First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[Double Kindness]

Plaid- that's awful! We have a family of raccoons living next door at the abandoned property and we caught 4 so far this summer in our live trap and a skunk, some squirrels. I'm worried about my chicks too with a big bad mama coon and at least 3 more kits we saw. We have a big roll of hardware cloth and I'm maybe getting a post hole digger today and get working on the expanded predator proof run for my dp meaties. I don't want a coon eating my babies!

 

[JessicaThistle]

That is horrible Plaid!! I am so sorry. Nothing is worse for me when I have a sick chick or something like this happens and I have work obligations or meetings that take me away from home! I can't even imagine the stress and exhaustion you are feeling right now. I was a CNA for years and pulled many long shifts like that to be so whooped at the end of it and then have to stay up on night watch. Hang in there!

Have you added electrolytes and maybe some vitamins to the chicks water?

 

[KCMOLisa]

Oh, no, Plaid! That is horrible! It does sound like these raccoons are pretty brazen. I'm surprised they didn't come back. The best way to catch one in my opinion is to use one of those Havahart live animal traps. Put a small bowl of cat food or dog food in there. Then once you've trapped it, you can shoot it in the trap and dispose of it or set it free if you want (which I'm guessing you don't want to do that!). If I have one coming around, the cat food has always caught them the first night.

The gasping thing is weird too. I wonder what is causing that. I have read that if it's a heart attack, you can tell by their heart being enlarged, so maybe look for that. Maybe also check what was in its crop and see if maybe they're getting into something bad for them. Are you giving them grit? Maybe their crops are getting impacted. I don't have any experience with any of that, but I'm just trying to think of things to investigate.

I will be thinking about you. Having to work when you're stressed about animals sucks! I hope you don't lose anyone else!

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the kind words. I'm exhausted. Hunted/stood watch again last night after work again, and no sign of the coons. They never came back for the kills. I'm going to buy some Have-A-Heart traps and set them up around my property and in the woods. DH wanted to pull another hunt/watch session before using traps, and we did, and it was unsuccessful, so now we go to the trap method. (and cat food to bait them!--good suggestion, Lisa!)

DK--good for you! I'm going to be building a big fort knox run too.

On a good note, my other babies are alright. I think they are going to make it afterall, though one is wheezing still a little, he eats with verve like the others do. I went and bought vitamins from Tractor Supply for their water, and have kept up the FF and ACV.

They weren't allowed out at all yesterday while I was at work, and I felt so bad because of the stink-pit they were holed up in (but they were safe from predators). In a days time they poop through the bedding. Free ranging, that doesnt happen, as they only go inside at night. But today was my day off, so they were allowed to free range until 3pm (abt an hr ago), as thats when the raccoons attacked with DH in the yard. Tomorrow I'll get the traps, and hopefully then I'll be wearing coon skin caps! (thanks, DRalphie

)

I hope all is well with everyone.

Jessica--when are you planning on growing your chicks out until? I had wanted to go to 8 or 9 weeks after I started free-ranging, and I think I'll stick to it as long as the predation is under control.

 

[JessicaThistle]

8 weeks is the general plan but it depends on their weights. Last time at 8 weeks we butchered only 9. We still had 18 that weren't quite the weight that we wanted. I imagine it will happen that way again and everyone will actually get done at 9 weeks. We HAVE to get them all done then because the next week we will be gone for a big race in California for 5-6 days. I don't want my teen daughter to have to worry about them especially since she works and I would be worried sick!

 

[KCMOLisa]

Keep us updated on the raccoon situation, Plaid! The only time I haven't caught a raccoon or possum the first night with the cat food was when I caught the same stray cat six nights in a row!

I guess it figured a night in captivity was worth a good meal. I finally had to put the stray cat in my garage for the night, and then I caught the raccoon I was trying to get.

My meatballs got their first trip out of the brooder box today. The weather was finally decent enough for them to be outside. They're 11 days old. They started acting like little chickens right away. I sprinkled some smashed up hard-boiled egg yolks in the grass to get them pecking around, and they were loving that. There was a big ruckus when one of them caught a beetle and tried to play keep-away with the others. They are so funny!

 

[mountain mom]

I am so sorry to hear of the raccoon! Any luck trapping that sucker?
My neighbor just told me they had a huge raccoon in their tree. I asked if they shot it, they did not because their kid thought it was a kitty:/ I guess I can't blame them. Just keeping the little meaties inside a bit longer.
They went outside this weekend, running, jumping and foraging like regular ole chickens! I am so far, really liking these birds. I LOVED the freedom rangers and I think I will be just as happy with these birds too.
On a totally different note, we found a "secret" nest our layers are using. We consistently get 3-4 eggs in the nesting boxes each day, and someone has laid 5 eggs in the new location! They have only been laying about a month... not sure when they made the other nest! The eggs were fresh, we ate them (I float tested them). I have not figured out who it is though!

 

[duluthralphie]

I am so sorry to hear of the raccoon! Any luck trapping that sucker?
My neighbor just told me they had a huge raccoon in their tree. I asked if they shot it, they did not because their kid thought it was a kitty:/ I guess I can't blame them. Just keeping the little meaties inside a bit longer.
They went outside this weekend, running, jumping and foraging like regular ole chickens! I am so far, really liking these birds. I LOVED the freedom rangers and I think I will be just as happy with these birds too.
On a totally different note, we found a "secret" nest our layers are using. We consistently get 3-4 eggs in the nesting boxes each day, and someone has laid 5 eggs in the new location! They have only been laying about a month... not sure when they made the other nest! The eggs were fresh, we ate them (I float tested them). I have not figured out who it is though!

Sneaky little buggers want you to join the November hatch along!!

 

[mountain mom]

Sneaky little buggers want you to join the November hatch along!!

No kidding! Good thing we currently do not have a Roo! In the spring I am seriously considering buying fertile eggs for my broody silkie!! No, she is not the sneaky layer :/

 

[LindaB220]

I was terrified to get my CX after reading all of the frankenbird, and fat, lazy boring bird stories. I can tell you that my CX with free ranging are awesome. These guys outrun me. They are curious and interested in exploring everything. Tonight, when it started to get dark, they came looking for me and found me in the garage to put them to bed. The batch I have currently is my second one. I was so worried about losing them to a predator with the first batch that I only let them out when I could stay and watch or check on them often. This batch is free to run 8-10 hours per day. They have squeezed through the fence to visit the neighbors and met me at the back porch to "take me" to dinner time. They have covered more ground than the last and are just simply pretty awesome! It is great to see them all out pecking and scratching right along side my layers. I will definitely be raising more CX in the spring!

I imagine that these guys would be fine in the cold if you keep drafts down and make sure they have a heat source. I think I remember reading in a thread that someone had raised them in very cold temps and they didn't have great results in the amount of meat in the end. Much of their food energy was converted to keeping them warm rather than to meat. I don't recall the details of the story. I think if it were me, I would provide a heat source to reduce that from happening.

Beekissed did that and lined the coop with hay bales. Gave them something to munch on and kept the draft off. They loved it. Hers was small 8'x8; She lined it and then put a plyboard over one end for them to cuddle at night.

edited: Here's her on youtube. Notice the little brooder she made out of shaped wire with a heating pad strapped to the bottom and let's the babies come and go when they get cold. Got my heating pad Sunbeam ex something or other that you can machine wash. Placed in a towel and strapped. Covered with straw. I love it. I have 2 batches of eggs coming or perking now and will do this in an unheated storeroom. Maybe a little heat lamp at first.