Butchering your roosters!

[Bonniebooboo]

I am not sure how hubby does it. I just help pluck/ I let him do the dirty work..

We have always removed the heads. I saw the plucker video on u-tube and saw the heads on chickens as they ran through the plucker. did't know they did it that way. Grandma always removed the heads, then let the chickens on the ground and headless chickens would run in circles ,Jump up and down and chase us or so we thought. If we had just quit running in circles and took off straight, we wouldn't have been chased so badly...silly kids, running and screaming. My dad would "ring their Necks" He would give them a twirl over his head and a snap, and off would go their head, again chickens running around the yard. I screamed a lot back then, I am not that way now. and it didn't scar me for life, although for awhile there I dreamed about these chickens chasing me..

 

[Parront]

they have 2 flocks that when mated together give the fast growers. They don't mate cx to cx. trade secret as to the breeds involved in the 4way cross but one is white cornish
another is supposed to be white rock.
But if you restrict the feed you can keep them alive for a year or so.. the male cx are usually to big breasted to mate so I kept a hen back and have some of her offspring.

That would be difficult, they are so hungry! How are the offspring doing?

 

[Parront]

We have always removed the heads. I saw the plucker video on u-tube and saw the heads on chickens as they ran through the plucker. did't know they did it that way. Grandma always removed the heads, then let the chickens on the ground and headless chickens would run in circles ,Jump up and down and chase us or so we thought. If we had just quit running in circles and took off straight, we wouldn't have been chased so badly...silly kids, running and screaming. My dad would "ring their Necks" He would give them a twirl over his head and a snap, and off would go their head, again chickens running around the yard. I screamed a lot back then, I am not that way now. and it didn't scar me for life, although for awhile there I dreamed about these chickens chasing me..

LOL

 

[Bonniebooboo]

The Cornish-X you get from the hatchery are a terminal cross, they never breed. The parents are bred to cross and make these, but they rarely would even live long enough to mature enough to mate. None of mine ever crowed!

I had heard that before about them breaking down and not mating, so always wondered how they bred them. Interesting..Guess that is why it is a secret of which birds they used.

 

[Parront]

How on Earth do you even breed these birds if they grow so fast and break down from weight?? I like the idea of a faster larger bird, but certainly wouldn't want to waste any time and them get too big and break down on me.. All I can say is WOW!!

To be sure they make it to slaughter age you have to do it on time. I only had a few and babied them. I lost one as a chick out of 20, so 19 made it. I believe that is as good as you could expect as a first time try. I learned that I don't want them again, even if they are fast and easier to pluck. If I was raising broilers for a living, I would have to use them, they are what people are used to. When I want a fat tender chick, I will buy one at the store. I would rather not, but most people can not afford to raise their own chicken (myself included right now).

 

[Molpet]

That would be difficult, they are so hungry! How are the offspring doing?

I feed cx 2x a day and let them look for bugs/gras in the poultry yard, good exercise .. the 1/2 cx roos are massive and I used the smallest one and breed to his sister and a BR and BJG... The 1/2 cx hen is small and a terrible layer.. their cockerels are larger and faster growing than the other cx crosses , but I only have 3 LOL.. the other cx crosses mostly the hens are bigger than the roos.. plan on breeding this year's pullets to a uncle.... see if I get anything good.... I haven't processed any spare cockerels yet, so not sure if they will be any bigger than the heritage crosses.

 

[Parront]

I feed cx 2x a day and let them look for bugs/gras in the poultry yard, good exercise .. the 1/2 cx roos are massive and I used the smallest one and breed to his sister and a BR and BJG... The 1/2 cx hen is small and a terrible layer.. their cockerels are larger and faster growing than the other cx crosses , but I only have 3 LOL.. the other cx crosses mostly the hens are bigger than the roos.. plan on breeding this year's pullets to a uncle.... see if I get anything good.... I haven't processed any spare cockerels yet, so not sure if they will be any bigger than the heritage crosses.

I would guess if you knew you wanted breeders from your Cornish-X chicks you would have to feed them less from the first. They get fat so fast! They were fat at 8 weeks, the ones in the store have a lot of fat at 42 days. Mine were free in the back yard, they did not look for anything except their food dish. The bugs were safe!

 

[Bonniebooboo]

To be sure they make it to slaughter age you have to do it on time. I only had a few and babied them. I lost one as a chick out of 20, so 19 made it. I believe that is as good as you could expect as a first time try. I learned that I don't want them again, even if they are fast and easier to pluck. If I was raising broilers for a living, I would have to use them, they are what people are used to. When I want a fat tender chick, I will buy one at the store. I would rather not, but most people can not afford to raise their own chicken (myself included right now).

I might just stick with my Buff's, Rocks, and EE's. Takes longer to grow, but they sure are pretty to watch. I really like looking at some silver laced Wyandotts and Black/copper marans without the leg feathers. Oh and those speckled Sussex are beautiful... I just love color...Next spring, I think I will try some of those...They should do ok for meat and eggs. I know my EE's lay very well. love the various colored eggs in the carton. not boring that way. I think you did great raising 19 out of 20. super job.

 

[Molpet]

I would guess if you knew you wanted breeders from your Cornish-X chicks you would have to feed them less from the first. They get fat so fast! They were fat at 8 weeks, the ones in the store have a lot of fat at 42 days. Mine were free in the back yard, they did not look for anything except their food dish. The bugs were safe!

they say let them eat all the want the first week, then all they can eat in 10-20 min 2x a day, if you want to keep any to breed.. I didn't see the thread until they were 3 weeks... but they sure learned to chase bugs right along w/ the layer chicks when they were hungry w/ no food dish LOL

 

[Parront]

they say let them eat all the want the first week, then all they can eat in 10-20 min 2x a day, if you want to keep any to breed.. I didn't see the thread until they were 3 weeks... but they sure learned to chase bugs right along w/ the layer chicks when they were hungry w/ no food dish LOL

My kids called them the fat biddies. They were always starving, the kids gave them stuff all the time. One daughter was a vegetarian into her teens, did not eat chicken nuggets any more. We told them they were food chickens, but it does not really sink in until they are on the plate! That is the way to feed peking ducks, too which was easier. They were still fat, and lots of work to pick, but lots better tasting than the Cornish-X. I am not young enough to do 15 pekins in a day any more!