First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JRNash]

i had to throw one in of my babies

 

[duluthralphie]

16 weeks now. The biggest is 6 lbs 10 oz and the smallest Pixie is 6 lbs 2 oz. And all still very active. Even in the heat.

I do not think you have the same birds we have, That age and weight almost sounds like white rocks/Cornish and not the CX's. At 16 weeks you should have 13-15 pound birds dressed. Bert was 20 pounds by 16 weeks.

Your birds do look goo though... Or is 16 a typo and you meant 6 weeks?

 

[duluthralphie]

i had to throw one in of my babies

Why would you throw a baby?

 

[funnyfarmmom]

MM Good that you were able to get them processed. Sorry you couldn't grow 'em as big as you'd hoped. Too funny @ Banshee!

Sunny sounds like a smart bird. I'd hang out in the garage too. It rarely gets to 100 here. I can't imagine working outside in it. I hope you can get your dream farm. Your tree cutting neighbor sounds like a pita!

JR stay cool and get better quick. your birds arrive healthy!

If we order meaties we have to put the order in for next Friday to get them for August. I'm wondering how many to get. We live out in the country on a 1/3 of an acre in a corn field. We have 10 kids at home plus ourselves so there is no way we could grow too many. I don't mind buying another freezer. It's mostly space in the yard and time. As a teen I helped a neighbor process a couple geese so I know what that is like. We have to build a coop for the egg layer chicks. Sadly I had to cull one. It was sleeping all the time, had a deformed leg, couldn't poop (never did so not pasty), and a herniated belly button. I feed it vitamin/sweet water only for it to perk up and make sad little sounds. Ugg. That was hard to do! Dh is a big softie so I can't ask him. All the meaties would become pets lol. I was out of grapefruit juice so had a gin and tonic instead of my favorite a gin/fresca/grapefruit. Sigh! Not totally sure I'm cut out for this.

Oh can I raise a couple turkeys with the meaties?

I know its been a few days since you posted, but I wanted to add. We have 8 kids on 1/2 acre. This is the third time Ive raised meat birds this summer, I have 29 right now. I also have 20 layers and a rooster for eggs. Since the meat birds grow so fast you can do several rounds a year instead of one big bunch. Thats how I solve the space problem. Someone else also mentioned maybe trading some processed chicken to someone who has extra of another type meat, like pork.

I hear if you ferment the meaties feed they go through less and smell better. Im just now experimenting with that so I cant add my experience.

Yes, the meat birds are healthier if they can free range, but if you dont have the room its not a reauirement. Anything that you can give them thats bigger than a 3x3 cage is an improvement over factory farms. I dont have a coop for the meaties, just a 3 sided shelter with a good sized pen coming off the front. We dont keep them through winter.

My layers coop, we basically built a good sized shed. I wanted to be able to walk into it and hang out . We have a run attached to that. But we didnt mess with the nest boxes that hang out the side for outside access or anything. Too much for my limited carpentry skills lol. Just stuck the nest boxes on the far wall where its a little darker and the girls are quite happy with that. They have a good sized run to one side, and I still have room for a good sized garden and the kids have plenty of room to play. Im sure you could manage it on your land. May take some finagling but it can be done. Good luck!

 

[duluthralphie]

My CX's are a week old today and down to 20 minutes of feed twice a day..


When I walked into the coop today they all came running towards me instead of away. I think they finally understand I give them food...


I lost another one, no idea why, I have probiotics in the water to stop pasty butt before it starts. The dead one did not have a pasty butt, I am now out of packing peanuts and itno real birds, Hopefully that is the last one..

Our weather has been tough to control temps, 90 during the day with 80% humidity and 50 at night....

 

[JRNash]

I left a high velocity fan on when I left for work this morning. The half of my mancave that isn't insulatedand is open easily hits 110. At 10pm its still 90 degrees. I stopped with the brooder light two days ago.they aren't even a week yet. By the weekend they will be outside in the target building

 

[duluthralphie]

JR. Did you make the target building out of new lumber/wood, or is it made out of used gator signs?

 

[JRNash]

Your killing me Ralph.lol

 

[Red Nugget]

I do not think you have the same birds we have,  That age and weight almost sounds like  white rocks/Cornish and not the CX's.   At 16 weeks you should have 13-15 pound birds dressed.  Bert was 20 pounds by 16 weeks.

Your birds do look goo though...  Or is 16 a typo and you meant 6 weeks?

When we bought them at TSC they sold them as White Rocks so I Thought Plymouth White Rocks. But I Posted a pick of them as chicks and Holms and others said they were CX. Even on this thread. I know they aren't regular chickens. Their body heat is tremendous they eat like piranha. But I seriously limit feed. I only put out 12oz of feed twice a day. And they free range the rest of the day.

this is a pic from when they wear 6 weeks old. I got them on March 20th

 

[duluthralphie]

When we bought them at TSC they sold them as White Rocks so I Thought Plymouth White Rocks. But I Posted a pick of them as chicks and Holms and others said they were CX. Even on this thread. I know they aren't regular chickens. Their body heat is tremendous they eat like piranha. But I seriously limit feed. I only put out 12oz of feed twice a day. And they free range the rest of the day. this is a pic from when they wear 6 weeks old. I got them on March 20th

I would guess they are what TSC said they were, They do have the CX body, but the size is wrong at the age for CXs'. You are probably the only person in the country that got the birds labeled correctly from TSC.

When I see your pictures I see CX's , I have a white rock (the Hussy) she looks nothing like yours. She is smaller too, she was raised as a layer so she got free will food. She is not a "food hog" like my CX's.

Pictures are deceiving sometimes, but they look like great eating. Grats on a good job raising them. They had a great life and now they have that one bad day.