First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JessicaThistle]

Here is an update first thank you for your responses last night I went out to give the fresh water and there was 5 more dead I noticed on 3 of them it looked like blood was coming out of the butt or something red assuming it was blood I put them in the tractor at 4 weeks and yes I limit there food only feed once a day but I am starting to think I'm feeding to much because there feeders are never empty and they don't rush me when I come in with the feed. No I havnt cut any open yet and not sure how much they weigh just thought I give the new info if I need to butcher now I need to get ahold of my butcher ASAP please let me know if it still sounds like heart disease and if it is heart disease they are still good to eat correct ? Thanks again this is not how I thought my first experience with CX would go

I did not read anyone's comments over the last page or two after this. I just jumped to this. So if I am repeating what someone else says, I apologize.

Okay, I understand now. Would the blood from their butts be coccidosis? I never had that when mine died of heart problems. Just something to research or ask further about.

I put my chicks on pasture in the tractor at 2 1/2 weeks old. This gives them longer exercise time and reduced the heart problems. I think earlier on that would be better for you.

The feeders should be empty within 10-15 minutes. If they aren't than you are overfeeding. They should act like they are starving when you come to feed them, imo.

I would open one up and take a look at organs. If it is just heart disease the meat should be fine.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Jessica- what other types of your hens are going broody?

A Barred Rock and a Buff Orpington. What ticks me off is the buffy went broody last month too. She is also the absolute crabbiest hen I have. She doesn't bite me, none of them do but boy does she cuss me out.

 

[mountain mom]

A Barred Rock and a Buff Orpington. What ticks me off is the buffy went broody last month too. She is also the absolute crabbiest hen I have. She doesn't bite me, none of them do but boy does she cuss me out.

That is hilarious! You should hear what Sparrow has to say...

Orpingtons and Silkies are the main broody offenders. I haven't heard of many Barred Rocks... or in my case, Wyandottes going broody. I think it is catching. Like cycle syncing...

 

[Morrigan]

If people don't want their broody hens, you can send them my way! I so miss my broody hen who died last winter. I had one other hen who went broody once last spring, but she seems to have lost all interest. No one is even lingering the nest boxes any more.

I told my husband Im going to need an incubator for Christmas.

nj2 -- I live in a predator heaven as well. We put battery operated electric wires around the bottom of our fence. I don't know how feasible it is for a tractor, or whether it would stop an animal as large as a bear. It's not a pleasant feeling getting shocked and my dogs won't even go near the coop now. Since a weasel somehow managed to find a gap under the electric fence, I now lock my meaties up in a tool shed that I converted to coop. I just put a dish of food inside and they race in. The first time a few got confused and I had to catch and place, but now they just congregate by the door starting about 7 p.m. and run right in when I open the door. Just make sure you have a way to easily clean up their bedding and air out your garage. As they get bigger, so do their droppings.

 

[Morrigan]

The feeders should be empty within 10-15 minutes. If they aren't than you are overfeeding. They should act like they are starving when you come to feed them, imo.

Seconding this. Everyone should be able to fill their crops up in 10-15 minutes and then, that's it.

That being said, I still had several go down with leg troubles at 4 to 6 weeks of age. Luckily none dropped dead, they just weren't able to walk, so I was at least able to butcher them. However, at 7 1/2 weeks all my remaining CX are hale as can be. So it's possible that the one's who died were just the weaker chickens, and the rest are stronger and will respond to a reduced diet. I would be concerned about the blood on their bottoms however. That sounds more like a parasite or disease.

 

[duluthralphie]

I just got back from my daughters and I have 3 turkey chicks and 2 creamettes, A male and a female I think.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ethel and JJ's babies:

 

[duluthralphie]

I am sorry, but when it is baby time I am like a giddy 13 year old girl, I need to show everyone what I have and am doing.

So creamette pictures:







Sorry the pictures are so bad they are through the glass and the one I took a couple pictures neither is very good.

 

[raisinemright]

First night in the tractor (with heat lamp) for my second run of CX, they seem to be doing good so far. I tell ya it's nice not gathering and moving 25 CX into the garage every night!!

 

[JessicaThistle]

PHASE TWO COMPLETE!!



For those of you that don't know, this is our chicken tractor for the hens that we purchased with our egg business. It is complete and on pasture. We are renting pasture from someone in our town that is just a couple miles away. Far cry from the 50 minutes one way that I have been travelling every day since January. We have at least 15 acres to move them around on!

The girls come home tomorrow!! (Saturday) Woohoo! Be prepared for video and pictures of that!

Video of the tractor is uploading and will post here in a bit.....
Here it is on the super quick!