Crossing my Red Ranger Hens.

Pics
I got my 6 slow white broiler chicks from Privet vis-a-vis a feed store. They are 7 weeks now and looking great. Very pleased with the quality. My only cause for concern is that I gave the chicks to a broody hen and she refuses to let go of them. (I actually only gave 1 to the broody, but she commandeered the rest). The 2 roosters in the mix are nearly as big as her, and she is still trying to nest with them at night and clucking about the yard with them. I'm going to feel terrible taking her "babies" to the butcher table, if she doesn't cut them loose in the next couple of weeks.
I've got a CX that is seven weeks old too, but she's befriend two Light Brahma chicks that are 4 weeks old. They snuggle under her like she's momma hen. It's awfully cute, and the chicks get the CX to go forage too.
:oops:
 
I weighed my Cornish X hens that I ration feed to. Strange thing is that the smallest one weighed the most and the largest one weighed the least. I weighed them on the order of what I felt looked the smallest first and the largest last.

10wks of age

1: 6.0 Pounds...
2: 5.1
3: 5.0

IMG_3278.JPG


I sprinkle their feed on the top of the compost pile and force them to climb the hill. The Feed falls down the hill and they have to go up and down scratching for pecking for as much as they can find.

I am not sure what their weights would be if they were fed to be table birds and not breeder birds. all 3 of them are energetic and they do not struggle to climb the hill. I feed them 2 or 3 times a day instead of just once at night. I figure smaller feedings spread out through the day has them climbing and scratching more often. They are no longer foraging as much as they did when they had buddy birds. But I found a way to make them exercise getting the feed I provide for them.
 
I get the feeling one of the CX girls is going to die soon, she was lethargic and not eager to get food. Her comb was pale too. I expect her to be dead by morning but hopefully she was just Temp sick this evening. She didn't put up a fight at all when I picked her up and gave her a hug. Thats why I got 3 of them (actually I got six but I ate the males) ... As long as one of them makes it to reproduction age I can carry on with my goals.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom