I wish I had known!!

[Gerty0630]

I like raising meat birds. I have raised both cornish and rangers myself. Here is my recipe for raising meaties.

With the CX I took away the feed at night. Only with the CX no need for the RR. Medicated feed I only used for the first few weeks. Then its un-medicated 20-24 % protein feed. For the final 2 weeks I feed all flock pellets with cracked corn and oat meal. I find it gives them just a little more fat and a wonderful flavor. Plus they get to eat well before the big day.

I found both breeds got around well. Yes the CX took more breaks. Never went over 12 weeks with the CX. They dress out 9 or 10 lbs. RR I waited 12 to 14 weeks. I Like the RR best. The breast are smaller than the CX but they have large thighs and the flavor throughout it awesome.

if using a kill cone while dispatching keep a hand on the bird. They can easily flop out, More likely if they are large. I now wrap them in a towel putting the head in a bucket. Doing the chickens never really bothered me. The pekins are another story. For some reason ducks take forever to die

All great advice! Thanks so much!! How much do the cx and rr end up being once processed? Weight wise. That came out wrong lol

 

[Folly's place]

The Cornishx birds will have more breast meat, and because they are less active, usually, and younger, will have less flavor than the Rangers. I prefer the Rangers myself, because they aren't so flavorless and mushy. I also eat heritage breed cockerels, at closer to sixteen to eighteen weeks of age, and there''s a real difference there!
Mary

 

[americanchicks]

You loose about 2 lbs when you process. So if it weighs 8 lbs looking at about 6 done. I was told the reason RR have more flavor is because they are older when processed. The extra time allows more of the fats (where the flavor is) to be disrupted throughout the body. Also why the white meat on the RR is flavorful too.

Another thing I like to do is split some of the whole chickens in half. After gutting I cut along the spine on both sides. I dont even bother cutting off the neck, it comes off in one piece. Having the chicken splayed open makes cleaning out the lungs from the rib cage a breeze. Then cut the breast bone right down the middle. The half chickens are great, in fact i use more of them than whole ones. Dont forget the homemade chicken broth. I put the backs, necks, even feet and simmer them overnight. Broth stores great in the freezer. Once you have had it you will never go back to canned.

 

[speedy2020]

You loose about 2 lbs when you process. So if it weighs 8 lbs looking at about 6 done. I was told the reason RR have more flavor is because they are older when processed. The extra time allows more of the fats (where the flavor is) to be disrupted throughout the body. Also why the white meat on the RR is flavorful too.

Another thing I like to do is split some of the whole chickens in half. After gutting I cut along the spine on both sides. I dont even bother cutting off the neck, it comes off in one piece. Having the chicken splayed open makes cleaning out the lungs from the rib cage a breeze. Then cut the breast bone right down the middle. The half chickens are great, in fact i use more of them than whole ones. Dont forget the homemade chicken broth. I put the backs, necks, even feet and simmer them overnight. Broth stores great in the freezer. Once you have had it you will never go back to canned.

I have block of 17 CornishX around 2.5months old for the project. I will process some around 12-16 weeks to see any different in flavor. If I want 7-9 weeks bird, Costco chicken is way to go. You can't beat $4.99 whole cooked rotisseries chicken.

 

[RoosterML]

I have block of 17 CornishX around 2.5months old for the project. I will process some around 12-16 weeks to see any different in flavor. If I want 7-9 weeks bird, Costco chicken is way to go. You can't beat $4.99 whole cooked rotisseries chicken.

I will never do CX birds again. Surprised you can get them to 12-14 weeks.
Just not my type of meat birds

 

[cassie]

I will never do CX birds again. Surprised you can get them to 12-14 weeks.
Just not my type of meat birds

Cornish X are the most efficient meat birds out there. You get more meat per pound of feed than with any other chicken. But they are not for everyone. They do have their quirks and if you are unable to accommodate them they are not the bird for you. I had good luck with my Cornish X. I don't remember now at what age I processed them, but since I like big roasters I kept mine longer than most people do. I liked them to be about 12 pounds or so when processed. If I raised Cornish X again, I would butcher about a quarter of them for Cornish game hens, half for fryers, and the rest for roasters. I had an ideal set up to raise them in California, but since I have moved to Missouri I haven't made a place to raise them. Whatever I construct has to be raccoon proof.

 

[Parront]

Cornish X are the most efficient meat birds out there. You get more meat per pound of feed than with any other chicken. But they are not for everyone. They do have their quirks and if you are unable to accommodate them they are not the bird for you. I had good luck with my Cornish X. I don't remember now at what age I processed them, but since I like big roasters I kept mine longer than most people do. I liked them to be about 12 pounds or so when processed. If I raised Cornish X again, I would butcher about a quarter of them for Cornish game hens, half for fryers, and the rest for roasters. I had an ideal set up to raise them in California, but since I have moved to Missouri I haven't made a place to raise them. Whatever I construct has to be raccoon proof.

I have raised the Cornish X -- also in CA. Here I use electric netting and it keeps out the raccoons, but in mile-high Prescott the Cornish Cross are not very hardy. I also kept them up to 10-12 weeks in the past, and they make a wonderful roast, ~10 pounds dressed wt. Nothing gains weight faster!

 

[MommaHen1996]

And they smell bad...like really bad, even when they look super clean I made the mistake of picking up someone’s baby broiler....quickly regretted it, they were free ranged and still wreaked. But that’s IMO

 

[Parront]

And they smell bad...like really bad, even when they look super clean I made the mistake of picking up someone’s baby broiler....quickly regretted it, they were free ranged and still wreaked. But that’s IMO

They eat a lot, and poop accordingly! Mine were free-ranged with the other chickens on 1/2 acre, they were no smellier than the other birds. If you ask me, ducks are even smellier! But, nothing is cuter than a duckling. They grow fast, too. Hardy and tasty, these mix breeds are 3 weeks old in this photo. They were hatched at the Easter Hatch-a-long the Friday after Good Friday, and are with the adult ducks now at 8 weeks old.

 

[MommaHen1996]

They eat a lot, and poop accordingly! Mine were free-ranged with the other chickens on 1/2 acre, they were no smellier than the other birds. If you ask me, ducks are even smellier! But, nothing is cuter than a duckling. They grow fast, too. Hardy and tasty, these mix breeds are 3 weeks old in this photo. They were hatched at the Easter Hatch-a-long the Friday after Good Friday, and are with the adult ducks now at 8 weeks old.

Yeah I’m still indecisive of ducks because I heard they smell bad bad, and cleaning their poo is like....3 chicken poos, but never experienced em yet