Can CornishX take the cold?

[Country Parson]

Due to Summer heat and family vacation plans, I don't want to have CornishX in mid-Summer. I live in west/central Ohio. How early can I have CornishX in outside pens? Can they take some freezing temps? I can protect them from the wind.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

they take it fine, much better than the heat. like you said provide shelter from the wind, and expect that they may burn a few calories keeping warm.

 

[bigredfeather]

I also live in West Central Ohio. Where abouts are you from? Last year the earliest I felt comfortable putting them on the pasture was the end of March. They may be able to take it, but I don't like putting them out if the temp fall much below freezing at night. When I moved them out, they were fully feathered and 3-4 weeks old.

 

[blueskylen]

we live in Wv - pretty much the same climate as OH. i usually get about 60 in mid march and process before Memorial Day at 8 weeks. we keep them in a brooder in the basement for 1 week - then out to a brooder made of hay bales and 2 heat lights in an empty coop. They do quite well this way and the only problems I have ever had with them was with heat. Last year had to put an old air conditioner out there the last 2 weeks as it was in the high 70s and 80's part of the time. I didn't lose any, but they were starting to pant pretty heavily.

 

[Country Parson]

Quote:
I'm between Urbana (N of Springfield) and Bellefontaine. Thanks for the info. End of March sounds about right, meaning I'll need to get started on them at the beginning of March. I love (and hate) this time of year---all the planning for the garden and the animal projects for the Spring is fun, but WAITING till it comes still drives me nuts.