Help..I really need a crash course in meat chicks.

[DanIndiana]

I have read about every post I could find, but I would love a cliffs notes version of the critical points to follow. I've never done baby chicks, or processing birds, and I've got 10 cornish crosses coming in 3 days, almost on a whim...Pretty exciting, actually

 

[Dogfish]

Feed, water, keep warm, decrease temp over time, butcher, let rest a day or three, package/eat. Don't let them run out of water.

A batch of 10 is a good starter. Don't be discouraged if one or two die. It happens.

 

[DaneGirl]

Do you have a brooder set up? Brooders consist of - Draft Free enclosure, heat lamp, water, food. Very important! 1) Make enclosure big enough for room to grow because they grow at an astonishing rate. 2) Make sure they never run out of food and water (it gets ugly if they do. 3) Don't grow them past 6 weeks unless you want "Frankenchickens". I hate this breed - they are freaks of nature.

Butchering is a whole different ballgame but I would suggest googling Joel Salatin on Youtube. He is a pro at butchering and I no longer struggle with evicerations because of him!!

 

[Dogfish]

An easy brooder is a single sheet of 4'x10' OSB. On piece in 4'x4', the others are 4'x18" sides. Use 2"x2" boards to connect the joint. toss in some shavings, add more as time goes. It is unlikely that CX will jump out of that brooder, but I made a top. Transfer from brooder to field at 3-4 weeks of age.

I grow mine to 9-10 weeks. I've lost 5 out of 110 birds processed so far.

They are not the nightmare folks make them out to be. Just be a good steward to your birds. There is no "one way" to do it.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

the stickies at the top of this page are a pretty good cliffs notes version.