How old do people typically raise pan fryers and Cornish cross

[MeyersFamFarm]

We just picked some up and just wanted to see the various ages people raise them too and the problems seen as they got older

 

[MeyersFamFarm]

P.s. Yes we also got 4 americaunas

 

[Yaychicks]

8 weeks, no later than 12 weeks.

 

[PapaBear4]

I'm not actually sure what the difference between pan fryers and cornish cross are. I kind of thought that maybe they were the same thing, but fryers are harvested earlier. If the fryers are a different breed (like freedom rangers or something) you can let them grow a little longer without having health issues.
As for the Cornish Cross breed, they start to have mobility problems and (from what I understand) the internal organs just can't keep up with the growth rate and they just keel over dead. Heart failure would be my guess. I helped a guy process 10 week old CX and they were HUGE. Some of them had to be getting close to 10lbs.
I have grown Freedom Rangers and processed at 10 or 11 weeks. Average 5lb hens, 6lb roosters.

 

[keesmom]

I'm not actually sure what the difference between pan fryers and cornish cross are.

I'm assuming the OP got some fry pan chicks (extra cockerels from the layer breeds) along with Cornish X. If that's the case the Cornish X are ready between 6-9 weeks while the fry pan cockerels are ready whenever you want to process them. They will never have the large carcass of a meat breed no matter how long you keep them, and unless you process them early (13-16 weeks) then you need to cook them differently.

Cornish X obviously have some potential health issues as they get older but the dual purpose won't.

 

[birds4kids]

I would think the issue would be the fryers need free access to food and the Cornish X need restriction.

 

[MeyersFamFarm]

Thank you everyone for the help

 

[birds4kids]

I would think the issue would be the fryers need free access to food and the Cornish X need restriction.

Did you see this? The "fryers" wont grow well if fed like Cornish X and the Cornish X will die early if fed the way the fryers need to be.

 

[MeyersFamFarm]

The fryers are all cockerels and their a bunch of a holes might have to find a different brooder for them their pickin on my baby layers