First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[duluthralphie]

Jessica the birds do look happy.

Have you figured out how to tell them apart? What are their names? Could we have a picture of each chicken with its name posted below it so we can know them better
too?

Hello Turkeytruff,
Jessica Thistle is so right. A birds, any birds, problem is dispersing its body heat. Look how comfortable is the Antarctic penguin. Long before I became a bird curator I noted that my manager was breeding shell parakeets in those thin walled nest boxes, in the dead of winter, in Maryland where the temperatures were often near 8 to 10 degrees F. And the birds appeared contented while rearing their babies. One does not forget a spectacle like that.
Sincerely,
Neal, the Zooman

Here in Minnesota we call 8-10 degrees F a "warm spring day".



I have 2 Cochins!!! Pretty birds, but I was amazed when I lifted them how small they are under all those feathers.

 

[holm25]

Jessica the birds do look happy.

Have you figured out how to tell them apart?  What are their names?  Could we have a picture of each chicken with its name posted below it so we can know them better
too?






Here in Minnesota we call 8-10 degrees F a "warm spring day".



I have 2 Cochins!!!      Pretty birds, but I was amazed when I lifted them how small they are under all those feathers.

This is true. Yep they r decently small birds. R they both hens??

 

[duluthralphie]

T

This is true. Yep they r decently small birds. R they both hens??

Yep, from what i understand it is hard to get a rooster to go broody.

 

[mountain mom]

Man! Y'all have been busy!

We had to save a meatball yesterday afternoon. It was just standing in the corner, not bombarding the fence with the rest. I assumed it was cold because the temps yesterday were not much more than 35 degrees. I brought it in and noticed the crop was not full, so I put out some yogurt. Then put it in with the turkeys to warm up. A few hours later, FULL crop, happily chirping away.
I'm glad it was just cold and not quite smart enough to go into the coop. Hubby was worried it would eat itself to death last night being unattended with the turkey food. I decided it could have a nice little treat to recuperate and would likely not die from one night of overeating.

Holm- I didn't know you kept one too! I really think it is amazing that we have kept them alive and well, defied the odds, and made a happy life for them!

Raisinemright- What the heck? Did you catch anything? I agree it is weird your one roo was just left dead. It is the right time of year for fox or coyote pups, hungry moms.

Jessica- The girls look so happy! How is egg production now that they have moved?

Ralph- Sorry about the creamette. I have never just fed yolk, only scrambled eggs. Scrambled eggs, plain yogurt and baby vitamins seem to work wonders for chickens.
Yay for the cochins! You will have broody hens now! Assuming both are hens.

Every couple of weeks or so I sprout lentils for the gals. They love them.
I soak them overnight, rinse, put in a mason jar with fabric where the lid would be and let them go. Add water every couple of days, flip the jar so the excess runs out. Easy.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Turkeytruff: Yes! Try that. Almost all of the videos that my dh has watched learning about growing fodder shows these kinds of systems in basements and such. Could be space but the key could be temperature. Maybe they don't even know it. I don't have a basement but we have an insulated garage with a great heater and air conditioner. It used to be my print shop until I needed more space.

The girls all go to the chicken tractor at dusk like they are supposed to. The first night we had to put everyone in but after that they did it on their own. A large group of them sleeps underneath the tractor on the ground too. I'm not sure if they are more comfortable that way or haven't actually figured it out. I suspect that after a week they should have figured it out.

Unfortunately, production is still down about 2 dozen eggs per day. That may not seem like a lot but it's a bit painful when every egg is already sold and we already didn't have enough eggs in the first place. But we will make it through. The girls just look better. Their combs are red again. Their eyes are brighter. Feet are looking better. Their crops are full. Even the yolks have darkened in color already. I don't know how they managed that in one week, but it's awesome!

Ralph: Nope, can't tell them apart to name them. I don't even know the exact number that is there!

 

[raisinemright]

Just dropped off our first batch of CX's at the processer's. They will be ready tomorrow afternoon. Can't wait for some fresh chicken that my family and I raised!!
They ranged from 8-6.5 lbs and the lady taking them in said she could tell we really took good care of our birds. That made me pretty proud.

 

[duluthralphie]

Just dropped off our first batch of CX's at the processer's. They will be ready tomorrow afternoon. Can't wait for some fresh chicken that my family and I raised!!
They ranged from 8-6.5 lbs and the lady taking them in said she could tell we really took good care of our birds. That made me pretty proud.

As well it should, CX's are great birds BUT they do not do a good job of raising themselves like other birds do.

Other birds you give them a gob of feed and water and leave them alone.

 

[raisinemright]

I think they are hungry lol my daughter gets swarmed every time she comes near the tractor haha!!

 

[nj2wv]

Do any of your meatheads snore ? Some of mine do.

 

[holm25]

Do any of your meatheads snore ? Some of mine do.

What r meat heads??