How many of you FULLY Free Range your Cornish X Meaties? Tractors do not count.

[Beekissed]

I've spent the morning trying to convince people they can free range. I had to take a video to prove it. Imagine that. My pictures weren't enough to show it. They said their legs couldn't support them running.

Obviously some run weird (so do I!) but most run just fine. At least they are running!

I haven't lost a single one on free range. No flipping, no heart attacks.

They are healthy robust birds. Some should be ready to process shortly.

I have a tough time on that also and even with videos they can clearly see, they still deny that it's possible where THEY live or with the type of CX THEY have. It's a weird thing to encounter people who refuse to acknowledge video evidence of CX foraging, running, flying and being normal birds. I think this is because people want to raise them in small tractors and pens and they justify that practice by saying the bird are too lazy to forage or that they will get too hot if they are active and outside on pasture.

It's the same thing I see happening with free range where people will declare that one could never free range in their neck of the woods because they have too many predators or too many hawks...as if they own the franchise on preds and no one else could possibly have as many as they have! Then they will say they wouldn't dare leave a dog out there to protect the birds in their high predator area because he could get killed by coyotes, so free ranging with a dog is also impossible where they live. It doesn't matter to them that many are doing that very thing and their dogs live many a long year, keeping coyotes at bay from the chickens night after night.

People are a strange breed o' cat, by my reckoning.

 

[aoxa]

I have a tough time on that also and even with videos they can clearly see, they still deny that it's possible where THEY live or with the type of CX THEY have. It's a weird thing to encounter people who refuse to acknowledge video evidence of CX foraging, running, flying and being normal birds. I think this is because people want to raise them in small tractors and pens and they justify that practice by saying the bird are too lazy to forage or that they will get too hot if they are active and outside on pasture.

It's the same thing I see happening with free range where people will declare that one could never free range in their neck of the woods because they have too many predators or too many hawks...as if they own the franchise on preds and no one else could possibly have as many as they have! Then they will say they wouldn't dare leave a dog out there to protect the birds in their high predator area because he could get killed by coyotes, so free ranging with a dog is also impossible where they live. It doesn't matter to them that many are doing that very thing and their dogs live many a long year, keeping coyotes at bay from the chickens night after night.

People are a strange breed o' cat, by my reckoning.

Here is what they said:


Quote: Did I mention these alternative meat birds are double the price and take twice as long to grow out?

They are prettier, I'll give them that.. but they are not readily available in my area. I only replied (this is on facebook) because of his negative comments about the CX. I am tired of the CX being so under rated. I hear "They are stupid" and "they are lazy" every day.

also:

Quote: Wow that is quite pricey for cost per pound.

I've put 4.2 pounds of feed into them thus far. They could be butchered this weekend if I wanted to, but I want to let them grow out a bit more, since they are comfortable and not too heavy yet (they are already heavier than a full grown hen). I'd put them at 6-7 pounds easily live right now (the boys). Some of the girls will need a few more weeks. A few of them don't get fed at all because they choose to sleep in the big chicken barn. Those guys are not fed in the summer other than scratch grains where my grass is long to encourage them to trample it in the right areas. Goats are useless for this.

If I add my costs:
each bird $1.30
Feed per pound = .37
(rounded feed up to 5 pounds each) = $1.85 per bird
------------------------------
$3.15 per bird thus far. I'm going to be modest and say they are 5 pounds, though I'd bet a dollar they were more
5 pounds
=.63 cents a pound

Really.. How is that even close to worth buying alternative meat birds?

My feed cost per pound is quite high I realize.. Price of living in Canada.. everything is more expensive.

$18.55 per 50 pound bag

 

[farmgirlroots]

I've spent the morning trying to convince people they can free range. I had to take a video to prove it. Imagine that. My pictures weren't enough to show it. They said their legs couldn't support them running. 

Obviously some run weird (so do I!) but most run just fine. At least they are running! 

I haven't lost a single one on free range. No flipping, no heart attacks. 

They are healthy robust birds. Some should be ready to process shortly. 

I love this! I'm daydreaming ahead a few years when we move from the city and I return to own land and live like I did until leaving for college. Hopefully before my kids hit their teens as i want them to experience counrty life. This is what I think of! Can I ask if your coop, or wherever they sleep and roost, houses both your meat birds and layers together or does everyone have different "bedrooms"?

The cx running cracks me up! How can that not bring a smile to anyone's face?!

 

[aoxa]

I love this! I'm daydreaming ahead a few years when we move from the city and I return to own land and live like I did until leaving for college. Hopefully before my kids hit their teens as i want them to experience counrty life. This is what I think of! Can I ask if your coop, or wherever they sleep and roost, houses both your meat birds and layers together or does everyone have different "bedrooms"?

The cx running cracks me up! How can that not bring a smile to anyone's face?!

There are four different places they sleep. I have two pens that many of the juveniles sleep, but the meaties seem to rotate between all four places. No problem at all. They don't roost because my roosts are all quite high up. I should make them a lower roost, I know they would use it if I did.

If you click on My Coop, under my name on the left, you can see details of the barn.

 

[chicken pickin]

I fully free range my Cornish cross meat birds. I didn't find them lazy at all. They do lay down to eat at their feeder so I raised my feeder to encourage them to stand. But when free ranged they are all over the place. They leave the garage brooder at 3 weeks old and then are fully free ranged from 8am-8pm then they go to sleep in their tractor. Last year I processed at 7 weeks old and they were 4-5lbs each. I feed free choice until 3 weeks old and then feed twice daily(8am/2pm)from 3 weeks-process. I plan to raise them the same way this year. This years batch arrives to the PO tomorrow for pick up.

Heres a pic of my last years batch running to me on processing day

 

[chicken pickin]

Great videa aoxa. I loved watching all your animals its amazing watching all the animals free range together.

 

[SunnySkies]

Yes, it can ... however in my corner of the world, I would be feeding Mother Nature's hords of coyotes, foxes,, racoons, possums, cougar, bobcats, neighbors' dogs, eagles and hawks more than myself if any are left to eat.

So Fort Knox it is.

Here too. My adult LF do OK, but I lose juvenile birds if I'm not really careful; my youngsters are all penned now, all breeds. My LGDs are still too young to rely on. Maybe next year the meaties can all go out (but I don't do CX, but FR) instead of in a large day pen and hoop coop when the dogs are full grown and have some experience under their collars. My roosters would thrash them too....so it isn't just the predators I would have issues with. It's the 10 dudes who think they run the show here, lol.

 

[bruceh]

I fully free range my Cornish cross meat birds. I didn't find them lazy at all. They do lay down to eat at their feeder so I raised my feeder to encourage them to stand. But when free ranged they are all over the place. They leave the garage brooder at 3 weeks old and then are fully free ranged from 8am-8pm then they go to sleep in their tractor. Last year I processed at 7 weeks old and they were 4-5lbs each. I feed free choice until 3 weeks old and then feed twice daily(8am/2pm)from 3 weeks-process. I plan to raise them the same way this year. This years batch arrives to the PO tomorrow for pick up.

Heres a pic of my last years batch running to me on processing day

warn china about the earth quake .

 

[Beekissed]

 

[aoxa]

\

My roosters would thrash them too....so it isn't just the predators I would have issues with. It's the 10 dudes who think they run the show here, lol.

This is a trait that warrants death here.

You can clearly see my boys are very good with them Because if they aren't, they are taking a long walk to the freezer.