mature cornish cross . . . lol!

[Germaine_11.20]

Sorry Katy, it has been a crazy couple of days. I just got home a few minutes ago. I am guessing that you would like to keep and breed the birds right? Then I would start her out with about halfa cup of pellets and see how she does. You may need to add some more but I would start with that.
As for breeding her, why not. Some of my roos have the pullets on the ground anyway and if you let her breed only a few times and make sure it happens then you can remove the roo and have fertile eggs for a little while.
Other than that she is just a pet or food. So why not try and make her into what you would like.
As others say, Orps, RIR's, Marans, White Rocks. I don't think my White Rock is old enough yet or my Delaware Roos. I haven't seen them breed any girls yet.

I will give you a call tomorrow.

 

[RAREROO]

LOL it may even be funny if you breed her, I had a little Black Aust. roo try to breed one of the ones I had and he practically just rode her across the yard, since she weighed twice as much as he did, she could easily carry him on her back.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Well those are two huge chickens Katy! Thanks for letting me come see them. I still can't believe how much they weigh, they are solid!

And Yep, one is a Roo. When you are up close you can tell the difference. His comb and wattle are much bigger and his shoulder blades wider and much more pronounced. Even his tail is set different.

And then again the hen was so cute making her little nest with her feathers one by one. So sweet! She is almost as big as he is.

They were both overshadowed however by your White Ameracaunas and your Buff Roo. Pictures are nice but in person, OMG. I still can't decide who I like more the white or buff roo.

I didn't know that Ameracaunas could get that big, mine sure aren't even close. You are going to make some nice babies with those two. Let me know when you have hatching eggs please.......I have been looking for Whites.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Thanks for the compliments! Yes, White Ameraucana and Buff Ameraucanas for sale this spring! I know thye loook huge but they only weigh about 12 lbs . . . nothing compared to the beasts! I really wish I could talk with someone who has actual experience keeping this exact cross alive, I am so worried about what to feed them . . . oops got to run I forgot to "lift" them down from their roosts!

 

[carolina chicky]

I just read your post and am glad to hear someone who loves their cross and much as I do I have a 9 month old cornish cross roo named Clucky. I feed him laying pellets but only give him a small amout each day. He free ranges with the others and doesn't gobble feed as much as I thought he would. He weighs 20 lbs. or more but is doing well. I give him a baby aspirin in his water every few weeks or so and that seems to do the trick. His behavior is quite like the others but lately he has developed a "temper". He will try and spur if you mess with his "girlfriend" who is a Barred Rock hen. At 8weeks I had a little problem and though i would lose him, thats when I started the aspirin. He is a big boy but he seems to get along pretty well with the others. Yours as beautiful

 

[possumqueen]

Hey, Katy,

I used to collect those off the side of the road when they fell off the trucks headed for slaughter. Free range is the best for them because they have to work for their food, AND because they have to exersise, so the food doesn't go straight to their butt (and man they get my sympathy!) The hen will have it better than the roo because she puts a lot into that daily egg.

I did the broccolli pinata, too, and I scattered their feed all over the pen so they had to scratch for it. I didn't have any other breeds in with them. I tried to give them lots of volume without the calories because when they were out of food they were seriously cranky! (they get more of my sympathy for that!)

They sure are pretty, aren't they?

 

[Peeper7]

Quote:
Good common sense advice!

Less grains....more greens. Corn is especially fattening. Lay mash for the nutrition in small amounts. Large pen for exercise and "will work for food..." find the usual lay feed rate for a chicken that size and start with half. Watch their weight and body condition to adjust your feed amount.
I'm no expert at all, but this is what I would do.
good luck