Back in April I came across a great deal at the local feed store on some Cornish X chicks, I had read up on them and these were already feathered and half off so they could unload them quick. I am new to chickens this year but was optimistic that I could raise some with low mortality so I bought 24 of them to add to my already crowded brooder. I was doing so well with my other chicks I figured "what could go wrong?".
Well I lost half of them on the way home due to apparent heat stroke, so much for the good deal. As I sorted the dead from the almost dead I began to feel terrible. This was my first failure. I kept thinking if I had only insisted on two boxes or if I had just opened the top for more ventilation. I set the barely living birds in the grass and cooled them with water. One more passed away. I lost more than half of them before they made it to the brooder. That night two more died and I was down to 9 of the little meaty's.The survivors seamed to thrive and began growing fast. They were of course the first and last at the feeder. Unfortunately they were also picked on and feather pecked on a regular basis. They never seemed very happy and all the pathetic stories about them sleeping in their food and poo came to be.
When I finally moved them into the coop not much changed and on the first night one of them somehow broke a wing and a leg. she was in so much pain she was trembling. I put her down and ended her misery. I was now down to 8 from the 24. About a week later on a particularly hot day (before I was letting the birds out) I had an issue with the water and by lunchtime I lost 5 more of the birds. Now I was down to 3 and they were not being treated very well by the rest of the flock even though they were twice the size. In desperation I decided to isolate them from the rest of the chickens and put them into my fenced backyard.
I don't have a coop back there but figured they could shelter under the deck or the rabbit hutches for a few weeks and then I would butcher the most expensive chicken I would ever have. One of the birds was fairly active compared to the other two and shortly after moving into the backyard he managed to hop up onto a barrel. We were admiring his accomplishment when he tried to fly through a closed window. After that he started having trouble walking. Two days later he disappeared, I have no clue what happened to him but now I was down to 2 of these big, seemingly stupid and incredibly fragile birds. They took to sleeping on the deck just outside the door where they would pile copious amounts of manure everyday.
Admitting to myself that I had failed with the meaty's, I started researching how I might do it differently next time. I am impressed with their rapid growth and substantial size and really want to give it another try, hopefully finding success in learning from my mistakes. I read in several places that curbing their feed could reduce mortality and health problems as they will forage and get some exercise as well as eat a varied diet. So I gave it a try, at first I gave them a ration each morning and just a snack at night, if they wanted more they would have to find it themselves. It seemed to be working and they started to move about the yard more. They quit laying next the feeder waiting for it to be filled. I finally got to where I was giving them one handful of feed a day and they were foraging with the rest of the flock during the day. At night they would return to the deck on their own when the other chickens would go to the coop.
Butchering day came and went without bloodshed and I'm proud to say that I no longer feed them or or any of my chickens. They are totally free range and feed themselves. They forage my yard and three of my neighbors yards. They have become pets. They are very social and for the most part enjoy being petted and handled. They dig for bugs and worms, eat grass seed and plantain leaves along side my other chickens. In the evening they cuddle with each other on the deck making soft noises while wrapping there necks around each other and under each others wings. Other than the mess on the deck they are great companions in the yard, they are active and they are fearless. One of them will even fly very short distances 4-5 feet while running. I think the other would as well but has a damaged wing from previous feather pecking.
I decided to share my experience because tonight I had a proud moment. I was doing my nightly head count and closing up the coop and shutting the gate when I went to the back deck and found that my Cornish X pets as of today are roosting on the deck railing instead of sitting on the floor.
I know that they will likely have a shorter than normal life span but I have decided to let them live it. They have been through so much and really are a pleasure to have around. Next year I will do some more (for eating) and hopefully be more successful than I was this year.
Well I lost half of them on the way home due to apparent heat stroke, so much for the good deal. As I sorted the dead from the almost dead I began to feel terrible. This was my first failure. I kept thinking if I had only insisted on two boxes or if I had just opened the top for more ventilation. I set the barely living birds in the grass and cooled them with water. One more passed away. I lost more than half of them before they made it to the brooder. That night two more died and I was down to 9 of the little meaty's.The survivors seamed to thrive and began growing fast. They were of course the first and last at the feeder. Unfortunately they were also picked on and feather pecked on a regular basis. They never seemed very happy and all the pathetic stories about them sleeping in their food and poo came to be.
When I finally moved them into the coop not much changed and on the first night one of them somehow broke a wing and a leg. she was in so much pain she was trembling. I put her down and ended her misery. I was now down to 8 from the 24. About a week later on a particularly hot day (before I was letting the birds out) I had an issue with the water and by lunchtime I lost 5 more of the birds. Now I was down to 3 and they were not being treated very well by the rest of the flock even though they were twice the size. In desperation I decided to isolate them from the rest of the chickens and put them into my fenced backyard.
I don't have a coop back there but figured they could shelter under the deck or the rabbit hutches for a few weeks and then I would butcher the most expensive chicken I would ever have. One of the birds was fairly active compared to the other two and shortly after moving into the backyard he managed to hop up onto a barrel. We were admiring his accomplishment when he tried to fly through a closed window. After that he started having trouble walking. Two days later he disappeared, I have no clue what happened to him but now I was down to 2 of these big, seemingly stupid and incredibly fragile birds. They took to sleeping on the deck just outside the door where they would pile copious amounts of manure everyday.
Admitting to myself that I had failed with the meaty's, I started researching how I might do it differently next time. I am impressed with their rapid growth and substantial size and really want to give it another try, hopefully finding success in learning from my mistakes. I read in several places that curbing their feed could reduce mortality and health problems as they will forage and get some exercise as well as eat a varied diet. So I gave it a try, at first I gave them a ration each morning and just a snack at night, if they wanted more they would have to find it themselves. It seemed to be working and they started to move about the yard more. They quit laying next the feeder waiting for it to be filled. I finally got to where I was giving them one handful of feed a day and they were foraging with the rest of the flock during the day. At night they would return to the deck on their own when the other chickens would go to the coop.
Butchering day came and went without bloodshed and I'm proud to say that I no longer feed them or or any of my chickens. They are totally free range and feed themselves. They forage my yard and three of my neighbors yards. They have become pets. They are very social and for the most part enjoy being petted and handled. They dig for bugs and worms, eat grass seed and plantain leaves along side my other chickens. In the evening they cuddle with each other on the deck making soft noises while wrapping there necks around each other and under each others wings. Other than the mess on the deck they are great companions in the yard, they are active and they are fearless. One of them will even fly very short distances 4-5 feet while running. I think the other would as well but has a damaged wing from previous feather pecking.
I decided to share my experience because tonight I had a proud moment. I was doing my nightly head count and closing up the coop and shutting the gate when I went to the back deck and found that my Cornish X pets as of today are roosting on the deck railing instead of sitting on the floor.
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