Meat chicken

[Saya]

I actually got what TSC said was a meat chicken. She has been laying down a lot that her feathers between her legs aren't really growing. Do that breed of chicken lay down a lot or is there something wrong with her? This is our first time owning chicks. This is her.

 

[rjohns39]

Looks like a CX to me. What level of protein are you feeding? Yes, they lay down a lot and can be really lazy depending on the strain. The issue is they put on too much body weight before their legs are fully developed. They should typically be feed an 18% protein and only what they can eat in 30 minutes, twice a day. They should also be encouraged to exercise. Put food, water and heat in a triangle as far apart from each as possible. I also introduce them to meal worms early and will drop them in opposite corners of the brooder to encourage them to run around. These birds are engineered to be harvested at about 8 weeks. Really 6-10 weeks. Over on the meat bird thread you'll find folks that have kept theirs up to three years but it takes work and requires starting at day 1.

 

[Saya]

Looks like a CX to me. What level of protein are you feeding? Yes, they lay down a lot and can be really lazy depending on the strain. The issue is they put on too much body weight before their legs are fully developed. They should typically be feed an 18% protein and only what they can eat in 30 minutes, twice a day. They should also be encouraged to exercise. Put food, water and heat in a triangle as far apart from each as possible. I also introduce them to meal worms early and will drop them in opposite corners of the brooder to encourage them to run around. These birds are engineered to be harvested at about 8 weeks. Really 6-10 weeks. Over on the meat bird thread you'll find folks that have kept theirs up to three years but it takes work and requires starting at day 1.

Thanks so much. I really thought something was wrong with her. This is what I'm feeding all my chicks right now.

 

[rjohns39]

How many are CX?

 

[Saya]

T

How many are CX?

There is only one because I thought that breed was just going to grow like the other chicks.

 

[Birdinhand]

I don't mean to come across as jaded, but IMHO, the best plan for that bird is raising the water and food so it has to stand to eat, do a 12 hours on twelve hours off feeding routing and cull it at 8-9 weeks. it's unlikely that it will do well as an adult. it's possible to get a year or two out of them with a lot of special attention, but it would be a lot to do for one bird. it would have to be kept separate etc and even then, will eventually die prematurely because the cross was created for super fast initial growth, not longevity or egg laying.

 

[rjohns39]

T

There is only one because I thought that breed was just going to grow like the other chicks.

Give the CX a separate dish with a little alfalfa pellet and cracked corn mixed in the feed to lower the protein and as @Birdinhand suggested raise the food and water to chest high, so it has to stand to eat and drink. If you don't it won't be long and the belly will likely be bald. Also, if it decides the alfalfa is a treat, use it to help get it moving around. Exercise is critical for these guys.

 

[Birdinhand]

yes, and putting the food and water quite a distance, say 5-10 ft from each other so the chick has to move considerably to get to each is helpful. I have had 10 ft between mine. what you do have is the opportunity to see something that borders on miraculous, these birds grow so fast you can see the change each day. if you have only eaten birds from stores or restaurants, chances are, this is the one. virtually all meat birds are cornish cross because they are the most efficient at converting grain to tender meat. with a 24 hour brine and lemon zest bake, they can't be beat, IMHO.

 

[rjohns39]

yes, and putting the food and water quite a distance, say 5-10 ft from each other so the chick has to move considerably to get to each is helpful. I have had 10 ft between mine. what you do have is the opportunity to see something that borders on miraculous, these birds grow so fast you can see the change each day. if you have only eaten birds from stores or restaurants, chances are, this is the one. virtually all meat birds are cornish cross because they are the most efficient at converting grain to tender meat. with a 24 hour brine and lemon zest bake, they can't be beat, IMHO.

Well and hers will be the flavor of anything from the store.

 

[Birdinhand]

I find the meat to be very amenable to whatever seasoning I wish. I put herbs and spices in the brine too, boil and lemon and put it inside right before going into the oven, piercing it with holes to let the lemon juice flow out of the lemon and tenderize the meat. that said, CX do not have a strong poultry flavor, so if you are looking for that, there are other breeds that grow more slowly. I've found the COBB 500 CX to be the best balance of rate of return on food while still maintaining a pretty good degree of pluck and health. so many of the other CX strains are just virtually inhumane to try and raise in the back yard, they end up with so many problems.