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

[moussa]

almost 3 weeks ago i bought 6 cornish x chicks age one day and my orpington hen adapt them with her 3 chicks was also one day old
now the 9 chicks grow up together the 9 chicks in open free range and the 6 chicks cornish x they behave exactly as any natural chicks they eat only what their mother allow them to eat they making dust bath and sun bath they sleep under their mother wings they behave 100% natural
i have hope to get from them eggs
any one know when they start laying eggs?
if i will not get eggs from them better to use them for meet than to keep them and disappointed at the end

 

[ella&clara]

almost 3 weeks ago i bought 6 cornish x chicks age one day and my orpington hen adapt them with her 3 chicks was also one day old

now the 9 chicks grow up together the 9 chicks in open free range and the 6 chicks cornish x they behave exactly as any natural chicks they eat only what their mother allow them to eat they making dust bath and sun bath they sleep under their mother wings they behave 100% natural

i have hope to get from them eggs

any one know when they start laying eggs?

if i will not get eggs from them better to use them for meet than to keep them and disappointed at the end

They are meant to eat, not for egg laying. I'm not sure if they actually can lay eggs, but if they do they are bad at it. As I understand it, they will die if they aren't butchered. You probably see by now that they do not move around the same as the other chickens.

 

[ella&clara]

As for the original question, I have s problem with Hawks. I put them out in tractor-type situations, with a cover over them, as early as the weather allows, but as a hawk came and sat in the pine tree above the chicks 5 minutes (or less) after they were outside cheeping, I can't let them free range until a couple of weeks before slaughter. Hawks haven't gotten any of my adult chickens (yet), but they are a constant presence, so I need the birds to be 3 - 4 pounds first to deter attacks. Unfortunate.

 

[ottbmom]

I know this thread is a bit old but I love it! I just picked up 7 cx chicks half price at tsc. This is our first foray into meat chickens, so we'll see how it goes. They're in the garage in a brooder now, but the sooner I can kick them out the better haha. I plan to build them a tractor for night time and let them out during the day. Fingers crossed!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
This is not exactly true - when raised on restricted feed, they forage very well, and can lay eggs and breed. They do often have shortened lifespans, but they can forage and run around like normal chickens, and they can certainly lay eggs. What you are describing is a combination of taking a bird genetically predisposed to extremely rapid growth and following a very specific (somewhat unnatural) feeding plan. There are a number of folks here on BYC who have had their Cornish Xs range and run and breed. Off the top of my head @duluthralphie is one who has bred them and crossed them with some success.

- Ant Farm

 

[ottbmom]

Here are my meaties' first foray outside! I had mixed results. A couple never came out of the box, but most did. I sprinkled a little food in the grass to try to encourage them to peck/scratch around. About half ran around for a few minutes before going back into hiding. They did practice scratching *inside* the box, so I guess that's good lol.

I had one precocious little booger that really took to outside life.

He ate some grass, ran around, tried to fly. Hopefully once they're going outside more, the others will take their cues from him.

I got the whole "they only lay around, eat, sleep, and poop" spiel from the guy at tractor supply, but I've never taken their advice on anything else farm related, so I'm not about to start now

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Here are my meaties' first foray outside! I had mixed results. A couple never came out of the box, but most did. I sprinkled a little food in the grass to try to encourage them to peck/scratch around. About half ran around for a few minutes before going back into hiding. They did practice scratching *inside* the box, so I guess that's good lol.



I had one precocious little booger that really took to outside life.



He ate some grass, ran around, tried to fly. Hopefully once they're going outside more, the others will take their cues from him.

I got the whole "they only lay around, eat, sleep, and poop" spiel from the guy at tractor supply, but I've never taken their advice on anything else farm related, so I'm not about to start now

There is some really super advice and lots of examples (including hysterical videos) about alternative ways to raise CXs, including things to watch for, etc., in this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...rnish-cross-meat-birds-and-super-excited/5370

You may get a lot out of reading through it. I followed it for a while, planning to get Cornish Xs myself. In the end I was able to get a bunch of Naked Neck chicks a whole year earlier than expected, so I just went with those instead and never got to try the CXs. But I felt that I had a lot of valuable information and options through following that thread.

- Ant Farm

Edit to add: I'm sure this thread has good stuff as well, I just can't remember this one as well as the other one...

 

[ottbmom]

There is some really super advice and lots of examples (including hysterical videos) about alternative ways to raise CXs, including things to watch for, etc., in this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...rnish-cross-meat-birds-and-super-excited/5370

You may get a lot out of reading through it. I followed it for a while, planning to get Cornish Xs myself. In the end I was able to get a bunch of Naked Neck chicks a whole year earlier than expected, so I just went with those instead and never got to try the CXs. But I felt that I had a lot of valuable information and options through following that thread. 

- Ant Farm 

Edit to add: I'm sure this thread has good stuff as well, I just can't remember this one as well as the other one...

Thanks! The beginning of this thread is helpful, but that one is a lot longer, so I'm excited to start wading through it.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
Warning - it can get chatty, and drifts in topic. But there's good stuff in there...

- Ant Farm

 

[JRNash]

My primary Brown egg layers are Welp's slow grow broilers. I get an egg each day in the jumbo range.Granted these are not the "same" as other "CX" in that you Don't have to restrict the feed. They are however massive birds.
I've also got 26 normal CX in the brooder. some of these will be saved for breeding purposes. It's very doable. The birds, if given plenty of room stay active.
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