First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[mountain mom]

The ghost riders have been outside a week now, are pushing on 2 weeks old, and are as adventurous as ever! Yesterday I caught them (they can squeeze through the garden fence) roaming with the big gals. One was even sitting on Kiedis (a speckled sussex) back!
I have noticed the past few nights they were not really using their lamp anymore. They were all but out of their coop trying to stay cooler. So, last night I didn't turn it on. It was only 75 watt, and the low was projected at 53, so I went for it. I checked on them a couple of times, they were in a chicken ball, but not so tight I couldn't see faces. A few even popped their heads up, no unhappy sounds, wondered what on earth I was doing, and went back to snoozing. I think they are done with the lamp unless we have some really cold nights. It has still been in the low 80's during the day. The snow a couple of weeks ago must have been random... for now

Cohomestead- I think if you are letting the meaties free range for the day, you will not need the tractor. If they would only be in the coop and run, then a tractor would greatly cut stink factor. Fermented feed does as well. I just started it for my meat birds, and can tell a difference. I'm not sold on fermented feed completely, but I do think it is good for the meat birds. And they LOVE it So do my layers, they rush me and try to fly to my hands to steal some.

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

16 little meat birds (McMurray shipped an extra one) arrived at the post office at 5 am this morning. I zoomed over there and they're tucked in their plastic tub in the bathroom. Noisy little buggers. They all appear to be okay at this point and are drinking. Will give them a little moistened feed soon. I think giving them just water first for a few hours before feed helps keep their bottoms clean. At least it does with egg birds; this is my first try with meat birds.

Congrats on the new peeps!

The ghost riders have been outside a week now, are pushing on 2 weeks old, and are as adventurous as ever! Yesterday I caught them (they can squeeze through the garden fence) roaming with the big gals. One was even sitting on Kiedis (a speckled sussex) back!
I have noticed the past few nights they were not really using their lamp anymore. They were all but out of their coop trying to stay cooler. So, last night I didn't turn it on. It was only 75 watt, and the low was projected at 53, so I went for it. I checked on them a couple of times, they were in a chicken ball, but not so tight I couldn't see faces. A few even popped their heads up, no unhappy sounds, wondered what on earth I was doing, and went back to snoozing. I think they are done with the lamp unless we have some really cold nights. It has still been in the low 80's during the day. The snow a couple of weeks ago must have been random... for now

Cohomestead- I think if you are letting the meaties free range for the day, you will not need the tractor. If they would only be in the coop and run, then a tractor would greatly cut stink factor. Fermented feed does as well. I just started it for my meat birds, and can tell a difference. I'm not sold on fermented feed completely, but I do think it is good for the meat birds. And they LOVE it

So do my layers, they rush me and try to fly to my hands to steal some.

My layers HATE the FF. They eat it grudgingly, they'd rather free range or pick through kitchen scraps. My CX looooooooooooove it. They scarf it down with no qualm.

 

[mountain mom]

Congrats on the new peeps!

My layers HATE the FF. They eat it grudgingly, they'd rather free range or pick through kitchen scraps. My CX looooooooooooove it. They scarf it down with no qualm.

How funny is that! I don't currently ferment the layer feed, so maybe they just like it because it is starter feed. They LOVE that too. Funny birds.
I just let them out for the day and they ran to the dog water bowl... at break neck speed, as if I have been denying them water. So I checked their waterer to be sure, it was full. I guess they prefer the bowl.

 

[Double Kindness]

My bf said no way is he driving me to and from ft collins to pick up chicks. Pfftt.

If I want them I need to figure something else out. The white bresse ship today. Brooder box, save a chick, ff on standby, towels to line brooder box freshly washed and sterilized, waterers and feeders sterilized. Going to clean my master bathroom and take a final hot bath tonight before going on shipped chick watch fall 2014 to begin.

Who could I bribe to pick 10-15 chick up for me & bring them to Denver from Ft. Collins? I don't drive, I can't see curves in the road and am a bad female Asian driver stereotype anyways.

 

[Catie79]

Finally finished reading the entire thread. Wow.

