Cornish X's = Nastiest birds EVER

[aoxa]

I am the CX advocate police lately. I am really saddened to hear all the negative comments about the hybrid. They are not disgusting birds. They are active, friendly and inquisitive things. They are very food motivated. VERY much food motivated.

If you can not free range, a tractor is advisable. Move it daily. DO NOT crowd it. Only feed twice a day what they can eat within 15 minutes or so. Sure it takes them a bit longer to grow out, but they really work to get that extra food from what nature has to offer them. This makes a healthier meat bird in the end.

They don't smell any more than any other chicken. They should not sit in their filth unless they are living in deplorable conditions.

Try electric netting and make a paddock. They will thrive.

I love the CX, and they will always be a part of my farm.

CX birds free ranging @ 6 weeks.

and at 12 weeks.

 

[199787]

I just finished a batch of 29. I actually thought they were pretty sweet. Of course they were outside. They slept in a tractor and free ranged during the day. They do poop a lot and they eat a lot. I took food away in the afternoon and at night to encourage them to eat more grass and bugs. Make sure you have adequate housing and you should be golden.

 

[Bossroo]

If one has a problem raising the CornishX ... just look into the mirror and one will instantly recognize the problem. Millions of these so called nasty birds are being raised by the commercial folks as well as many of us in our own back yards without the issues claimed by a few that have an axe to grind against commercial operators and their products. Yea, I have raised hundreds of the CornishX for years inside my barn without the untrue comments stated. Learn, understand and follow the proper protocol of proper animal husbandry.

 

[Beekissed]

I'll throw my hat in the ring....I love the breed and never experienced any difficulties with them either. If you treat them like pigs in a pen, they will eat and live like pigs confined to a pen. End of story.

Mine free ranged more vigorously than any chicken breed I've ever had over 37 years. The first batch had some smelly poops but they were out on pasture all day, so it wasn't concentrated in the litter like those confined to a pen. The second batch were fed fermented feeds from day one and within 2-3 days were putting out formed stools with little or no smells. Both batches were clean, white, friendly, active and healthy to the max. Two of the first batch got accidentally injured at the feeder by crowding with my layer flock...bad injuries...but acted like nothing happened, healed up so completely within a matter of a few days that I couldn't tell which ones had been injured. No fatalities in that first batch and only 4 in the second batch...3 young birds drowned in the dog's water bucket and one was killed by a confused rooster. Healthy, no smells, roosted on roosts as high as 3 ft off the ground, etc.

 

[Bossroo]

OK, Jennifer... there you have it ! Even with photographic proof by those that bother to put into practice when they educated themselves. ... now go and hit the books to educate yourself on proper animal husbandry .

 

[kirras]

I free ranged mine and fed them twice a day. It was strange to see a bird grow so fast! They were healthy and active, but at 12 weeks I butchered them and they smelled worse ( before the butcher) then any other chicken I have processed! One had a really soft heart too, like it was about to go out maybe? I loved watching them run though! Silly creatures! Good luck!

 

[MunchiesChicks]

We are first year chicken owners and I also got Cornish X about 10 and I wish I had gotten more. We live in a subdivision and our backyard is fenced. Our chickens get fed in the morning after they go hunting first for bugs and eat grass then we feed them pellets when they got big enough which will cut down the feed waste. They free range the backyard eating frogs, mice, grass and we supplement with fruits and veggies and occasionally pastas and yogurt. We added ultra kibble for chicks and it made a huge difference in poops from being wet and squishy to formed and semisoft. Clean water is a must! Ours when they were 3/4 weeks had supervised forage time in a mini movable coop then brought in after a couple hours which kept them moving. Before we processed them at 10 -12 weeks we had all 10, all had feathers and were doing a funky run all over the yard. Keeping bedding clean is very important and is a daily job to either add more bedding or muck it all out. My only concern is if they are laying there with no feathers not moving can lead or sores, infections or justvery sick birds. My largest Cornish at a 6.5 dress weight was still walking around the day before processing. Something just doesnt sound right...

 

[Owingsia]

We dont brooder box ours. They go in an open run with the goats. Confined they are not good birds. We love ours because of all the meat and the good taste. Just all depends on how you raise them. Dont confine them in a brooder box. I speak from experience they are absolutely nasty when confined like that. These birds need to be outdoors.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree. I brooded mine in a hoop coop in early March, so still freezing temps at night. They did fine and then just grew out in the same coop, free ranging from it. Here's a pic of my outside brooder for CX:

 

[aoxa]

We dont brooder box ours. They go in an open run with the goats. Confined they are not good birds. We love ours because of all the meat and the good taste. Just all depends on how you raise them. Dont confine them in a brooder box. I speak from experience they are absolutely nasty when confined like that. These birds need to be outdoors.

They are like ducklings in a small space.. nasty as all get out.. Okay, ducklings are far worse...