First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JRNash]

What type do you have Ralph

 

[Birdinhand]

DO NOT DO WHAT THIS THREAD SAYS!

Yes, you will get large birds fast. What it does not tell you is the losses you will suffer, the leg problems, kidney, heart and number of cases of Ascites you will get.

Using 26% game bird feed or 24% "broiler" feed makes little or no difference to the outcome. It will be the same. I have tried this. I thought I would buy just one feed on one batch of CX's instead of one for turkey poults and another for chicks....


I was an idiot. Chicks died. Turkeys flourished.



That said I will feed game bird starter to chicks (not CX's) for a short spell if I have them in the same brooder.

Just as if you are in the last 10 tens of life for the CX's I doubt the game bird feed would hurt them much. Just know they will be pooping out a lot of protein. ie CASH!!!

When you buy feed, protein seems to be what drives the price. At 7 week or 8 weeks you have got most the "growth" you are going to get in a hurry. What is it, a chick grows 400% in the first 8 weeks then it slows down. Why waste the money?


You might gain a little more weight? But is it worth the risk if you have used the slow growth method for 7-8 weeks to change?

Actually, if you want to add something to their feed a week before you butcher, I would add carbs...CORN, or BOSS.

It will give them energy. It will give them a nice layer of fat under the skin for that great flavor when smoked or grilled... I know JR is not a fat fan. I am, so I do these things towards the end..



What ever you do will not make a lot of difference in 10 days time. other than on the pocketbook...

But if you are keeping any for breeding. DO NOT DO ANYTHING! Just feed them low protein feed (limited amounts) and free range...



I know I rambled in this post. Sorry, I have a wicked nasty cold, near pneumonia, my meds have me half loopy at this moment. I should not have posted, but hated to see you waste your money.

hope you feel better quick! I ended up buying 100 lbs of 17% egg layer formula and 100 lbs of 26% turkey, figuring I'd blend them and end up with about the same as I'm using now, a 22% broiler formula. I'm able to get it organic for about 75 cents a pound. I do the 12 hrs on 12 off approach, put the water and food up high so they have to stand to get to it and can't free range due to concerns of suburban neighbors, so they are 100% coop fed (wish I could free range). So far, no leg problems or ascites with COBB 500. the first run of 7 I harvested 6 weeks ago, after feeding this regime, and they did not show signs of organ problems. my benchmark is two fold, I figure I can give them a better life than the ones I would otherwise buy at the store and I figure I can get them in under the cost of organic birds at TJ's, maybe half the cost per LB. so far, it looks like I am on track for my goals. I pulled the heat lamps last night because it's warmed up and the birds have feathered out. they made it through the night pretty well, one looked a little bedraggled, so I took her in for a spell under the heat lamp and she perked right up.

 

[duluthralphie]

hope you feel better quick! I ended up buying 100 lbs of 17% egg layer formula and 100 lbs of 26% turkey, figuring I'd blend them and end up with about the same as I'm using now, a 22% broiler formula. I'm able to get it organic for about 75 cents a pound. I do the 12 hrs on 12 off approach, put the water and food up high so they have to stand to get to it and can't free range due to concerns of suburban neighbors, so they are 100% coop fed (wish I could free range). So far, no leg problems or ascites with COBB 500. the first run of 7 I harvested 6 weeks ago, after feeding this regime, and they did not show signs of organ problems. my benchmark is two fold, I figure I can give them a better life than the ones I would otherwise buy at the store and I figure I can get them in under the cost of organic birds at TJ's, maybe half the cost per LB. so far, it looks like I am on track for my goals. I pulled the heat lamps last night because it's warmed up and the birds have feathered out. they made it through the night pretty well, one looked a little bedraggled, so I took her in for a spell under the heat lamp and she perked right up.

Great..



I have slates for turkeys poults right now JR. I am nearly done hatching..



Here is one:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1115158/dateline-minnesota-ethel-adopts-at-risk-youth

 

[Birdinhand]

here are a couple of pics of my "nighttime food cover". I got tired of having to remove the food at night from three pens so I came up with a easy to use cover. I started with thick plastic but it was not heavy enough to deter night time feeding so I stapled it to a ring of plywood. If I were to start from scratch I'd skip the plastic and just go with plywood, if it turns out the plastic doesn't help in some way over time.

 

[JRNash]

Plastic is easier to keep clean

 

[Birdinhand]

Plastic is easier to keep clean

yeah, it may end up being a good thing.

 

[Molpet]

how old did your cx hens start laying?
I heard a cx upset and found a BR cockerel "practicing'" Not the cx I was going to keep.... Not sure who was more confused, he has a lot to learn LOL Both are 12 1/2 weeks..he has not crowed yet

 

[Dave C]

Dave,We have a red "Freedom Ranger"
Here that is advertised to get the weight gains that you have. I may order 25 in a couple of weeks to see if they are any comparison to your birds

Hey JR did you get any FR's on order ?
Mine are coming on Saturday

 

[JRNash]

No i didn't Dave,I got side tracked.lol found a local guy with 4 royal palm Turkey poults. Gonna go pick them up tomorrow

 

[JRNash]

Make that 5 poults.