First time with meaties. Advice?

[schmije]

We picked up our first cornish X's on Friday. We have 28, and they're a week old. I've raised layers before, so I'm wondering what I need to know that's DIFFERENT with meaties. Are the heating requirements different? I have them mixed in the brooder with my 3 week old layers for a couple of days (they're all about the same size), and they all seem nice and warm. We'll be moving them outside to our empty coop in a day or two - with a heat lamp, of course. Do they have the same requirements of 4 SF (coop) and 10 SF (run) per bird? I'm amazed by how fat they are already. They're definitely little eating machines.

We have several people lined up to help with the butchering process, and we're gathering the equipment that we'll need. DH has researched all of that, so I think we have a pretty good handle on it. But if you have any suggestions that might make the process go smoother, I'd love to hear it.

I've named them all Nugget, and I tell them that they're going to be DELICIOUS!

 

[TimG]

You're unlikely to need run space for them, they prefer to keep close to the feed and water.

Lots of people restrict their feed, 12 hours available followed by 12 hours of no feed, in order to control their growth. I raised Cornish Crosses in the same pen as some older Delawares last summer. I left feed out 24/7 and had no troubles.

The heat requirements should be the same as the layers you've raised in the past.

From comparing my experience with those experiences related by other on this forum, I believe that people tend to over think things where meat birds are concerned.

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

I agree, Tim. Just treat like a layer, except butcher once they reach a weight you want to put on your table.

Only advice, if you do it in winter, make sure they stay at a balmy over-60-degrees with no draft; otherwise all the food goes to keeping them warm. Learned that the hard way!

 

[packmomma]

Thanks for posting this topic.. I just ordered 10 meat birds myself and wasnt sure what to do either. I cant cull them especially after taking care of them..so I've hired my dad..he's good with that. Once they are dead I'm good to go. We will see how it goes with these birds. I am not sure if my husband would want to raise them along with our regular chickens and cull every year or just buy chicks and raise them. I guess we will see what we get this year. I just got straight run variety cause they were cheaper. Might be all roo's who knows.

 

[Bossroo]

One will have much better results if one feeds the Cornish X 22% protein feed for 12 hrs on 12 hrs off. Figure to feed about 20 pounds of feed per chick to produce 4.5-8 lb of meat. They will be ready to process in 6-8 weeks, while the Dual purpose ones will take 16-24 weeks , will dress out the smaller amount of meat and they will eat more feed.

 

[Soccer Mom]

I start mine off with turkey starter for the higher protein. I also give them poly visol vitamens in the waterer for the first couple weeks to get them off to a good start. Then I move them to a good broiler feed. I don't go to the 12 on/12 off feedings until after a month. I do give mine room to range and they appreciate it.

Place feeders and waters farther apart to force them to walk and move around. It helps keep them active. Also, raise the feeders and waterers as they grow so birds must stand to eat and drink. Then they can't lay there all day and eat. People think it's weird, but mine roost. I give them little roosts just a few inches off the ground so they can step up onto them, but they really use them to sit on and I think it's good leg and foot exercise. I lose very few birds to leg problems.

I always get straight run because it's cheaper. I process at 8 weeks. By then they are plenty big.

 

[gkeesling]

I'm getting ready to do my first meaties as well. since they grow faster than dual purpose birds, do they feather quicker too? I'm wondering if the meaties will need less heat quicker and, since they will be ready to butcher at about 8 weeks, if they will feather quicker, and I can put them out in the field in the tractor at 3 weeks (around april 21 in Indiana) and have no problem.

 

[Soccer Mom]

Actually, it's the opposite. They tend to feather slowly. Be careful rushing them into a cold environment. Energy spent staying warm means calories burned instead of converted to growth. Cold will slow down their growing.

 

[jaku]

I disagree with treating them like layers- that's a recipe for never wanting to do them again. They require MUCH less space than layers. I put 75 meaties in a 10x10 tractor, and they do great. Tractoring is the key- a coop for meaties would be a disaster for cleaning. They can handle cold/freezing temps at 3 weeks if they're feathered out. Also, in terms of amount of work, meaties are more complicated, and if you think of it in comparision to layers, you get sick of the extra work fast. Not that they're outrageous in the amount of work needed, but layers basically raise themselves.

 

[paridisefarm2009]

Hello Can I chime in
I am intrested in getting the meat birds once I get a area secured so the hawks cant have supper before I do ,
Any way Im reading about the feed is it different feed than my regular birds eat so when I go buy it I say somthing different besides crumble?
Any info will help me understand better thank you all

ps I had 6 babies hatch today Im excited