Cornish cross chicks arriving next week

[Shoshone]

I do like it when the post office estimates are wrong. at 04:43 this morning my phone beeped at me and when I opened txt messages I spotted that my chicks were on their way from the hub an hour away to my post office. (I normally get up at 4 so I was awake) and at 07:43 they arrived at the post office and I was there 5 minutes later.

26 healthy and thirsty chicks arrived. the postmaster told me when they got there she opened the box and counted them as they have had issues with dead chicks arriving in the past. LOL she told me they were hungry. knowing what I ordered that seems a forgone conclusion LOL.

So once they settle in and I have a chance to watch them for a bit, I'll pull 5 random chicks and leg band them and weigh them so I can track the progress.
View attachment 1958872

How interesting...

 

[Shoshone]

I read about that breed the other night...
I have 6 chicks coming in two weeks. My first rodeo.

 

[wolfwalker]

So 4 weeks and a couple of days old. avg weight 1.6 pounds. They've gone through 50 pounds of feed more or less with a conversion of 2.98 pounds of feed / pound of flesh. And they are starting to get some wide breasts on them and for those that like legs, they are impressive too.

 

[wolfwalker]

Due to selling my house in 5 days of being listed and trying to find a new place, then packing up the house, we move in 2 weeks to the new farm, I've been behind in tracking the Delawares.

I did weigh them this morning, and boy was that fun [sarcasm intended]. they had trouble fitting into the bucket.

Today they are 11 weeks old and they average 5.5 pounds each. Unfortunately, I've not been able to keep up with tracking feed eaten beyond filling the feeder which holds 7 pounds of feed daily.

I will do a lot better on my spring order of the Delaware enhanced as I plan to order more as I only ended up with 2 pullets out of ten. which means the 2 largest will be kept back for breeding and the rest processed once I move. That will put them around 14 weeks or so and I am interested in seeing how they compare to Cornish X after processing and I will keep one back for an immediate taste test. McMurray states that the Delaware Enhanced, breeds true, which is good for a sustainable flock.

The Roosters have been crowing for about a week now and they are the same size as my cinnamon queen's. My breeding plan is to tag them all during the move and weigh them once released into the new pen. I will keep the 2 largest, heaviest with broad chest out of the group as future roosters and the rest will be processed

 

[wolfwalker]

Move is over, I now have 55 acres to play on and am in the process of building coops, runs and barns. AND, it is totally off grid with a 8 kilowatt solar system and my own well. I plan to redo the weekly weigh ins with the new batch come March and I will include cornish cross to compare to at this lower elevation, I am a 1000 feet lower, so around 4k above sea level.

 

[RoosterML]

Move is over, I now have 55 acres to play on and am in the process of building coops, runs and barns. AND, it is totally off grid with a 8 kilowatt solar system and my own well. I plan to redo the weekly weigh ins with the new batch come March and I will include cornish cross to compare to at this lower elevation, I am a 1000 feet lower, so around 4k above sea level.

Congrats, that’s a big accomplishment being off the grid.

 

[wolfwalker]

Thanks. it is taking a little adjusting for everyday life, but my greenhouses were run by solar so not as much as a jump in the dark. More of draw to many volts no matter the wattage and the system goes Nope not doing it LOL.