CX dying like flies

[Morrigan]

Glad to see you birds are doing better.

I enjoyed reading this one. I was wonder if Temperature could also be a factor in the CX mortality issue.

I was wondering that too. Meaties run hot, and at 3 weeks, my guess is that they don't need the heat lamp anymore. What are your night time temperatures?

 

[Compost King]

With that many in summer (not knowing the night time temps there) no heat lamp from day one might even be possible. Although I would use it the first week myself. Off Grid with Doug and Stacy had a youtube video on the Red Rangers they got from Freedom Ranger Hatchery and they said they never used a heat source because with a large group in summer they could huddle together for heat then when warm they can pop out and get food and water.

 

[CindyinSD]

It’s been pretty hot during the day, but our highs have been low to mid 80s—very humid but not like a lot of y’all have been dealing with. Nighttime lows in the mid to high 50s. The tractor is pretty good-sized but they’re choosing to lay under the heat bulbs... whether from familiarity or feeling chilled I’m not sure.

 

[blackandtan]

I had the same problem the first time I had CX, they kept dying and almost daily I’d lose one, I was actually there to see a couple of them croak!
I did some reading...and experimenting...with the next batch, so after the obligatory two weeks on chick starter I switched them to layer crumbles (with a full feeder day and night), and voila!
Not one premature death!
I did notice that they were way more active than before, running around like the layers do, no leg issues, I didn’t notice much difference in the time to get to processing weight either. IMO They seemed happier too, the first batch was disgusting, they only wanted to lay in the feed all day, weak legs, they wore off their belly feathers and didn’t even move out of their poop...it was tragic enough that I didnt even want to raise cx again.

 

[CindyinSD]

I had the same problem the first time I had CX, they kept dying and almost daily I’d lose one, I was actually there to see a couple of them croak!
I did some reading...and experimenting...with the next batch, so after the obligatory two weeks on chick starter I switched them to layer crumbles (with a full feeder day and night), and voila!
Not one premature death!
I did notice that they were way more active than before, running around like the layers do, no leg issues, I didn’t notice much difference in the time to get to processing weight either. IMO They seemed happier too, the first batch was disgusting, they only wanted to lay in the feed all day, weak legs, they wore off their belly feathers and didn’t even move out of their poop...it was tragic enough that I didnt even want to raise cx again.

I was feeling exactly like that, too! My first batch I bought Color Yield because I thought they’d be easier (they were, and really delicious, too—nice and tender tho I’ve heard from some they’re tougher-fleshed). I wanted to try the CX too, since lots of folks like the meat better. I’m still not sure I’m not going to stick with red birds in the future...

 

[Morrigan]

It’s been pretty hot during the day, but our highs have been low to mid 80s—very humid but not like a lot of y’all have been dealing with. Nighttime lows in the mid to high 50s. The tractor is pretty good-sized but they’re choosing to lay under the heat bulbs... whether from familiarity or feeling chilled I’m not sure.

I turn the heat lamp off completely with 2+ week old CXs, and night-time lows in the 50s. They adjust very quickly.

I also strongly second the idea of limiting feed. I'm a little more generous, in that I give my CX two 20 minutes "all you can eat" sessions each day. Once in the morning and one in the evening. Other than that, they get access to a pretty large yard to hunt for food, and I usually give them summer produce from my garden to pick through. I always put that at the far end of the yard, to get the motivated to move.

Over the years, I've had very few losses with this strategy.

 

[Compost King]

Although the following is not about meat birds... for a year I was using Dumor brand chick feed. I was having the worst mortality rate for chicks in the brooder and it continued on out to the coop. After I switched to a local farm co-ops feed (Southern States) haven't had many brooder deaths. The few I have had since were my Dorking's that have serious inbreeding issue that prevent the chicks from being hardy. Its possible low quality feed could be an issue. I am doubting that's your issue because it looks like duluthralphie solved the issue. I just wanted to share the story in case someone later down the road goes through threads to try to figure out their own CX chick mortality issue.

as far as heat lamps go, I am down to about 70 at night at the coolest point here and my 3 week old 3/4 dorking 1/4 red ranger chicks are outside with no heat lamp. They aren't even huddling up, they are spaced out now and resting with the current temp at 75. They may end up huddled up by morning but I am not sure because I do not even check on them until about 10 am when its warmed up quite a bit. Once they get most of their back feathers they are fairly hardy.

 

[CindyinSD]

Thanks again, guys! I’m leaving the ends of the tractor untapped tonight since it’s 68* this evening (9:15 p.m.), and tomorrow I’ll take out the lamps. They’re kind of a pain when moving the tractor in any case. You’ve given me the confidence to wean them off... simple is usually better.

 

[duluthralphie]

I turn the heat lamp off completely with 2+ week old CXs, and night-time lows in the 50s. They adjust very quickly.

I also strongly second the idea of limiting feed. I'm a little more generous, in that I give my CX two 20 minutes "all you can eat" sessions each day. Once in the morning and one in the evening. Other than that, they get access to a pretty large yard to hunt for food, and I usually give them summer produce from my garden to pick through. I always put that at the far end of the yard, to get the motivated to move.

Over the years, I've had very few losses with this strategy.

The reason I only feed at night is to encourage them to forage and be more active. I doubt 20 minutes in the morning will suddenly be too much feed and kill them and you proved it doesn’t!

I found the CX have a tendency to sleep after eating and lay around. Not feeding them seemed to stop the morning sleep.

I also go to a lower protein level grower. I avoided later feed because of the vitamins and minerals in it such as calcium in amounts only needed by birds manufacturing egg shells.

As I recall reading the increase calcium can actually be harmful to young birds.

I am willing to bet @R2elk would know the answer to this.

Some of the huddling is an inbred trait I believe. It carry’s through to my toads even. No matter how hot and smelly they are they tend to huddle up. Whereas my other birds will spread out and keep space around them when it’s too warm.

 

[Compost King]

The reason I only feed at night is to encourage them to forage and be more active. I doubt 20 minutes in the morning will suddenly be too much feed and kill them and you proved it doesn’t!

I found the CX have a tendency to sleep after eating and lay around. Not feeding them seemed to stop the morning sleep.

I also go to a lower protein level grower. I avoided later feed because of the vitamins and minerals in it such as calcium in amounts only needed by birds manufacturing egg shells.

As I recall reading the increase calcium can actually be harmful to young birds.

I am willing to bet @R2elk would know the answer to this.

Some of the huddling is an inbred trait I believe. It carry’s through to my toads even. No matter how hot and smelly they are they tend to huddle up. Whereas my other birds will spread out and keep space around them when it’s too warm.

One of the issues I have with low calcium and low protein feed is that it's hard to get both, from my supplier the only low protein feeds are egg laying feeds. I do wish someone other than Dumor would make a 15% protein feed without calcium in it... if I shop around I might find it.