First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JRNash]

Does it effect the taste?

Absolutely no difference in taste as far as I'm concerned. I just like the way ayellow skinned bird looks dressed.

 

[JRNash]

That's how I lost my La Bresse !!
So it's coloured birds for me from now on.
My Slow grow coloured Sasso broiler chicks are 2 weeks now & will be adding some medium grow Ranger type chicks soon.
I have a choice of DC, Rocks, Ixworth, Wyndotte or New Hampshire to cross them with next year.

My first choice would normally be DC but they are not the best egg layers & I'm wanting a DP bird.
What you think ?

My dark cornish hens came from Macmurray hatchery,no where NEAR a SOP bird but true to their hatchery origins they lay nearly every day. My chief complaint is that they go broody at the drop of a hat. I wouldn't mind except they have a tendency to FORGET which nest they started out on.

 

[JRNash]

There are plenty of nest boxes,but they all insist on laying where another hen is at.Ive seen 3 of the broiler hens mashed togetherin one box. The nest boxes measure 12 x 16

 

[JRNash]

the scx are huge

 

[JRNash]

Dave out of all the different brown eggers I've raised to date,the barred rocks have been the best dual purpose breed. They lay a medium dark brown egg consistently and the processed bird has the typical broiler look.Just on a smaller scale.I realize everyone will have a different choice,lol and the strain or line will also be a factor.

 

[JRNash]

The slow grow Cx from welp are also excellent layers even though the hatchery claims the complete opposite.

 

[JRNash]

I re read your article again Ralph.Excellent.

 

[cyborg]

Check this one JR. 6.2 pounds at 6 weeks. I have been restricting feed, but maybe not soon enough.

 

[cyborg]

Thursday is weighing day for the Cornish meatballs. Average weight of batch#1 is 83.37 ounces at 6 weeks. 16 birds=83.37 pounds of chicken on the hoof.
Batch#2 is at 4 weeks, average weight of 40 ounces.
I started restricting feed on batch#1 at 4 weeks, and batch#2 at 2 weeks, (at the same time). Batch#2 is now 18 ounces lighter than batch#1 was at the same age (these are all average weights). I want to keep some of these chicks, probably from batch#2, for breeding experiments. Current plans are to butcher most, if not all, of batch #1 at 10 weeks, around the middle of June.

 

[JRNash]

Sounds like a plan. Im going to order a scale so i can keep up with mine