained loss of her chicks and she found out it was due to the room they were in. They were in a pump house with little air ventilation and there was a bit of mustiness in the air. Once she moved them to the coop with more airflow, they were just fine. I don't know what kind of room you have them in, so I don't know if this is helpful or not. Good luck, and I'm sorry you are going through this. How frustrating.