First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[LindaB220]

I am thinking we need a chicken farmer exchange.

Under my plan we would change places with someone with chickens somewhere else so we can learn how they do it and how they handle different climates...



I am willing to be one of the first exchangees. I am thinking I would do well with 5 months in northern LA, California or other warm climate.


LINDA You wanna swap chickens for a bit???

That sounds great Ralphie. How about July?

 

[duluthralphie]

Must be a bit chillier than usual in Minnesota, eh?
I notice you left out Colorado. Today is sunny, 60 and beautiful... but it may be below zero tomorrow. You never really know with CO.

Not to seem rude,,,,,BUT

Not mentioning Colorado was not an oversight, Your weather is not enough better than mine. However, I am sure you will find someone in the Yukon willing to trade.

 

[duluthralphie]

That sounds great Ralphie. How about July?

Sorry, I am all booked up in July,,,,

Besides I find Iowa too hot in July.

 

[duluthralphie]

Awesome thread. Going to try a run of meat birds next spring maybe 15-20 CX. This summer I got 3 layer hens and am now addicted to chickens. My own home grown game hens and split fryers in the freezer is too tempting to not do it. I will be building one or maybe two 4x10 tractors. I am also trying to make a deal with my brother in law to build a coop on his property, I could send the birds there for finishing the last 2 or 3 weeks when they outgrow my tractors.

How large of an area do you have?

You may find they never outgrow the tractor if they have a little free range or a larger pen. Even a temporary fence would work. If you bought a 18 inch fence 50 feet long and wrapped it from your tractor with light fence poles they would be happy. I just let mine run free, but I do have the room.

I actually have 4 CX's left from the last batch. They still live in the brooder/tractor they were raised in. I have thought of moving them but they are so happy where they are. I will be moving them before hatching season. I do not want to crawl into the brooder to collect frog eggs.....

If you have enough room for 2 4x10 tractors and the grass space to move them you may want to try the fence, it would be cheaper and easier.

They do not need much room at night. I had 25 in a 4x4 brooder and a 5x10 tractor.

The key to happy CX's is making them get exercise and not over feeding them IMHO.

 

[11mini]

If I built a 4x8 tractor I could only move it maybe 5 or 6 times onto fresh ground. I think 10 or 15 birds would wipe that out rather quickly. I have a very small yard but it is fenced well and I let my hens roam when I am there. They have a 3x10 day run and 3x3 coop. It does not move, I use pine shavings and pdz and have to change the shaving every two weeks.

The areas where the grass is gone are 4x8, they were raised garden beds but I finally gave up on them and pulled them out. Bad location for growing, on the north side and too close to the house. There is about 10-12 feet more grass between the end of the beds and the house.

 

[Double Kindness]

I'm sure amazon thinks I've lost my mind with my recent orders and additions to my wish list. If I have my way, my entire property will be covered with bird blocking and fish nets and be critter proofed so I can free range my flocks lol.

Chicken math is EXTREMELY REAL. I wanted 8 egg layers. I'm now up to 45 or so chickens, 3 muscovy ducks and 2 meat rabbit does.

 

[duluthralphie]

I'm sure amazon thinks I've lost my mind with my recent orders and additions to my wish list. If I have my way, my entire property will be covered with bird blocking and fish nets and be critter proofed so I can free range my flocks lol.

Chicken math is EXTREMELY REAL. I wanted 8 egg layers. I'm now up to 45 or so chickens, 3 muscovy ducks and 2 meat rabbit does.

I have been stocking up on netting too, to combat eagles. I am going to make some 50x20 ft runs with "little" pole sheds for coops. I am thinking they will keep babies safe and let me control which chickens are mating with which roosters.


11mini, I think you could easily raise 2 cx's in the area you showed us. If you did two bunches over the summer instead of one large one the lawn may fair better. They are such sweeties they would be at your feet whenever you sat out there.

The area where the whiskey barrel planters are would make a good brooder area. Throwing them lots of scratch in the dirt and walk areas might help save grass too...

Of course, I would do anything to make CX's happy. I spoil mine way too much.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Wow! I am amazed at how long it took for me to catch up with you all! Again, I have been working super long days due to my biggest project of the year. I did get Thanksgiving off but only had time to drop in and read a page or two. I was surprised to see just how many pages I was behind!! I am so glad that you all enjoy chatting amongst yourselves without me to keep the conversation going. Heaven forbid you try that on a different thread. You are all awesome!

So I don't think that I can remember everything to comment on over the last 10 catch up pages, but:

Ralph: I am SO sorry that you lost Brutus. That is horrible!

Morrigan and Betsy: Wonderful job on your processing!

Double Kindess: So sorry that you SLW is ill. I don't know about gape worm but it is worth a peek down there.

Linda: Heal up lady!

Welcome to anyone new here!! Yes, there is a ton of bad press on raising Cornish X. I am so excited that taking the plunge to raise CX in a healthy, free range type situation has inspired others and brought others out of the wood work that were doing it quietly. I think CX are the sweetest birds and the yummiest too!

11Mini: I see you are new here. Special welcome to you! I looked at your picture of your yard and have a question. You said in an earlier post that you were thinking of doing 15-20 cx next year. Are you saying total or at one time? I ask because CX eat alot and thus poo a lot. They can be very smelly if not kept quite clean. They are also very susceptible to illnesses. With that said, I would recommend with the size of your yard to do small batches at a time. For example, I have an acre that I move my chicken tractor over. I raise 30 at a time. My tractor touches every part of my acre over the 6 weeks that they are in the tractor. Otherwise they overpoo the area and are extremely dirty from poo. They also free range all day, so they accomplish this despite being outside of the tractor most of the day. I would suggest no more than 8-10 at a time and probably lean toward the lower number unless I misread and you have way more space than it appears in your pic. Just what i would do though.

In the spring when we all get our batches of CX babies are we going to need to start a new thread? Part 2?

 

[JessicaThistle]

Oh and I have also added the 4:20 pm scratch to my chickens. OMG that stuff is chicken crack! They start lining up on my back steps at 4:00. Literally, I have 3 small 3 ft wide steps out of the back door and at least 5 of the 8 hens are on them waiting when I look out. The 7 rescue notsobabies-anymore are all hanging and waiting as well as the 3 amigas (the 2 silkies and the cx) within 6-8 feet of the back steps. It is so funny how they have little inner clocks!

 

[11mini]

Quote: What size is your tractor? 15-20 was just a thought, I could try starting with 8-10 and see how it goes. I basically have about twice what you can see in the picture, my back is towards the house but I am about 5-10 feet away from it.