City backyard + Cornish = Stupid?

[fatcatx]

I would like folks opinion if trying to raise meat birds in the city is a bad idea.

We are in suburbia and have a handful of layers. DH is itching to get a handful of Cornish X just to try it out and see if home raised tastes any better than a fryer from the grocery store. The only logical place we would have to place them is a pen area under the kids' old fort which we used in the past for a broody and her babies. Area worked out fine for that purpose but I think using it for meat birds would be a disaster. It is difficult to clean, and from what I've read about these pooping machines, it would need to be cleaned daily at the very least.

DH thinks I'm being a negative naysayer. Who is the sane one here?

 

[roostingchamp7]

Yes, they need to be cleaned a lot. Thankfully,they are not active, so raising them in a small space should be fine. If it was like a freedom ranger, the prefer to be a lot more active. Hope I helped!!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I don't know how many your getting but a movable tractor/pen may be a better option. You move the pen each day to keep it and them clean. Yes, they eat a lot therefore poop a lot. Even moving in the same 4 square, up one space, over one, back one then back to original space so each move has had three days to compost before putting birds back on it would be helpful. More moves before back on same space would be better. It's a 7 to 9 week commitment then a day of butchering.

It wont seem bad at all until those last few weeks when they are taking in near a pound of feed each a day. It comes back out. You'll get away with two or even three days to a move first few weeks but by the end you'll want to move everyday.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

May want to check your city ordinances first too. Believe it or not some cities say you are not allowed to butcher your own animals.

 

[fatcatx]

Since we are only talking 4-5 birds, we have to go with what the feed store has and they only have the X. Some day when we move to a place with more space, we are definitely trying the Rangers!

Tractor is unfortunately not an option. People seems to have a lot of success with those. Our yard does not have the space or configuration to make that do-able unless I'm overestimating how much space 4 or so need. How small a pen can I get a way with and still keep them happy and healthy? I was also concerned with exposing our layers to possible illnesses if I let the broilers out in a shared space. Should this be a concern once the broilers are 3-4 weeks old?

 

[hellbender]

The sad fact is this, Cornish X that are raised at home and butchered at the same age as the commercial ones are going to taste pretty much like the ones bought from Mega-Mart. The finished product will likely cost you considerably more than buying them from the market, due to the commercial folk's ability to buy feed at dirt cheap costs.

I think the Cornish X that are raised like majority are pathetic creatures and I wouldn't even have one on my property, much less eat the thing.

I will say this...I have a 7 month old pullet that is 50X50 Dark Cornish and Cornish X. The mother was raised by a friend who used humane restrictive feeding procedures that make the Cornish X far more healthy and thus far more tolerable to be around.

 

[Molpet]

I have 5 in the brooder that are 2 wks old friday... along with 2 BR and 2 BBB turkeys.. they are 4x the size of the BR .... pigs with wings trying to fly LOL
Here is a thread that may help

• WalkingOnSunshine
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I'd say as large as you can make it, but no smaller than 2 sq. feet per bird. I've seen Cornish X in 1.5 or even 1 square foot per bird pens, and it's not pretty. They need the extra space to grow better and healthier, and also to get away from each other. All young birds have a tendency to pile up on each other, but Cornish X can suffocate each other, overheat each other, and break each others' legs if they don't have enough space. Also, don't add any roosting areas--Cornish X like to try to roost, but can break their own legs jumping down.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/818720/what-size-pen

 

[fatcatx]

Thank you everyone for the thoughts and thread info.

After taking some measurements, I might have the space to move a 10 sq ft pvc pen back and forth in one area. So in theory I could move it every 2 days, cleaning the area before moving it back.

I did the math and the birds would cost us about the same as a grocery bird, plus all the extra work and the trouble of processing them. If they don't taste significantly better, is everyone else just raising the, for the satisfaction of growing your own food? What are others' thoughts on their flavor? Does anyone have a different fave of meat bird?

 

[Molpet]

Thank you everyone for the thoughts and thread info.

After taking some measurements, I might have the space to move a 10 sq ft pvc pen back and forth in one area. So in theory I could move it every 2 days, cleaning the area before moving it back.

I did the math and the birds would cost us about the same as a grocery bird, plus all the extra work and the trouble of processing them. If they don't taste significantly better, is everyone else just raising the, for the satisfaction of growing your own food? What are others' thoughts on their flavor? Does anyone have a different fave of meat bird?

I am raising them for a few reasons
so I know my food had a good life
so I know they are chemical free
so I can be more self sufficient
CX because they will not have a good life if I do not process them on time and I seem to have an emotional issue processing my spare roo... Hoping if I can do the deed with these I can hatch my own heritage breeds for food.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I raise a standard breed but have a friend that does CornishX every year. He raises them longer and larger than you'd get in a store. The added age accounts for more flavor and size accounts for one huge roaster. He goes 12 weeks for 10lbs roasters. Asked him if he rationed feed or had problems. Using a large enough tractor and moving it made for healthier birds so he did not have health problems very often. Once in a while a bird is inactive (leg issue) so he needs to cull it earlier than the rest. Apparently it's rare for him even with the size and full feed. The added 4 weeks of age adds flavor and and texture from muscle use. Any bird under 14 weeks is still very tender.