Cornish cross,broiler thread!!!

[chicken farmer]

This is the thread for only white cornish broilers,post those huge fast growing meat birds. Were getting 10 little one's today for our 4-h and the second year raising them and they usually have heart attacks and leg problems and last year I had the 7 left and we sold them a week later. But this year I'm wanting to keep them and see what happens,I would love to see if any hens lay eggs and how long I can keep there sweet selves alive. And they will be better off this year than sitting in the pen like last year cause we made a tractor so I can move it every day and they can eat fresh grass/bugs and get exercise and I'll give them good treats like fruit and veggies and try not to fatten them up after fair. I love these big,sometime lazy chickens!!! Post yours and any story or tips you have thanks!!!!Here's my tractor

 

[ChaoSS]

If you are trying to keep them alive you'd better be restricting food for them.

 

[chicken farmer]

No,they will be free range and get good treats they always need food at all times. But they will have a healthy lifestyle

 

[ChaoSS]

If they are going to be free range what is that tractor for?

And by restricting feed I mean the pellets/crumbles/mash/grains you give them. Anything they forage is fair game.

 

[chicken farmer]

The tractor will be pretty much free range,I know they won't get a lot of exercise in the tractor as they would free range out of it but it's the safest for them since i'm in the country

 

[ChaoSS]

And if they aren't getting the exercise all day out foraging for food they should have restricted food rations, or they will not live as long as you want them to.

 

[chicken farmer]

I know!!!!

 

[RedMini]

With my first batch this year I fed 24 hrs a day for the first 3 weeks.
At 3 weeks of age, they were fed for only 12 hours a day. Basically from early morning till late evening.

 

[JJSS89]

Well I don't have any pictures but I have about 55 big fatties that are waiting to go to Camp Kenmore this weekend.

I have a few cockerels that will probably tip the scales at 9.5-10 lbs and they are walking fine right now. This year I fed 22% protein from birth to butcher and I've had incredible growth through that week 5-7 slump that I've seen before.

 

[LindaB220]

Look into fermented feed for them. It's easy, And you use much less water than with just feed. Food is digested better, less smelly poop and you put out what they will eat in 15 or so min. 2x daily. I keep mine fed from day 1 and feed 3-4 times daily for 1 wk. Then 2. They won't grow so incredibly fast and ruin their legs. Saves money too. If you feed dry, keep it high enough to make them stand up for food and water. And keep them separate. I have a good site:

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

Good luck