cornish x, can't stand

[silkiechicken]

To the OP's question, you can butcher at 4 weeks and that would be one of those "cornish game hens" you buy at the store. So no age is too young. There are some who eat chicks before they hatch in the form of balut.

lol.. just because they aren't "allowed" to do something doesn't mean they follow the rules.. check this out :

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120405131431.htm



not hormones.. but still.. they found banned drugs in feather meal... nice huh?

This also means that organic labeling can be cast with the same type of doubt.

 

[Irish6425]

We got 2 Cornish Crosses from TSC when purchasing our flock and were shocked at how much bigger they are than my other chicks. However, they are now 5 weeks old and are as active as the rest of my flock. I only give them feed at night and during the day (9am-7pm) they are free range. So far we do not see any problems with their legs and when I walk outside they are the first ones to run across the yard to greet me. Granted, it is probably because I signify food in their eyes, but their personalities have stuck out among my other girls. So much so that I will miss them when we slaughter them in a couple of weeks.

I plan on getting about 4-5 more to raise as meat birds and treating the same way with feed only at night. Should I feed the next girls the same thing I am feeding my current ones to keep their growth from being too quick? Right now my Cornish X are on chick starter feed. Would the broiler feed speed their weight gain? I do not want them to lose mobility and quality of life before their time is up & am fine with them coming in smaller than a typical Cornish X.

Never mind, I posted pics and everyone is saying mine are White Rocks. These girls grow fast, I cannot imagine how fast the Cornish X grow!!

 

[cassie]

My broilers are for market Strictly, However I free range them because I don't agree with the industrys way of Drugging and hormoning So try to produce a more healthy and productive free range product. But.. As i said I never even looked at it like that. If I disagree with the way the industry treats and raises birds. Basically I would be doing the same thing Just without the walls. Seriously you Opened my eyes to something good. A Good happy chicken is a Good happy meal. thanks alot Dan again.

Commercial broilers do not receive hormones. I know Foster Farms does not give their chickens any drugs, and I imagine Tyson doesn't either. It is not legal to give hormones to meat chickens, and with their fast rate of growth there would be nothing to be gained by doing so anyway. I don't know why this hormones and meat chickens rumor persists. Their fast growth is due to genetics, not hormones. Except for the hormones they generate themselves, of course.

 

[cassie]

I know this thread is old but I have to reply. I am new to the chicken scene and recently bought 6 "assorted" chicks. One of which is a Cornish Cross. I didn't know what I was getting myself into! Poor Dumplin, my monster chick is growing so fast that she can hardly walk. She looks deformed compared to the other chicks and I know she's not comfortable......I don't even want to know what her internal organs are going through. I'm not any kind of activist but I just think it is WRONG to breed animals to be this helpless and I feel sick just looking at her each day. I wanted some chickens for egg production and actually I'm glad to have the experience of raising Dumplin because in her honor I have become a vegetarian. I can't even stand to look at cooked chicken, or chicken in the grocery store anymore. I know people are demanding bigger and bigger but the nutrition suffers in exchange, as well as the animal. As for commercially raised chickens....it's the stuff of nightmares. Although I can't face eating chicken any more, I applaude those who are raising their own meat chickens and sparing them the further torture of commercial facilities. Their short lives are torure enough, at least let them see some sunlight before they go to table.

Gee. My meaties aren't helpless and always look and sound contented. Not pitiful at all. Funny, but not pitiful.

 

[Beekissed]

Mine too! They are so quick and lively that I can barely catch them...they are constantly on the move foraging. Even the CX I've raised to 11 wks were still climbing a ramp into the coop twice a day and foraging all day outside.