First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[PlaidBattleAxe]

Lisa-- isn't it fun watching them as they grow/evolve? I think you're doing everything right I'm realizing as I go through this bird-raising part of my life, that worry is inevitable, but it gets better the more I experience each day

Linda--Wow!! What a day is right! I've been talking to a guy from PA a few hours from me that has SFH and eggs, and am hoping this spring to make an acquisition. I've not heard of soaking them before, in ascorbic acid (ive got the powder that I put in my smoothies). I'm really curious to know how this turns out for you, so can you keep me/us posted? Vitamin C is insanely beneficial for people, so the thought of it being helpful to unborn chicks though shell pore absorption is fascinating. I hope you get a high hatch rate----I'll be living vicariously a bit through you lol, but hopefully this Jan I'll be incubating some eggs with the kids.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Ralph: I love your chickens! They do look like mine! We won't tell anyone that we saw you in flip flops with socks on!

Lisa: Mine do that panting after eating sometimes. I think it's kinda like after we eat a big dinner, are wearing tight pants and have to bend over to tie our shoes. You know once, you start breathing again after that feat. Haha. Of course, I wouldn't know about this personally....(I wish). Unless she seems to stop breathing and I believe her comb would turn blue she's most likely fine.

Linda: I don't know much about incubating but using vit c is an interesting thing to know should I go that route. However, I think I have the perfect incubator that I won't need to do that with. I have a darn broody silkie that I just can't break!

So, I had 3 roos that I had to separate from the group yesterday because they were fighting. Unfortunately they are not the size that I want them to be and am keeping the rest of the group to grow another week. Darn it, I'm torn. Process them now or just keep them separate and stuff them so they gain an extra pound.

What would everyone here do? If I process now I may only get 3 to 3 1/2 pound bird dressed and my goal is 5. GRRR!

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

Maybe because these guys are just starting to get their surges of testosterone, a "time out" would work? Like separate them for a day or two and see if it makes a difference? If they still are fighting after that, I personally would process them. It'd be a lot of work for 3 lbs extra meat total, and it's harvest season for us, so time is really hard to come by (extra time invested is what i'd have to use as deciding factor). At 3 1/2lbs each that still makes a huge pot of chicken soup or stew...

 

[KCMOLisa]

Thanks, Jessica! I'm glad to know she's not the only little panting piggy out there. I think every day I get more nervous that they're just going to explode or something since it's been going so well!

If it's not a hassle to separate them, I would probably keep them the extra week. You didn't come this far to not get the results you want. If it's a huge pain keeping them separate, I would process them. I'm really aiming for 3 1/2 to 4 pound birds, though, so I would be happy with them as is.

 

[duluthralphie]

Quote:
Originally Posted by JessicaThistle

Ralph: I love your chickens! They do look like mine! We won't tell anyone that we saw you in flip flops with socks on!


It is ok to tell people about the flip flops and socks, after all this is Minnesota.

I am guessing your not being from Minnesota you did not look close enough at the flip flops. Those were most definitely a pair of winter sandals, which are designed for use with socks. If we did not have winter sandals we would only be able to wear flip flops 2 weeks a year. Summers are very short up here.

The good thing about winter sandals, this time of year, is the minute winter rolls in, I can slip into my mukluks without losing any toes most years. Now granted some years it is nip and tuck whether I will get to keep them or not. Besides I really have grown attached to my 7 remaining toes......

Also I find socks helps with the squishy feeling one can get walking through a chicken yard,

 

[Double Kindness]

Omg You guys make me laugh so hard!

The bf relented and we were otw to pick up cx chicks, when the guy at the feed store called and said they were all gone!

So I got 6 more ayam cemani chicks instead. Very little consolation in my eyes to 5 roos crowing louder every few hours. "Stop crowing! "
" errrkkkk!"
"Shhh!"
"ERRRRK!"
"PLEASE stop crowing!"
"EEERRRRRKKKKK! ERRRRKKK! EEERRRRRKKKK!"

 

[JessicaThistle]

Quote:
Originally Posted by JessicaThistle

Ralph: I love your chickens! They do look like mine! We won't tell anyone that we saw you in flip flops with socks on!


It is ok to tell people about the flip flops and socks, after all this is Minnesota.

I am guessing your not being from Minnesota you did not look close enough at the flip flops. Those were most definitely a pair of winter sandals, which are designed for use with socks. If we did not have winter sandals we would only be able to wear flip flops 2 weeks a year. Summers are very short up here.

The good thing about winter sandals, this time of year, is the minute winter rolls in, I can slip into my mukluks without losing any toes most years. Now granted some years it is nip and tuck whether I will get to keep them or not. Besides I really have grown attached to my 7 remaining toes......

Also I find socks helps with the squishy feeling one can get walking through a chicken yard,

Haha Ralph! You are preaching to the choir! I'm originally from Alaska. Flip flops and socks, or shorts and Extra Tuff rubber boots are the norm for me. You don't have to defend yourself from me. Matter of fact, I picked up my daughter from work with the flip flop and socks thing just last week. I was too lazy to put my tennies on or too lazy to pull my socks off before putting on my now "winter sandals". Of course she is 17 and commented that I looked ridiculous....and I did. You pull it off much better than I do.

 

[duluthralphie]

OH NO!!!

You are missing the whole point of socks with sandals, They work great on keeping ones kids humbled and embarrassed!

 

[Catie79]

Ugh. Thought I heard sneezing last night, but I was in the middle of flipping the straw in their run so I didn't think too much about it. Everyone was running around, eating, looking fine. Today I was moving the 5 week olds to their final home (hubby just finished their beautiful new coop and pasture) and two of them sounded congested and were definitely sneezing.

I'm in a quandry. Do I just dose antibiotics to the group, knowing that I have to wait 5 days after finishing it before slaughter, or is there something else I can try? They're all in the brand new coop, so things are spotless. Everyone is still active and eating. I don't want this spreading through the group, but I've been avoiding using any kind of meds. Advice?

 

[JessicaThistle]

I personally wouldn't use antibiotics for congestion and sneezing but I also didn't do that with my kids.

I would watch them and see if it stops in the next day or so. But that's me, what does everyone else think.