I just bought 20 Cornish Cross

[greyfields]

Yeah but you're in Oregon. *lawlz*

Your advice would be correct if you were in the South, Texas, southern CA, etc.

 

[silkiechicken]

I like to do it in the cooler months. By the time they are 7-8 weeks old, I find mine don't do well at all if temps get over 75 or so. I don't raise any mid summer because I don't have a way to keep the little guys cool enough and they don't eat much or do much when they are sitting there panting while turning purple at the same time. But that is the nature of the cornish x's I end up with.

 

[Redfeathers]

LOL. Too true, but evenOregon can be unpredictable. Heck, everywhere in the country is just experiancing odd weather. Where in the heck is spring?

It's a Murphy's law kind of deal. You just never get it totally right.

 

[silkiechicken]

It's called global warming. LOL We just got the cold half of the warming.

 

[AussieSharon]

Good luck with your cornish X. I can tell you they are eating, drinking and pooping machines!! Mine are 3 weeks tomorrow and I still have the heat lamp on for them. They are getting pretty bald in spots and looking rather ugly!

 

[Redfeathers]

Quote:
Thank you. Ugly is good. If they were cute I'd have a hard time processing them.

We did have a day last week that reached a whopping 78 degrees. The first one since last September. My Polish girl panted her way through that day and she's a scrawny little thing. Can't imagine what she will do when we hit the 90's.

 

[halo]

I wish I could find a place to process chickens like that. Id love to try them, but Im sure I couldnt do it myself, and I end up with a lot of huge ugly OLD chickens. (well, old for Cornish X anyway).

 

[LoneCowboy]

I got 50 meat birds in the mail today. Boy are they noisy. They have plenty of heat, and food and water.

I read somewhere that you should take their food away at 7pm and give it back to them at 7am. Problem is, I can't remember where I read that, and so I'm going to let them have food free choice for about 3 days, then I'll start taking it away. Of course if anybody has better directions, I'm listening.

It was about 80 degs here today. I wanted to get them when it was a little cooler so they would be easier to raise, but it got hot really fast here. The nights are still cold though. I hope to have them out by 3 weeks, but I'm thinking it will be more like 4. Got a little while still to get the tweaks done to the chicken tractor.

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
Some people have claimed to have success by restricting feed to their Cornish Crosses.

I personally don't agree with this approach. These birds have the genetics which drive them to do nothing but eat and grow. They are going to grow wether you feed them or not. And by restricting food, I feel you increase the chance of causing health problems due to inadequate nutrition.

Find a system that works for you... as a lot of people claim something works or does not work, simply based on their perception. None of us really have the time to do proper analysis (like raising two flocks side by side and varying the feeding pattern).

 

[jadell]

A friend of mine raises Cornish x's and he says he's had fewer leg problems by taking the food away. He says if he doesn't, they just sit by the food and eat, their legs don't develop properly. I don't know myself though. Thought I'd give HIS 2 cents!!