Disapointing Cornish Rock Harvest - What are we doing wrong?

[Denninmi]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

Quote:
I think we have found the problem. The clover is bulkier than their feed, so feeding lots of it limits the intake of the commercial feed which lmiits growth rate.

Stop the clover and I bet the growth rate will jump.

Jim

Very true. That's why its a lot better to eat salad on a diet (without high fat dressing and goodies like cheese) than to eat milkshakes or Hershey bars or jelly donuts.​

 

[PikeCo]

Our broilers go through at least 15lbs./ bird in six weeks every time. Sometimes more.

 

[In His Service]

For what it is worth, we had cornish x in the spring and fed them a 22% game bird/chick crumbles and were very pleased with the results, after 8 weeks they were 5 1/2 to 8 pounds. We let the smaller ones grow a few more weeks and they ended up 6 - 9 pounds . (weights are dressed out)

 

[downeastthunderfarm]

A follow up - at the start of this thread we harvested four of our ten meat chickens and we were disappointed with the weight of the chickens dressed. They were barely three pounds each (although very tasty). We let the remaining six go another two weeks and two days. During this time we switched their feed from mash to pellets. They seemed to LOVE this change and ate voraciously. We harvested the remaining six chickens today (at 10 weeks) and they all dressed out at about five pounds each.

A couple of folks suggested feeding a "finisher" food with a higher level of protein during the last couple of weeks. We haven't had much luck finding this finisher feed. The local Blue Seal told us they don't carry it "because it makes the chickens fat." Hmmm. I'm not sure what they mean by "fat". Our goal is to not have a skinny chicken!

 

[mcf3kids]

I was reading through this and your birds look very healthy but look much different than my almost 6 week Cornish X. I am in NH so very close to you and they have been averaging a live weight at about what their age is in weeks since week 4. You called yours Cornish Rock is this the same as Cornish X? This is my first batch so I have little experience but I must say your birds look great so you certainly have healthy, tasty food to eat - CONGRATS on all your hard work!!!

I used a Dumor chick starter 24% protein from TSC since birth - as it was all I could find with a higher protein content. We are processing the roos this weekend and will let the hens have another week. Fingers crossed ours all turn out as good as yours!!

 

[downeastthunderfarm]

Yes, I'm fairly certain the Cornish Rock and Cornish X are the same thing. It may depend on who you purchase them from.