CX butcher age

[EngeFamilyFarms]

Hi there, we are raising 30 CX meat chicks. They are 5 weeks old and growing like crazy! I know most people butcher around 8 weeks. My question is, does the fact that we have been restricting their food at night make it so we want to wait longer to butcher? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mixedbreeds]

You should probably have a scale handy to weight them you will probably loose around a pound and a half or so when butchered. So depends on how big of a bird you want to eat.

 

[EngeFamilyFarms]

What weight do you shoot for before butcher

 

[mixedbreeds]

I like them big I butcher at around 11 to 12 weeks when they weigh 9 to 10 pounds not all of them will be that big but that’s when I get started. I raise 30 every spring they dress out at 6 1/2 pounds to 8 pounds somewhere in that range males being bigger. I do let them rest in the fridge for couple of days never had a bad one delicious.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

I like mine big too. My first batch was 86 Cornish cross cockerels at 10 weeks old. They were on a restricted diet and had a live weight of between 8-12 pounds. You will lose 30% body weight after butcher (applies to whole chickens; not cut ups). My second batch will be done in a week and they will have lived for 11.5 weeks. It's a straight run and they look about the same size as the previous batch. Both batches fed 18% chick starter for 4 weeks and then 17% broiler grower. From weeks 5 - 11 I only fed them once a day, as much as they could eat in 30 minutes. This made them forage for bugs and greens. I also fed them left over vegetables.

 

[mixedbreeds]

I fed mine meat bird crumbles this year start to finish it was 22% protein lost 1 bird early on that was it.

 

[EngeFamilyFarms]

I fed mine meat bird crumbles this year start to finish it was 22% protein lost 1 bird early on that was it.

That is what I am feeding. Did you restrict food? When did you butcher?

 

[EngeFamilyFarms]

Also, their bellies don’t have many feathers on them and are slightly calloused. Any idea if this is normal?

 

[Northern.Ontario]

Also, their bellies don’t have many feathers on them and are slightly calloused. Any idea if this is normal?

The belly area is the slowest to feather out because of their rapidly growing breasts; perfectly normal

 

[mixedbreeds]

That is what I am feeding. Did you restrict food? When did you butcher?

Yes after feeding 24/7 for two weeks I fed 12 on 12 off I started butchering at 11 weeks with the biggest ones I only did 4 maybe 5 a day was by myself and only had so much room in fridg to rest for 2 days so waited till they were packaged them butchered more. I did have 5 hens that I saved they were a little over 16 weeks and 14 to 16 pounds live weight they were yummy also.