First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JessicaThistle]

Can y'all help me out? on the left is Pixie and the right is Sandy. both are 16 weeks old. both are female. are they the same breed? Until about a week ago there was no difrence in the size of the comb and waffles just color. I have 3 like Pixie and then Sandy with her brighter comb. now Sandy is morephing into something else. Even her neck looks bigger.

I suspect that she is just getting ready to lay and the other isn't quite there yet. These are CX's, right? Sunny wound up with a huge comb and wattles that she didn't have early on. The roos get theirs early so that is my thought.

 

[holm25]

Red nugget I agree with Jessica. It looks like its getting close to laying!! This is one of my 4-6 week old roosters.

 

[Red Nugget]

I never have been sure of the breed. CX or Plymoth Rock. They were supposed to be Leghorns. But I know that's not the case. So that's cool. I guess it's ok for them all to develope a little diferently. I'm waiting for eggs now. No singing egg songs or squatting yet. But it should be soon. I wonder if a Silkie can mate with a CX? And what would that chick be like.

 

[JessicaThistle]

I never have been sure of the breed. CX or Plymoth Rock. They were supposed to be Leghorns. But I know that's not the case. So that's cool. I guess it's ok for them all to develope a little diferently. I'm waiting for eggs now. No singing egg songs or squatting yet. But it should be soon. I wonder if a Silkie can mate with a CX? And what would that chick be like.

Are you asking if a silkie roo can mate with a cx or if a silkie hen can be mated by a cx? I kept my silkie hens away from the cx roos because they are so tiny. I feel their pain when my big ee roo jumps on their back. But if you are talking silkie roo to a cx, I would suppose it would be fine. Not sure what you would come up with. According to Ralph, I imagine it would be some kind of toad.

 

[JRNash]

So many possibilities

 

[Red Nugget]

LMAO! NO NO the Roo is the Silkie. I would defiantly not let it happen the other way. I know how violent it can get. I know the kids want to hatch an egg from our Sumatra and the silkie. And the kids were wondering if a Silkie roo could even mate with a hen as big as our meaties. I told them I'd ask you guys. I guess I wasn't very clear sorry. We just aren't sure if it is even possible given the size difference.

 

[duluthralphie]

I moved my chubby little guys today. They now live outdoors in a tractor/brooder system. I have two tractors 6x10 and 8x8 with a 4x4 brooder connecting them and a 4x8 brooder on the end.

They did not like the move and protested the entire trip from their ole home to their new home. It was extremely hot and I worried about the move, but figured I should do it fast, sooner than later.

When they hit the grass they went nuts. Scratching and pecking at everything. One even found a spot the grass was thin and took a sand bath.

I gave them a little scratch and wild bird seed hidden in the grass. They went hunting for the treats like pros!

They are now at the point I can start to tell boys from girls, the boys being bigger and getting combs.

If the weather allows it I will be adding another wing to the system a 6x16 foot tractor. The panels I have build work well and are easy to move. The new addition will be the pen they lived in yesterday.

 

[JRNash]

Thats the strategy I'm utilizing. Ive got scratch that i throw in the tall grass. They go wild.lol

 

[duluthralphie]

They are in an area I mow right now, but next week I open the door to a pen that is 50x65 with 3-4 ft high weeds and grass.. They will be totally nuts then. I am hoping the tall weeds will give them cover from eagles as the pen is not covered.

JR do you watch yours and wonder how people can think of them as lazy slob birds that like to sit in their own poop all day long?

 

[JRNash]

I was just thinking those exact thoughts. I've never seen anything farther from the truth. I have white rocks,white giants,and dark cornish plus 11 geese all together. The Cx are probably the most active of everything here. I know they have the calmest demeanor of all the chicks. They DON'T hang out at the feeder. They are handling the southeast texas heat and humidity better than my geese.