First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[PlaidBattleAxe]

I don't know what the lowest temp they can handle would be, but mine have been outside in the tractor since they were 3 weeks old, and we've gotten into the high 40's low 50's at night time, they've seemed to handle it well.
I plan on processing at 8-9 ish weeks, I'll go be weight, aiming for 8-10lbs live weight. I think the big variable in processing time lies in the feeding regiment you follow, I feed by weight twice a day, so my birds will take a little longer than someone that feeds free choice.

Thanks I've heard that by 12 hr on and 12 hr off, or twice a day like you do, it is better in the long run with less health problems. I think they're going into the tractor at 3 weeks and worst case I'll use a heat lamp, but I'll bank on their size and number to keep them warm (I'll have a tarp over a portion of the run on 3 sides of one end of the run).

 

[JessicaThistle]

Question- My Cx's are 6 weeks 1 day old, I haven't lost any yet, but noticed last night right after I fed them that one was a little off. she had eaten, but was sitting in a little awkward ball with her head and butt tucked in, and her right eye closed. I watched her for a while and she could open it, but only did for a second or two in maybe 15 minutes. I separated her and put some electrolytes in her water for the night, she let me snuggle her and was responsive. I'm hoping she just got something in her eye and not seeing well is making her guarded, but I know these guys can get strange ailments, so I figured I'd ask if it sounded like anything.

How is she doing today? I find that if they are going to die, they usually seem to do it fairly quickly. If she is eating, drinking and pooping she is probably okay.

Are you able to open her eye and look into it? Maybe a wash with saline? You can make your own by boiling a cup of water with a tsp of salt.

 

[JessicaThistle]

That roo will make a nice roaster! You're growing yours out to 8 weeks? Mine come next Wednesday and I've been reading about people only doing 6 weeks, and others up to 10. I'm torn between 6 and 8 (it'll be 1st week of October at 8 week point), but figure I'll just have to see how they grow and how they tolerate the cold------my big fear right now: having to keep them inside if the weather gets too cold, though I suppose I could run a heat lamp to their tractor (I have yet to build it, as I'm getting ready to go out of town on a business trip for a few days), but I've got a brooder ready to go.
I have a question--- It gets into the 50s at night here where I live, at about how many weeks (I was guessing 3 or 4) are they feathered enough to be able to tolerate temperatures in that range?

I am growing mine to 8 because I am not giving food free choice and I am free ranging them, so they are growing a little slower. I am aiming for 5 pound dressed chickens after processing. So I do a random weighing of 4 chickens each week to track their growth. I think it is a choice: how big do you want your chickens to be and what is your feeding plan. Many people are cool with 3 pounders. I want at least 5. 3 pounds is not big enough to me for the amount of work I have done raising these guys.

My chicks went to the tractor at 3 weeks old and temps were in the 40s. I put a heat lamp in the tractor but none of them huddled under it. Once temps were in the 50s I scrapped the heat lamp. I was just being protective. I had 30 of them together, so there was plenty of body heat to keep them warm by snuggling.

 

[NiaAbbott]

How is she doing today? I find that if they are going to die, they usually seem to do it fairly quickly. If she is eating, drinking and pooping she is probably okay.

Are you able to open her eye and look into it? Maybe a wash with saline? You can make your own by boiling a cup of water with a tsp of salt.

She didn't make it She was holding on at breakfast time, but barely. When I came out she was laying on her side and lethargic, her crop was still full from the night before, but she hadn't had any food. I fed the others and went to find a dropper to try and coax some liquids into her, but when I came back, maybe 30 minutes later, she was dead. She was still pink, not purple like I have heard happens with heart attacks. I'm thinking injury, or crop issues??

 

[JessicaThistle]

She didn't make it She was holding on at breakfast time, but barely. When I came out she was laying on her side and lethargic, her crop was still full from the night before, but she hadn't had any food. I fed the others and went to find a dropper to try and coax some liquids into her, but when I came back, maybe 30 minutes later, she was dead. She was still pink, not purple like I have heard happens with heart attacks. I'm thinking injury, or crop issues??

I'm sorry. I suspect crop issue since her crop was still full from the night before. I had this happen to one of mine. I spent all day watching him and massaging his crop multiple times throughout the day. All of a sudden he pooped and was doing better. I saw in his poop a piece of tire rubber that he had eaten. My massaging of his crop all day helped it dislodge and go through his system. Maybe there was something she ate that blocked the food from moving out of her crop?

If you notice this kind of thing again, try that. The symptoms sound the same as my chicken and he is alive and well after this. I found he is even picking on the bigger roos. Stewpot is near for him.

 

[JessicaThistle]

My husband decided at the spur of the moment tonight that we were going to do a trial run and butcher one of the Cornish X today to test the waters.

Culling went well but we learned EXACTLY why to not feed for a period of time before butcher. Everyone says to do this to reduce smell but people should be honest and warn you that poop flies up when the chicken is in the cone if they have eaten!! I mean fountain of poop, people!! If you want to avoid getting splashed with poop, stop feed for hours, 12 at least, would be good.

I washed the bird a bit in some soapy water before scalding. Kinda felt like that is what Jesus would do and scalding went perfect. We used a galvanized metal trash can over a turkey fryer burner. The can leaks but it worked. I have to say, my hubby nailed that part!

The plucker decided not to turn properly and after several adjustments and it not working right, we hand plucked. That took us a few minutes because the scalding went so well.

We team worked evisceration just because we were both so curious about how it would go. He cut the intestine just a bit by accident. (Stinky! I was sure fountain of poop took care of that. HaHa). Otherwise, it went well! We pretty well removed everything in one sweep. We wound up with a lovely 4 lb 11 oz dressed bird at 7 weeks old that is resting in the fridge.

 

[bachbach1]

Good job, that is a nice looking bird. You know what it has been fed how it was handled, and how fresh it is. You cant get much better than that. I know it is a lot of work. I like to keep a few until 90 days and process them, they look like little turkeys dressed.

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

My husband decided at the spur of the moment tonight that we were going to do a trial run and butcher one of the Cornish X today to test the waters.

Culling went well but we learned EXACTLY why to not feed for a period of time before butcher. Everyone says to do this to reduce smell but people should be honest and warn you that poop flies up when the chicken is in the cone if they have eaten!! I mean fountain of poop, people!! If you want to avoid getting splashed with poop, stop feed for hours, 12 at least, would be good.

I washed the bird a bit in some soapy water before scalding. Kinda felt like that is what Jesus would do and scalding went perfect. We used a galvanized metal trash can over a turkey fryer burner. The can leaks but it worked. I have to say, my hubby nailed that part!

The plucker decided not to turn properly and after several adjustments and it not working right, we hand plucked. That took us a few minutes because the scalding went so well.

We team worked evisceration just because we were both so curious about how it would go. He cut the intestine just a bit by accident. (Stinky! I was sure fountain of poop took care of that. HaHa). Otherwise, it went well! We pretty well removed everything in one sweep. We wound up with a lovely 4 lb 11 oz dressed bird at 7 weeks old that is resting in the fridge.

Awesome work!!

 

[Brookshire11]

Wow! Nice job!

 

[offgridhermit]

This was my first time having meat birds and my first time butchering, and I posted pictures on:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...roup-help-us-through-the-emotions-please/4330
Post #4337, page 434.

I just processed 1 hen and 3 roosters. They were about 3 months old and live weight on the roosters were between 12 and 14 pounds. Dressed out at 9.5-10 pounds.