keeping cornish crosses for layers?

[raroo]

My Cornish X girls are 8.5 months old and lay beautiful eggs.

They started laying at about 4.5 months old. They each get 1 and 1/8 cup 18% layer/breeder crumbles divided into meals throughout the day, plus grass and bugs from ranging, and multi-vitamin supplement in their water. I found too much fruit and veggies gave them runny poop. Check out my update on them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=215554

 

[zephyrcreek]

My question is about the messy poop.

I was hoping to keep back a few of my Rainbow hens, but have not decided how many as I am worried about how messy they will be over the winter. Does the food still go through them as fast when you start feeding the lower protein feeds?

 

[muell112]

Wow thanks for all the dialogue. I just really like the hen - she's such a sweet girl. Eggs would be a bonus. I am just worried about the bone density really and was really wondering if it would be unkind to try to keep them alive. The rooster and her seem to be kind of bonded to each other too - they're always hanging around each other. They do have really messy wet poo like one of you mentioned and I am curious if that will get a little more normal too.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I would say if they are not experiencing any problems then go for it. Allow them to live a normal and healthy life. True, they are meat birds and were made to be butchered but it has been proven that many do live healthy lives. You will know if they begin to have health problems and then you will be able to decide what you would like to do when and if that time comes. Until then, just enjoy your sweet birds. And the poo will never improve. Will always be wet and messy.

 

[skeeter03]

This is great news for me!!! We had a coon attack awhile back and we have a Cornish Rock Giant that was injured that actually made it through her injuries (half of her breasts are missing) and we promised the kids we wouldnt butcher her but let her live - she is rather large but she is the biggest sweet heart - the only chicken i can actually pick up without any fuss from her. I have a Leghorn rooster that has taken a keen interest in her lol so I am hoping beyond hope that one day I might find an egg in the coop. would I have to make a little nest box for her on the floor cause well being a big ole lady she cant fly up to the regular nest boxes.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
All of my girls lay on the ground. I have a nice little secluded area in the corner under my pecan tree that is very cool. I have lots of hay placed there. I do not subject them to flying into a nesting box being as though they weigh so much. They are so happy laying on the ground. The Barred Rocks and New Hampshire Reds have followed their lead and also lay on the ground. It's make collecting eggs so easy. All of the eggs are in 1 pile or a few inches away. lol. I can't get them out of that 1 spot for some reason. And they will wait in line to lay in that 1 spot. It's too funny. I wish I could take a pic of the "Line Waiting To Lay". I agree with you about them not being so fussing. I can pick them up without any problems. They are so docile and gentle. They are the sweetest birds. All of them have the same name - Hilda. lol. Don't ask me why.

 

[skeeter03]

hahah Hilda - my kids have named our chickens the cornish is "pinky" I love her even if she does look gimpy (her breasts are funny looking but healed) I think i will venture out into the hay field next door today and rake up some of the left overs and place it inside a corner in the coop for her - she does not go outside a whole lot during the day mostly in the morning and then at night (to hot I think during the day)

 

[scooter147]

One more reinforcement.

Growing up our neighbors always got around 150 cornish x's and kept 50 hens for laying, the smaller ones were the ones kept for laying.
They never had any more problems then if you kept 50 leghorns for laying.
They got the biggest eggs you can get from a chicken.
She did only keep them for 18 months (or as soon as this years batch started laying) and then they went to freezer camp as stewing hens.

 

[muell112]

Just an update on my 2 remaining cornish crosses...they seem to be doing really well! I'm restricting their feed and they're eating pellets only for a short time in the am and pm. The rest of the day they go in and out of the coop/run and graze around in the grass. Here is a picture of the hen (13 weeks old)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22356_p1010293.jpg

 

[muell112]

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