First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[mountain mom]

I am so glad I found this thread!
This spring we started our (okay, my) chicken obsession! I only wanted layers and pets, while my husband insisted if we were getting chickens, we were doing meat birds too. I researched and researched and decided on red rangers because of the horror stories I found on CX. They were delicious and processing was not as terrible as I imagined, so we decided to do another round later in the summer for an October butcher. Alas, rangers are no longer available to me. So I bought CX. 15 of them, with some serious apprehensions.
They came today and while keeping warm by the fire (it snowed last night!) I decided to hunt through the meat bird threads. Thanks to this one, I am sooo excited for these birds!
Thanks for all the tips on feed restricting, we let the rangers eat all day. They were free range as well and never seemed to gorge. Good to know about the CX!!

Double Kindness- I am just north of Ft. Collins and you can probably get some CX from Northern Colorado Feeder Supply. I will let you know how they compare to the rangers!

 

[LindaB220]

I am so glad I found this thread!
This spring we started our (okay, my) chicken obsession! I only wanted layers and pets, while my husband insisted if we were getting chickens, we were doing meat birds too. I researched and researched and decided on red rangers because of the horror stories I found on CX. They were delicious and processing was not as terrible as I imagined, so we decided to do another round later in the summer for an October butcher. Alas, rangers are no longer available to me. So I bought CX. 15 of them, with some serious apprehensions.
They came today and while keeping warm by the fire (it snowed last night!) I decided to hunt through the meat bird threads. Thanks to this one, I am sooo excited for these birds!
Thanks for all the tips on feed restricting, we let the rangers eat all day. They were free range as well and never seemed to gorge. Good to know about the CX!!

Double Kindness- I am just north of Ft. Collins and you can probably get some CX from Northern Colorado Feeder Supply. I will let you know how they compare to the rangers!

Hey Mountain Mom

Yes, research this great on here. Search at the top for threads about free ranging CX or meat birds. @aoxa has some very good videos of how to raise them.

 

[Double Kindness]

Well I've given up on the idea of getting cornish x at least until spring!

A slw can't walk, curled toes, so I've had her inside giving nutridrench and vitamin/electrolytes water, 18% protein all flock pellets soaked in nutridrench water for 24+ hours now. I might have to cull her this weekend. That leaves me 25 dp chickens 6-7 weeks old.

Linda- you have experience with this right? Or maybe not. Maybe at the end of the month when we go pick up our whole pasture raised hog from the butchers I can swing up north to check out if they have cornish x at that feed store near ft collins? It's too late in the year this year.. but in the spring! !

 

[mountain mom]

Well I've given up on the idea of getting cornish x at least until spring!

Linda- you have experience with this right? Or maybe not. Maybe at the end of the month when we go pick up our whole pasture raised hog from the butchers I can swing up north to check out if they have cornish x at that feed store near ft collins? It's too late in the year this year.. but in the spring! !

We almost didn't get them since it is getting late and we process outside, but I couldnt resist once I finally found some!!

 

[Double Kindness]

@ mountain mom- that's what I'm afraid of..

 

[mountain mom]

I know! I find chickens irresistible. I hope your slw will recover, they are great gals! Do you think it is bumble foot? Are you planning on eating them? They are really great layers too.

 

[duluthralphie]

MtnMan and double kindness I understand!!!

I got mine the first of August and growing them Free range and slowed down, I am afraid I will be cleaning them when the snow is flying!

 

[mountain mom]

With the winter predicted, along with the fact it dusted snow last night, I am afraid of that too! If so, they will just taste that much better, right?!

 

[duluthralphie]

With the winter predicted, along with the fact it dusted snow last night, I am afraid of that too! If so, they will just taste that much better, right?!

 

[KCMOLisa]

Mine are 9 days old now, but I am worrying that I got them too late also, especially with restricting feed! I live in Missouri and the weather is usually decent until mid-October or so. But the low tonight is 39, and my babies are in an outdoor brooder box! If this weather keeps up, they might not make it to processing day at all!

I do think a lot of people raise them around this time of year though because I went to my local farm and home store for feed and was surprised they were having a Cornish Cross chick days. Those chicks were even a week younger than mine. Next year I'm going to start them a couple of weeks earlier for sure, though!