Keeping a few Cornish hens.................

[CNJ]

I ordered a couple of packets of broiler booster from McMurray, they had free shipping, so I decided to buy it. Its been 3 days since the 21th hatch day and the 3 chicks seem to have regular growth genes. The last one didn't make it, I think it died before lock down because there was black mold in the air pocket of the egg. https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/broiler_booster.html

Its the first day since the new lock down on the 23rd and I don't see any pips yet. These eggs were all active at day 7. I don't check them after that because they usually black out. I really want the two Breese eggs to hatch, so I can compare the growth with the Cornish x chicks.

 

[CNJ]

Today is the 21 day since the lock down and I took out 2 Breese and 1 Cornish x chicks from my incubator. I have 2 Cornish X eggs left, I will give them 2 more days since I have a habit of putting in eggs a day latter. I won't do that again.

My 3 Cornish X hens has stopped laying eggs and 1 of them has splayed legs, I will process this one when I get around to it.

The new chicks had no problem staying with the 3 older chicks. Now I have 6 in this flock.

 

[CNJ]

Today 8 out of 10 Cornish x hatched so far with the two I put in a day latter piping. These chicks are move vigorous than the first batch of 7. I used peat moss for the bedding since I ran out of pine shavings. I saw them trying to eat fibrous clumps of the peat bedding, so I tapped the food tray to let them know where the food is and I only dipped 3 of them in water, I hope they teach the rest.

I got my dimmer switch on high and the temperature is 91F, they running around, so I guess they like it. The only concern I have is them eating the peat and I hope they figure out where the water is.

My two Cornish hens stop laying for two weeks now. Anyway, I have all the chicks that I can handle at the moment.

 

[NatJ]

I hope they figure out where the water is.

I like to put a few glass marbles in the water-- that makes it colorful and shiny, so the chicks peck it and get their beaks wet.

(It also makes changing the water a nuisance, because I have to remove the marbles and not lose them. But after a day or two, the chicks know where the water is, so I put the marbles away until it's time to use them for the next batch.)

 

[TheCluckyClucker2]

@Weeg I think you will like this! I know you have Doodle and..... RIP Smudge.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You might want to put some paper towels over the peat if they keep eating it. This will make clean up easier and also help you see if their poop looks normal and healthy. We used puppy training pads, they were very easy and don't shred like paper towels do.

 

[CNJ]

You might want to put some paper towels over the peat if they keep eating it. This will make clean up easier and also help you see if their poop looks normal and healthy. We used puppy training pads, they were very easy and don't shred like paper towels do.

I used peat mixed with pine shavings in the first batch of chicks and they are healthy, so I decided not to worry about it. The last time I checked, they were all eating and drinking together.

I never change the bedding, I just mix it around and when they hit one month, I move them outside.

 

[CNJ]

I found a way to clean my chick's water without wasting the vitamin boost. I used a garden hose and sprayed the bottom part to flush out their poop. Now I can fill it up all the way without wasting. I may be OCD, when ever I see poop in their water, I feel compelled to clean it.

The first picture show the chicks at 3 weeks old and the second picture are the newly hatched chicks. The 3 week old ones are beginning to empty their food tray and they are starting to avoid the heat light, so the dimmer is on low in the day. I have been sprinkling grit on their food to help them digest anything weird.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Are you going to butcher any? Or just breed them?

 

[CNJ]

Are you going to butcher any? Or just breed them?

I live in a residential zone with a 2 chicken limit and up to a $1,000 fine. However, two of my neighbors on one side and back raise chickens and have no complaints, the only weak link we have is the neighbor on the left, but I asked him if the roosters were bothering him and he said he could hardly hear them. I use no crow collars on my breeders and keep it tight.

Any way, I have 3 pens that can raise them up to maturity, but one pen is for my egg layers and dominant rooster, so I have to process them as they mature depending on how many I have.

I will keep some for parents, and then just rotate one pen for meat. I built a pen that is lifted off the ground and it has a 1/2 x 1 inch screen floor. I built this pen to raise 15 Cornish cross to maturity. The hole size of the screen floor is large enough for their poop to fall through, so they are not sitting in their poop. However, when they get up to 6 to 8 lbs they need to be processed before the back of their legs gets damaged from the excess weight.