cornish x eggs, is this good idea?

[bobeena]

I never raised for meat before. I have a broody buff orp., great mama, and thinking about giving her some cornish x to hatch. butchering help available 3rd wk of July. If they hatch out end of May, and I let her take care of them, can I successfully raise them til that time, just putting out food during the day? My laying hens range the fenced city yard during the day and are confined to a predator-proof dog kennel with roosts at night. If I do this, would I leave the cornish x in the kennel all day with food and water or will they forage even a little?

Overall: Is this is dumb idea?

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Lets see: you want a broody to hatch some eggs. Then you will house and feed them during the warm months, maybe letting them roam as they wish - until they are of slaughter age? Doesnt sound dumb to me.

You can do this, yes, with two caveats.

One, they probably won't achieve the massive weight gains we associate with these birds, due to their ranging.
Two, it is probably best that you NOT let them go beyond slaughter time, as they seem not to fare well beyond that point.

But I have heard of others doing this very thing.

 

[jjparke]

You didn't mention your breeding stock either so FYI cornish x don't breed true. A cx on cx won't equal a cx. You will get a mutt. However, since I myself am trying as hard as I can to be self sufficient I say go for it! Another thing- I've never been able to get cx to range at all. I take them out of their pen and they just stand at my feet. Let us know how it works out though.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
I should have said that Ive never done it myself. Sorry.
One of the things Ive heard is that these meaties dont normally roam all over the country side. They will probably get about some, in time, but nothing like regular chickens.