First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[holm25]

Well I don't know if I am going to raise CornishX anymore I really want to stick with Heritage breeds so I am probably go with Barred Rock roos .

 

[KCMOLisa]

Thanks, Jessica! I am so not ready for camp day!!

Welcome, Morrigan! Your chicks look great! I put mine on grass for the first time when they were 10 days old and then brought them back inside at night. The temp was right around 70. Jessica is right. It is a huge pain to move them back and forth. They are fast at that age!

I worried about them being cold a lot when they were little, but they never acted cold at all! I think I was worrying way too much. I moved them outside full time at about 2 1/2 weeks old. The temps were low 70s/high 50s at night when I took all their supplemental heat away from them. After they are past 4 weeks and have most of their feathers, they can withstand even freezing temps as long as they are dry. It's been in the 30s here at night and they have been completely fine. In fact, the high today is 74 and it's almost too hot for them. They are panting.

 

[Morrigan]

Thanks Jessica!

We have a very large fenced in run, that is unfortunately rock and dirt after the drought we are having here in California. I wish I could let them free-range, but dogs, coyotes and hawks make that pretty much impossible. There really isn't a shelter in there now -- just a small roofed structure with open sides that DH built to give them a spot to get out of the sun, although I could hang the heat lamp from there and potentially close in the sides more. I grow wheat and BOSS fodder for my laying chickens who who have their own run and coop, so I'm going to start giving the chicks some of that when I move them outside. At least they have something green to peck at.

They are starting to get a little crowded in the brooder -- wow, do they grow fast! -- so I'm hoping to open things up for them soon.

 

[holm25]

Jessica how are your little chicks doing your neighbor found on the road have not been here in a few weeks .

 

[JessicaThistle]

Holm: They are doing great! I estimate they are 4 1/2 weeks now. Their feathers are all coming in and a couple of them have gorgeous coloring!! I still don't know what they are breedwise. I posted under the breed identification thread but it seems like no one goes there. I don't know how to get them on identifying them. It's possible it's time to take updated pics now since there feathers have all come in.

They just spent their first night outside last night. Oh boy did they yell at me for a good two hours before they settled in. It was like leaving the baby in the crib to cry it out. I looked at my husband with my lip out a couple of times. He reminded me that they have to learn. Oh the problems a crazy chicken lady has! Lol

 

[holm25]

Holm: They are doing great! I estimate they are 4 1/2 weeks now. Their feathers are all coming in and a couple of them have gorgeous coloring!! I still don't know what they are breedwise. I posted under the breed identification thread but it seems like no one goes there. I don't know how to get them on identifying them. It's possible it's time to take updated pics now since there feathers have all come in.

They just spent their first night outside last night. Oh boy did they yell at me for a good two hours before they settled in. It was like leaving the baby in the crib to cry it out. I looked at my husband with my lip out a couple of times. He reminded me that they have to learn. Oh the problems a crazy chicken lady has! Lol

Funny post pics soon are there any roos and if you have roos will they go to freezer camp.

 

[Double Kindness]

My bf has become a full blown enabler now in regards to my backyard farm. He has started helping me caponize. We have 1.5 capons lol.. ok. I capon and I has 1 teste still in. 13.5 roosters to go, not including the 5 roos I suspect I have out of the last ayam cemani hatch. My smallest ac roo Reginald weighed 2.75 lbs at 9 week old. My 2 best ac are at the chicken vet getting decrowing surgery. Such is the price if one wants to breed in the urban city sprawl.

Why did you decide on heritage barred rock roos for meat holm25?

Ralphie- that's a lotta roos and cx, and turkeys. I'm still researching turkeys, if I'm doing it in the spring or not.

We need to process 5-6 muscovy ducks in 2-3 weeks. The new roos I picked up with 4 more scovies had roundworms, so they just got done being treated. Which is one reason freezer camp is 2-3 weeks away, the other is... I can't sex muscovy ducks yet. They're butcher size/weight. And the 4 I just got, 2 are chocolates. I want to use a chocolate drake to have sex linked ducklings in the spring so I don't continue to play are you a girl or boy for months.

 

[holm25]

DoubleK- They are butcher size at 22 weeks and they are pretty and good foragers. Welsummer roos are even better foragers thow

 

[JessicaThistle]

Double Kindness - My husband is a complete enabler too but I absolutely adore him for it. I even talked him into possibly getting a pig or two. Haha!

Holm - As for the possible roos in the bunch, I haven't decided. I don't currently have any roos. If one was a super good boy, I may keep him. If he's a jerk that chases incessantly and crows non-stop like the two roos I rehomed, freezer camp it will be.

 

[Double Kindness]

Speaking of roos, I'm so lucky so far with the semi-quieted rooster I have with my layers. He's a salmon favorelle x wellsummer x light brahma, and is so amazingly sweet to my hens and us.

He's a bit stressed b/c of the recent influx of roos and not many pullets are around anymore. We had a talk with him to reassure him that he wasn't going anywhere, that those were his ladies and that all these other roosters and ducks will be gone soon. I thank him every day for being such a good roo, I thank my ladies every day when I go collect eggs.