I think my CX birds are a bit odd compared to everyone else. I have 25 that were moved out to the big pen (about 10'x20') this week at 4 weeks old. I'm in the foothills in NH and it's 40's at night and 60's during the day right now. Already had our first frost. Everyone else's birds seem comfy at those temps, but mine are still snoozing under the heat lamp at night. I built a bunkhouse for them to keep the wind off and give everyone a warm, dry spot to snooze if they need it. They use it every night and nap in it during the day. They make a comfortable, sprawling pile so I don't think the heat is too much or not enough. They seem quite happy. The temp shows at about 70 at night in the bunkhouse.

My eight week laying pullets that are in the pen with them also use it, but during the day for a non moving sunbeam. They roll in the sawdust and sprawl out like they're sunbathing. They're going to be heart broken when it's time to take the lamp away. They're fully feathered out and don't need it, but it's shady on our property and they seem to appreciate a sunbeam they can depend on.

It's just odd to see everyone else saying that their birds run warm when mine have always seemed to prefer the heat. Even in the brooder I had to step the temp down carefully so they didn't huddle. They look great, all 25 are active and eating and feathering out. They're from Murray McMurray and I've had very little trouble with them healthwise. One injured leg (probably due to sibling), one passed just after arrival. I guess some just like it hot.

Great thread, I'll keep following along.

 

[KCMOLisa]

Jessica, I think your thread turned into a meatie grow-along thread. I love reading about everyone's experiences, so I think it's great!

Congrats on your new chicks, Betsy and CoHomestead!

I never used a heat lamp for mine, but I have been using the Premier brooder heat plate. I got the 50 chick size, but only about 10 of them can fit under it now at three weeks old. I still have it on in their tractor at night. The low has been between 49-55 at night for the past week. I'm going to give them the heat plate until there aren't any more notches to raise it, and then they're on their own. A lot of them just huddle around the lucky few that get to sleep under it and everyone has been fine.

I know the meatballs put off a lot of their own heat because one night I had the top open to their pen and the temp was 63. I went out and put the top on in the middle of the night because the temp was supposed to drop into the low 40s and I was worried about them getting cold. Once the top was on and their body heat was trapped inside, the temp climbed all the way up to 70. The heat plate doesn't raise the ambient temperature at all, so I know it was just the chicks' body heat heating it up. I do think they run hotter than regular birds. Their metabolism has to be chugging to process as much food/poo as they do!

 

[CoHomestead]

The post office called around 5:30 and let me pick up before the opened I got 26 chicks and all are doing well. I ordered 10 cx, but there are twelve creme/yellow chicks. I only count two EE chicks out of the three I ordered so I'm hoping one of them is an ee. If not oh well lol. They are all drinking from the nipple waterer and eating ff and gro gel. At the last minute I ended up making a second brooder in the laundry room because it was fairly chilly this morning. I'll move them to the brooder in the coop when they outgrow this one.

 

[Double Kindness]

Congrats!!! I'm nervous about getting shipped chicks tomorrow from texas, so it's great to know you got a shipment in safely even with the overnight delay!

 

[CoHomestead]

I'm thrilled they are all doing well. I was pretty worried they'd be cold from the trip, or some would be doa. Hopefully there won't be any surprises in the next few days. That's great yours are shipping tomorrow!!

 

[JessicaThistle]

This thread just makes me smile. I love everyone that comes here to share and compare, ask questions and give advice!! I love all the pics of the chicks and stories. I truly thought this thread would die as soon as I finished my first batch. I think the name needs to be changed to: The Super Excited to Raise Cornish Cross thread!

Catie: CX don't generally need heat after 1-2 weeks old and with 25 of them they can keep each other plenty warm. I have read alot on BYC of the importance of turning the heat lamp off to harden them off so they don't need the supplemental heat. That goes for the layers as well. They have their own little thermostats but you need to let their body learn naturally to work.
With your chicks being 4 weeks and 8 weeks old, I would definitely start removing the heat lamp.

When I moved my 2 week old CX chicks to the tract or for the first time it was mid to low 40s at night. I did use the heat lamp for about two nights but they didn't sleep under it which tells me they don't need it. Same thing when I moved my 5 week old chicks to the coop. I did keep the heat lamp in there a little longer but found they were plenty warm without it.

It is hard to believe that these little tiny bodies can survive with that heat but they were perfectly made and most certainly can.

CoHomestead: LOVE those chicks!

Double Kindness: I'd road trip with you if I lived closer. Hope you find a way!