First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[mountain mom]

Whelp. Dang.

2 meatballs didn't survive the night.
It has been raining for weeks now (not common for Colorado, by the way) and last night it got near freezing. I think they were too wet and too cold. Sigh. I didn't think they would need any heat, being little heaters they are. I totally forgot to account for the wetness factor. I'm upset with myself.

I went to check on the turkeys and let the hens out. I couldn't find Banshee (the blue slate or lavender or whatever he is) anywhere. I started to panic because they had been out in the rain and tall grass not too long before lockup. The CX was still in there and I miscounted seeing the light feathers last night.
As I am about to start searching... mind you, I hadn't opened the main doors for the chickens to help Dixie off the roost yet... guess who comes strutting out of the coop! He was sure proud of himself.
I am guessing he snuggled Clyde all night... she is broody again.

On the broody topic, I am completely convinced that it is something the hens can catch. Just as we broke Sparrow, Clyde went broody. Guess who I noticed in the nest box again this morning... Sparrow! Dang birds. Off to jail Sparrow goes. I will leave Clyde be. She is a sweet broody. Sort of.

 

[Double Kindness]

I moved my broody clean faced easter egger Bessie to the maternity ward and she flew at my face every time I opened the door.

My 8 cx meaties are still waddling around. They get fed 1x a day in the morning. It looks like I am just trying to keep them alive until Saturday morning. Then do the deed ourselves.

And this morning I saw my appenzeller spithauben Giselle crow!! Dang it!! I bought her as a pullet. I might go back to bed. Or start drinking. Or go to bed with the bottle. Either or. Lol.

I hope these cx can make it to 11 weeks old with limited feed.

 

[LindaB220]

Whelp. Dang.

2 meatballs didn't survive the night.
It has been raining for weeks now (not common for Colorado, by the way) and last night it got near freezing. I think they were too wet and too cold. Sigh. I didn't think they would need any heat, being little heaters they are. I totally forgot to account for the wetness factor. I'm upset with myself.

I went to check on the turkeys and let the hens out. I couldn't find Banshee (the blue slate or lavender or whatever he is) anywhere. I started to panic because they had been out in the rain and tall grass not too long before lockup. The CX was still in there and I miscounted seeing the light feathers last night.
As I am about to start searching... mind you, I hadn't opened the main doors for the chickens to help Dixie off the roost yet... guess who comes strutting out of the coop! He was sure proud of himself.
I am guessing he snuggled Clyde all night... she is broody again.

On the broody topic, I am completely convinced that it is something the hens can catch. Just as we broke Sparrow, Clyde went broody. Guess who I noticed in the nest box again this morning... Sparrow! Dang birds. Off to jail Sparrow goes. I will leave Clyde be. She is a sweet broody. Sort of.

Correct!!!! Once my Blosl white rock saw what was going on with my broody Coronation Sussex she wanted in on the fun. I'm encouraging it as I want broodies. AND I waited too long yesterday and the white rock appropriated the sussex's eggs. Today I'll be busy getting the 12' X 12' coop (in my interview below) ready for the 11 day olds and the two broodies. Getting more from the 'bator in about 12 days.

 

[Morrigan]

I moved my broody clean faced easter egger Bessie to the maternity ward and she flew at my face every time I opened the door.

My 8 cx meaties are still waddling around. They get fed 1x a day in the morning. It looks like I am just trying to keep them alive until Saturday morning. Then do the deed ourselves.

And this morning I saw my appenzeller spithauben Giselle crow!! Dang it!! I bought her as a pullet. I might go back to bed. Or start drinking. Or go to bed with the bottle. Either or. Lol.

I hope these cx can make it to 11 weeks old with limited feed.

I've got my last 6 on reduced rations as well. They were 10 weeks old yesterday and I'm planning on letting them go until 11+ weeks. They all look healthy as can be. If your meaties are still getting around well, I think they will be fine.

My broody is in the main coop in one of the nest boxes. I put a screen over her box from 8 a.m. noon, when the rest of the chickens do most of their laying to prevent the possibility of another egg getting squeezed in. It didn't happen with her last time, but this time I did see one of the sussex squeezing by her on day 2 to drop an egg. So, I'm going with the screen this time and I hope I'm not frustrating her by picking the time when she would otherwise like to take her break.

 

[Morrigan]

Correct!!!! Once my Blosl white rock saw what was going on with my broody Coronation Sussex she wanted in on the fun. I'm encouraging it as I want broodies. AND I waited too long yesterday and the white rock appropriated the sussex's eggs. Today I'll be busy getting the 12' X 12' coop (in my interview below) ready for the 11 day olds and the two broodies. Getting more from the 'bator in about 12 days.

I'm with you on that. I LOVE broody hens. So much fun to watch mama lead the chicks out into the yard. Plus, my ultimate goal is to move half of my chicken meat supply from CX to dual purpose birds. I am prepared to get an incubator, but I'd far rather do it by broody hen.

 

[goldenacresiro]

Hi am new to meat birds and have been having a couple problems. Everything was going great and the last two days (birds are 2 weeks old) I have lost 4 birds. I have read a lot and feel I am doing everything right just not sure what is happening. I have the birds in a brooder with softwood shavings. I have checked and double checked te best under my lamp and its 90-95 degrees depending on outside temperature. Change their water once sometimes twice daily. Some of the birds seem to be almos gasping for air at times but there is plenty of ventilation in my barn. They also seem to stretch their legs almost every time they get up to get water or feed.

 

[JRNash]

I looked this up and came up with GAPE WORM. apparently a parasite they can catch from slugs,worms ect.

 

[JRNash]

I hope you figure it out.

 

[podgal]

JRNash. I seem to be on a similar path with my meat birds. 21 cx, few dark cornish, few jersey giants, and few white rocks. I also have 30 delawares. All the cx getting processed as well as most of the cockerals out of all these. Hoping to show a few of the delawares but plan on breeding with largest cockerals of all breeds next year to get sex linked and hopefully get a good self sustaining meat and egg production line going. It's all an experiment. I'm tracking weights and growth rates of all the breeds. I've been following this forum for anout a year when i decided i would try them this spring. The information is great. These

are my first cx. I'm at day 10 with them. I now know why you all call them meatballs. My goodness they are voracious quick little balls of fun. This is day 7.

 

[JRNash]

podgal, great minds think alike!!! I will be tracking the same information we can compare our cross results

!! My rooster will be kept seperate from my hens in order to ensure pure bred lines and cross lines. It adds up to fairly extensive housing arrangements.lol but as I was fencing my property anyway, its no problem. I can't wait to start !!!! Please keep me posted with your ideas.