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

[808inVA]

Mine were all free range, I started slaughtering around 9 weeks but the last 3 made it out to 5 months!  The last 3 had a layer of fat on their bellies nearly an inch thick and dressed out weighed around 13 lbs (removed the fat, gave it to the dog.)  They didn't have any issues with my other birds, they just bulldogged their way to the feed wherever we put it and didn't really care if the other birds got testy with them, just wanted to eat.

 

[aoxa]

Some of you may remember I was trying to create my own strain of meat bird using a Meat King or Cornish Cross as the mother, and a Heritage Barred Plymouth Rock as the father. I posted pictures of the chicks, who were hatched February 27th, so will be 7 weeks tomorrow. They are wide like a CX, but are definitely not as big (which is fine by me!) they are twice the size of their half siblings though.
Both of them are girls it appears. Really wide stance. I am happy with them

 

[Beekissed]

I would be too! That's a nice, wide bird from chest to tail...should be interesting to see how the laying goes.

 

[aoxa]

Here are some more. The pictures didn't turn out well, but you can see more angles of their shapes

 

[Whoopsie daisy]

Subscribing! I am getting 50 cornish x on Tuesday or Wednesday, planning on free ranging them as well. This will be my first batch.

 

[Desert Brooder]

I have 11 cornish × that I would like to have go in my small plant area But I need to be sure they will come when I call before I let them out. I live in the middle of the desert with no fences and no outside Big dog. I have already lost one dog and several cats to desert predators so I know chickens will not be safe by themselves I am having them eat out of my hands right now so I can call them and they will come to me

 

[Beekissed]

You have to train yours to come when you call? I can't walk properly for the birds getting under my feet! In fact, I accidentally killed one last week due to this very problem....accidentally stepped right on it. Any time I head towards the coop they think they are being fed and come running from all compass points, so training and calling is just not an issue here.

If you are free ranging there is no need for continuous feeds to be available, so you can feed in meals.....I feed in the evening when foraging is good, so they fill up on natural and free foods until evening. When they come in to eat, just pen them up.

 

[Desert Brooder]

that is the problem I have been free feeding up until now so that is stopping but I will most likely have to stay out side with them to let them out because of predators

 

[aoxa]

You have to train yours to come when you call? I can't walk properly for the birds getting under my feet! In fact, I accidentally killed one last week due to this very problem....accidentally stepped right on it. Any time I head towards the coop they think they are being fed and come running from all compass points, so training and calling is just not an issue here.

If you are free ranging there is no need for continuous feeds to be available, so you can feed in meals.....I feed in the evening when foraging is good, so they fill up on natural and free foods until evening. When they come in to eat, just pen them up.

Same here! Broke one's foot because of it. They have very sensitive hearing when the back door opens

 

[Baymule]

Some of you may remember I was trying to create my own strain of meat bird using a Meat King or Cornish Cross as the mother, and a Heritage Barred Plymouth Rock as the father. I posted pictures of the chicks, who were hatched February 27th, so will be 7 weeks tomorrow. They are wide like a CX, but are definitely not as big (which is fine by me!) they are twice the size of their half siblings though.
Both of them are girls it appears. Really wide stance. I am happy with them

I just finished reading this thread from start to now. Great information, love the videos and pictures of your happy healthy birds. I am almost at the slaughter point of some Pekins I ordered. I considered the Cornish X, but since I butcher old hens and the occasional rooster from straight run chicks, I opted for the ducks. My next venture will be Cornish X to further fill the freezer, so thanks for all that you have posted. I am curious, by breeding the Cornish X hens to a Barred Plymouth Rock rooster, did they hatch like sex links where the chicks are different colors by sex? Or were they all cute and fuzzy yellow?