First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[1zooman12]

Hello Jessica Thistle,
If we get fantastically lucky and you know of a fellow chicken nut traveling from Oregon (your territory) to the Sacramento - Stockton area (my region) the three broodies you are trying to unload have a home! Will pay the connector $25.00 for the transit. You did not mention a price for the birds. What breed are they? Please advise.
Sincerely,
Neal, the Zooman (and unhinged chicken nut)

 

[JessicaThistle]

Hello Jessica Thistle,
If we get fantastically lucky and you know of a fellow chicken nut traveling from Oregon (your territory) to the Sacramento - Stockton area (my region) the three broodies you are trying to unload have a home! Will pay the connector $25.00 for the transit. You did not mention a price for the birds. What breed are they? Please advise.
Sincerely,
Neal, the Zooman (and unhinged chicken nut)

Haha Neal. I was actually joking. My two silkies and my Barred EE are all three broody right now. It's irritating as I'm in the egg business not chick business. But I love the stinkers too much to let them go.

I have a broody pen but it doubles as chicken hospital. I had a pullet in the hospital but she went back with the flock. So, now I have to clean it out and get my broody EE in there.

My silkies seem to lay 10 days straight and then go broody even though I remove eggs every day. I often bring them out of their nest and lock them out of the coop. They hate that. They really tell me, the dog, the other hens, anyone that will listen, what they think about it.

 

[holm25]

I am going to see if I can get 15-20 CX babies beginning of April!! They will all be sold except for a roo or 2. Maybe I can cross it over a Black Australorp for a decent DP bird if they're good layers...

 

[mountain mom]

Ralphie- I am so excited for eggs!! Especially the Ethel ones

We currently have a flock of wild turkeys that moved in about a mile down the road. There is one tom and 6 hens. I think they chose the grove of trees to make their nests and hatch babies! We have never seen them before.
My husband joked about just going and snatching an egg or two from them... I made it clear the tom would likely kick my 3 letter word for a donkey.

I bet your broody EE is sitting on the eggs. It doesn't seem to take too much. At least in my experience. Holm obviously prefers more sure fire tactics!

Jessica- The babies are getting so big! Pretty girls, and guy, they are.

I can't wait to see how hatching goes for everyone!

 

[Doylehomestead]

We bought 30 (but they through in an extra so 31) about 3 weeks ago. We are down to 24 now. I was wondering what you did to feet them all? Just the regular feed? I am finding its just getting really expensive and not ask cost effective as I thought to raise them all. We currently are doing feed and letting them free range a bit.

 

[LindaB220]

Three more days!!!! Can't wait to get home. The buddy that is babysitting my Sebrights came to see me today. Good to be able to talk chickens. Everybody take care.

 

[Dandelioness]

Linda - glad to hear you'll be home soon and got to talk about your chickens with someone!!

Holm - That's a great idea. I think those Australorp girls are sturdy enough to handle a CX roo.

Welcome, Doyle Homestead - When you say the regular feed, which are you referring to? Is it organic, regular? What kind of crude protein % are you looking at? Are you feeding free choice or do you bring out feed 2-3x per day? That can make a big difference, too. Letting them run around is definitely good for them, so you're off to a good start.

 

[mountain mom]

We bought 30 (but they through in an extra so 31) about 3 weeks ago. We are down to 24 now. I was wondering what you did to feet them all? Just the regular feed? I am finding its just getting really expensive and not ask cost effective as I thought to raise them all. We currently are doing feed and letting them free range a bit.

I have the same questions as Dandelioness.

Here is what I did for the 15 I had last fall, and will do again in a couple of weeks:

As chicks, I let them eat until their hearts content for the first few days on starter feed. I then started feeding them as much as they could eat within 15 minutes (I put a measured amount of feed out and went from there) 4 times a day until they were fully feathered.
Once they went outside (so fully feathered), I started them on fermented feed. There are a lot of great forums on making it. I noticed they ate MUCH less once on ff. At this point they were down to 3 feedings a day. After a few weeks, when I started them on grower feed, I only fed them what they could eat in 15 minutes twice a day.
They were able to free range from day one.

All said and done, when we weighed out the butchered meat and feed costs, they were $6-7 a pound. I can't remember exactly now.
Is raising your own poultry for meat or eggs less expensive than store bought? Usually not. The big draw, especially for meat, is that you know exactly how the birds were treated, what they ate, their living conditions, and how they were processed. Along with having the chance to truly be thankful for the meat that graces your table.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[mountain mom]

Linda- You are so close to being home!!! Congrats!

 

[duluthralphie]

We bought 30 (but they through in an extra so 31) about 3 weeks ago. We are down to 24 now. I was wondering what you did to feet them all? Just the regular feed? I am finding its just getting really expensive and not ask cost effective as I thought to raise them all. We currently are doing feed and letting them free range a bit.

Basically I did what MM did but I cut mine down to 15 minutes a day twice a day on day 2 or 3. VERY SOON. I used scratch on the ground to keep them busy but not too much and grit. I move the outside ASAP.


Raising your own CX's is not going to save you a lot if any money. It will give you better meat happier birds for their short lives and bigger birds if you do it like me and put off killing them as long as possible.

It also lets you know what you are eating and what they ate.


I also raised mine on low protein feed to slow the growth down and had no adverse side effects. I saved money not buying 22-26 per cent protein.