Feeding Cornish X

[BirchHatchery]

thats information i could use! i am tren to raise cornish x to breeding age and at 4 lbs in 10 weeks would work perfectly! How long were your feedings that you did everyday?

 

[Lisa Foss]

I raised cornish x last year for the 1st time. When I took them to the processor, he said I should have fed them more, a lot more. They were 3-4 lbs each after 10 weeks. I fed them 2 x a day and thought I was generous. I fed 20% protein chick starter/grower to them for the entire time. I went through 50 lbs every 2 weeks for 25 birds.

 

[BirchHatchery]

How Long Were Your Feedings?

Did U Feed For 2 Hrs For The First Feeding Then 2hrs For The Second Feeding? How Long Was It?

 

[Lisa Foss]

I put out about 2 cups per bird and they ate until it was gone. They usually finished it in about an hour. This amount was given starting at about 5 weeks. Before that, it was slightly less.

This year, I'm going to put out large pans filled to the top. I work full time and can't refill dishes all day long, so I feed them 2x a day. I'll increase the feed to 4 cups/bird to start and increase as they age.

 

[CARS]

It sounds like you need to go shopping for a larger feeder. The one I use still has feed left in it when I pull it at night.

 

[Lisa Foss]

The ones I have for this year are 3" high x 18" across. I'll fill those right up and see how long it lasts when I have a day off work. I'll be able to guage how many pans I'll put in each pen.

Last year, I used the red ones the TSC sells. I would fill up 2 per pen. Obviously, that was not enough. Besides, the cost of processing is such that I do not make any money if the birds weigh less than 6 lbs, so I have to increase the weight.

Will they drink more water if they eat more grain? I used a 1 gallon waterer in each pen filled 2 x a day. They always had a little water left in them when I refilled them. Should I double the amount of water they get with more grain being fed?

 

[kassy68]

My hatchery recommended 24% for the full 8 weeks. My smallest bird at 7 weeks 2 days when they went in was 3.85 and largest was 7lbs dressed out on the average I did it was 4.9 lbs per bird dressed out . They complimented me on feathering and size. it was my first also. I had ordered 50, down to 39 at 11 days.. never lost another one. I took them a week early cuz they were booked through my birds 8 week mark.

I had a 3 gallon waterer and 3 gallon feeder that I kept full at all times. removed the feeder after 2 weeks at 7pm and put back in at 7 am. the last week those 39 birds were eating near 25lbs a day. yep.. alot.

this year I will let them go the extra week and the guy said it would add another lb to the bird.

last year I feed Dumor (tsc) 24% starter all the way through.. This year I've found a guy here that makes it fresh for half the price so I am trying it this year... hope I don't regret it.. grin

OH.. and I keep the water and feeder raised so they always had to stand to eat, hoping to keep the legs stronger.. it worked, no heart attacks or broken legs.. and they were in a 8x12 with an attached 10x10 pen outside.. which they didnt like to use till the last week or two.

 

[the simple life]

Well now you know that you definitely underfed the last ones but I am not sure that you are still going to be giving them enough this time around.
You should be putting the food out early in the morning and leaving enough for them to last all day.
If you don't want to feed them around the clock you can just pull the feeders out at night but I wouldn't be letting them run out of food.
Did you have any losses? I would thin that not having enough food would cause them stress and usually that brings on other issues.
I know when hens are not fed enough they will go into a moult from the stress, same with lack of waterjust wondering about the meatbirds.
I personally would not be worrying about measuring cups per bird, if you want big, fat birds you need to let them eat all day.
You asked about water, rather than worrying about being home to refill the waterer or having them run out I would use a larger size or buy more so they have two in each pen.
I use a 5 gallon waterer for my birds and I have between 50-100 in each batch, it works fine.
I add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to keep it from getting slimy in between cleanings, just don't use it with metal waterers.

 

[BirchHatchery]

they lack of feed makes them more normal i think they want to scratch run around and search for for food like my layers do are you free ranging?

 

[Lisa Foss]

I didn't have any losses last year. I put 15 chickens in 1 pen and 10 chickens in the other pen. I leave for work at 6 am so they were fed and watered at 5:30 am. When I got home at 4pm, I fed and watered them again. I left the food and water in there until morning and did the same thing everyday. Granted, they were underfed, but not to the point of malnourishment or death. I'm eating these chickens too. The one I made the other day fed 3 of us for supper and the carcass went for soup with plenty of chicken left on it. They were moved 2 x a day so they were on new ground to scratch and eat bugs. I keep sheep as well, and this helped with parasite control. I didn't have to worm my sheep last summer, in spite of all the rain we had.