First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[dpenning]

I was wanting guineas next spring, but they sound like too big of drama queens to me now! I have heard from others that they can be pretty wild and crazy. Ralphie just reaffirmed it. I think you should try one, Ralphie! You might get that dark meat you're after.

An update on my meatballs: They are 3 1/2 weeks old. My biggest weighs around 2 pounds, but most of them are probably about 1.5 pounds. They are fast runners! I am thinking somebody needs to invent a Cornish Cross invisibility cloak! I need to be able to get out there with their food before they see me! As soon as they spot me, they all sprint over and then I can't take another step without squishing some chicken toes.

I gave the UPS guy a good laugh the other day. I snuck outside to hang up some laundry without the chickens seeing me. Just as I was going back in, they all spotted me and the race was on. Of course, the UPS guy pulled up just in time to catch me running as fast as I could back to the house so I could stay ahead of the parade of mini chickens running after me. He asked me what kind of chickens they were. When I told him Cornish Cross, he couldn't believe it. He said he delivers to a huge Tyson plant and the guy there told him those chickens wouldn't move even if they had the opportunity to. He even took a video on his phone so he could show the manager at the plant!

I would love to see the plant managers face when he watched that video!

 

[Betsy57]

Lost one of my new chicks yesterday. Found it when I got home. Her bottom was clean so not sure why she died. Didn't notice that any of them had issues but maybe the shipping was too much for them. Day 3 this morning and all seem okay too at this point. They're starting to eat like crazy and sit while eating. Never saw my egg layers do that but when they get too big for the plastic tub, I plan on moving them outside to a bigger area so I want to make them move around and not sit, poop, and eat all day.

 

[holm25]

I would love to see the plant managers face when he watched that video!

X2

 

[duluthralphie]

I was wanting guineas next spring, but they sound like too big of drama queens to me now! I have heard from others that they can be pretty wild and crazy. Ralphie just reaffirmed it. I think you should try one, Ralphie! You might get that dark meat you're after.

\

I plan to eat one, once I figure out how to tell the boys from the girls.

They are drama queens, but that is part of their fun too. If you get some just know THEY ARE NOISY!!!

I was told in a guinea thread once they get older they become better about going in and are better behaved. Right now they chase chickens, dogs, turkeys and everything else. They are like the CX's in that when I come out the door, they come running. They never stay long in one place though mine travel over a full 5 acres or more of my land.

 

[duluthralphie]

Lost one of my new chicks yesterday. Found it when I got home. Her bottom was clean so not sure why she died. Didn't notice that any of them had issues but maybe the shipping was too much for them. Day 3 this morning and all seem okay too at this point. They're starting to eat like crazy and sit while eating. Never saw my egg layers do that but when they get too big for the plastic tub, I plan on moving them outside to a bigger area so I want to make them move around and not sit, poop, and eat all day.

Good idea, they like room to run and play!


I would not worry much about losing a 2-3 day old chick, it happens. I put those young loses down to natural selection, something was wrong and they were just not going to make it. There is a reason ground birds lay so many eggs, so few make it to adulthood.

 

[holm25]

I was told in a guinea thread once they get older they become better about going in and are better behaved. Right now they chase chickens, dogs, turkeys and everything else. They are like the CX's in that when I come out the door, they come running. They never stay long in one place though mine travel over a full 5 acres or more of my land.

SO they are kind of like dogs not when there in the 1-2 year range and get better when they are older!!!

 

[duluthralphie]

SO they are kind of like dogs not when there in the 1-2 year range and get better when they are older!!!

That's what a guy told me in a Guinea post...

But even puppies are luvable even when they are a pain in the butt

 

[CoHomestead]

Sorry you lost a chick Betsy. I agree with Ralphie about the natural selection. How old was the chick? Are you able to get a credit for it?

 

[KCMOLisa]

Betsy - I lost one the first night and none of them showed any signs of distress the evening before. It is sad, but it just happens sometimes. As long as everyone else seems active and alert, I wouldn't worry too much. I always raised the feeder to about chest height so they didn't lay down or sit to eat.

They are going to outgrow the rubber tub fast! The second day I had mine, I tried to put them all back in the shipping box so I could clean out the brooder. They wouldn't fit! Just the day before there was plenty of room in the box for all of them. You will be surprised how fast the food starts going, too! The first day I think they ate about 1/2 cup total between all of them and drank a 32 ounce bottle of water. Yesterday at just over three weeks old, they ate probably 20 cups of food and drank 4 gallons of water! I don't even want to think about how much they will be eating in a couple more weeks!

 

[Betsy57]

Sorry you lost a chick Betsy. I agree with Ralphie about the natural selection. How old was the chick? Are you able to get a credit for it?

I just got them 5 am Wed. morning so it was a few days old. 15 of them, they sent an extra one. I won't worry about 1 chick credit. I think McMurray provides credit if they are DOA and maybe a day or two after. I read on here where people lose them throughout their short life, I was just hoping I wouldn't be one of them! I imagine I'll lose more. I'm doing all I can for them.
Thanx for the condolences. How many chicks did you get?