Is this good?

[Eggscoozme]

My 1st time doing jumbo Cornish. Cross. I would like a couple of people's input as to if this is a good outcome. BYC is my "go-to" source for info.

Started with 18. Had only 1 loss related to health? and then another loss because it drowned (my bad).

So, 16 chickens made it 8weeks and got butchered. Average live weight 7.2 lbs

Used 150lbs feed, maybe - not totally sure here, maybe less.

I free ranged during the day allowing total access of feed day and night. They slept at night, so no need to put food away.

Used 1qty 50lb bale straw, and didn't clean their coop once - just tossed and turned the straw.

fresh water given everyday as well as fresh broiler crumbles

they like to go out and free range,, but just mainly "chilled" under the pines - no bug chasing. Ate a little bit of leaves. Loved cracked corn.

They will be more economical than buying Cornish in the store. Hopefully, mine are as tasty as everyone elses! Willl find out in a couple of days. I'm going to let them "rest" (or "rot" as a coworker says lol) for a couple days before roasting one.

When I went to drop mine off at the butchers, I was surprised to seem someone elses flock of Cornish. They looked like 12lb EACH.. Very big! Wonder if they will be tough though or what?

 

[jennyf]

I'm no help on the stats, but wondering about the size of your coop that you were able to turn bedding for 8 weeks? Still haven't raised any, hoping next year but trying to figure out how I'll handle poop management.

 

[Eggscoozme]

Our coop is 6.5 x 6.5 ft with an attached run that is 4 x 16. During the day they were let out to free range - they could come and go as they pleased. I didn't always keep 1 of the 2 feeders inside the enclosed coop area, so that helped keep the inside coop from getting so poopy, and in the last weeks kept both feeders in the run.

I did not keep the coop as clean as my laying/breeding chickens, since I knew the Cornish's days were counted, so why bother? I did toss, fairly regularly, the clumps of poo/straw that accumulated in a particular area of the inside coop, and just peeled away at the 1 bale of straw I had to throw ontop of said area, and mix-it-up a bit there. I made sure they had fresh water everyday even if they had water leftover from the day before.

Periodically, I would sprinkle "Trailer Fresh" on the straw inside the coop to cut down on the ammonia. It's natural and allegedly sanitizes, too. I Love that stuff!

I think because I free ranged, they were not as dirty.