How bad is the stink

[cestial225]

I want to try raising the CX birds in the spring when tractor supply sells them. I only plan to get 12 and I will let them spend the first two weeks in the brooder I keep in my regular layers hen house since there is already electricity and it is easy. But after two weeks I am hoping it will be warm enough that I can move them to a fenced in area right behind my house with the dog away from the layers. It is about 30x30. I figure the dog will protect them from predators so I dont have to worry about securing it as long as they cant fly away. From what I read there is no way these birds are flying over a 4 foot fence right? So my main worry is that 30x30 is not a big enough area to totally grow them out. Is the whole yard just gonna fill with poop and be totally disgusting? I had 9 layers back there one year and it was fine till my dog died and they all got taken. I didnt even notice the poop then. But everything I have read is that CX birds are so gross so I am worried about that.

 

[loveourbirds]

you should do a little more research before you get into these. at 2 weeks than can escape a 4 foot fence (possibly)

here is a descent article on the subject.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-cornish-x-for-meat-the-truth

as you will see in the article, its all in how you go about raising them.

 

[Kernel Cluck]

you should do a little more research before you get into these. at 2 weeks than can escape a 4 foot fence (possibly)

here is a descent article on the subject.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-cornish-x-for-meat-the-truth

as you will see in the article, its all in how you go about raising them.

loveourbirds.. is correct. There are MANY breeds that can fly over a 4 foot fence. I am not sure if Cornish X are when of them. As far as the smell is concerned. I have found there is a direct relationship between how much time you put into keeping the coop clean and how much it smells. Using Sweet PDZ helps to cut the smell and dry out the droppings. I swear by the product.

 

[loveourbirds]

i could have been a little more clear on that answer.

cornish aren't always lazy, and at 2 weeks of age they are better flyers than the adults. at around 5 weeks of age they dont fly much at all, sometimes flapping to move faster but usually dont get over a foot or so high.

keep them in the brooder until the beginning of week 4, cleaning the brooder often. throw a handful of dirt from the outside area that you plan on keeping them in when you move them out. i use medicated turkey starter for the first 4 weeks, then mix it half and half with my grower mix. at 6 weeks they are on my grower feed.

this is my methods that work for me, others may give you better advice - i only raise a few cornish rocks for myself each year. but we hatch and sell chicks of other breeds and several hundred pass through here a week. for the first week i put them together with my others, as they start growing larger i separate them to another brooder.

i feed 12 hours on and 12 hours off for the first 4 weeks, then feed 2 lbs of grower per bird one time a day through week 7 then 3 lbs a day through week 10 and butcher. staying at around 1 1/2 lbs of feed per bird per day you can keep them alive fairly successfully, but the meat gets stringy fast.

 

[cestial225]

Once I move them to the yard they wont have a coop, they will just have a covered area to keep them out of the weather but it will be totally open air. I am hoping to not have to clean anything after I get them off of supplemental heat. I am hoping the poop will just be spread throughout the yard and wont be a big deal. My brooder is only like 2x4 feet I think . It that big enough for a dozen cornishX?

The yard has six foot fence on two sides, house on one and 4 foot fence on the other. I could put up a temporary higher fence for a few weeks if I have to.

 

[loveourbirds]

im afraid to give to much advice, because of possible different conditions. i am in Ohio; here in the spring i have to use a wind block, but i do have open air coops. in the summer the open air are fine.

 

[MyPetNugget]

I agree with the chickens being able to jump over the fence .Is there a fence separating your dog from the chickens? because so many people think that a dog may protect them when they are usually the first to get a hold of them.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I want to try raising the CX birds in the spring when tractor supply sells them. I only plan to get 12 and I will let them spend the first two weeks in the brooder I keep in my regular layers hen house since there is already electricity and it is easy. But after two weeks I am hoping it will be warm enough that I can move them to a fenced in area right behind my house with the dog away from the layers. It is about 30x30. I figure the dog will protect them from predators so I dont have to worry about securing it as long as they cant fly away. From what I read there is no way these birds are flying over a 4 foot fence right? So my main worry is that 30x30 is not a big enough area to totally grow them out. Is the whole yard just gonna fill with poop and be totally disgusting? I had 9 layers back there one year and it was fine till my dog died and they all got taken. I didnt even notice the poop then. But everything I have read is that CX birds are so gross so I am worried about that.

Here is a photo of a 3 week old CX from another thread:

Originally Posted by Angelicisi



He started out inside.

The younger ones are the ones I think you have to be worried about. They are less able to fly as they get heavier......

 

[cestial225]

My dog will be fine. She is out with the layers everyday

 

[BCMaraniac]

My dog will be fine. She is out with the layers everyday

You might have to worry more about your girls than your dog.....they can get rather cranky toward new kids on the block.

Some people use fermented feed with their meaties and report normal poop, etc.