Meaty Madness

[xC0000005]

We are two weeks in and here we go (I was feeling bad about them not being large enough).
Cornish-X, at two weeks of age:


Thus far it's like raising oily, damp softballs with feathers. Softballs that occasionally walk from one side of the cage to the other, primarily because they can't eat and drink in the same place.

 

[lynn1961]

Amazing how fast these birds grow and the amount of feed to poop conversion !

 

[hydroswiftrob]

Yours do look a little smaller than mine. Perhaps it's the feed?

 

[bluere11e]

Yours do look a little smaller than mine. Perhaps it's the feed?

I have 24 meaties that should be ready to process within the next week/two weeks. I have some tipping the scales at over 6 pounds and some that are only 4.. Considering the growth rate and appearances I'm pretty sure the heavier ones are the cockerels and the lighter ones are the pullets.. I can process most of the boys soon and the girls I can hold off a week or two, or more to get larger sizes. Unfortunately.. the feed conversion isn't as good with the girls as it is with the boys, but if I were to spend the 13 cents more for all boys, I could have them all ready at once, with less feed, but even though the girls have to go a few more weeks, for better size, Is it worth the extra food, and the less stress that you have to process all at once?

 

[xC0000005]

They aren't quite eating the "right" amount for their age. I go off the welp hatchery CX feed chart, and they basically consume food like they would if they were one week younger than I was told they are. When I bought them the feed store guy said "these are a week old," and they looked huge compared to the EE chicks, so I figured he was right. Now I'm not so sure. I think I'll just stick to the feed plan (12 on, 12 off) and see how they do. I've been putting them on a scale and they are definitely gaining but just don't look as large as other two week old ones I've seen. So we shall see.

 

[hydroswiftrob]

They aren't quite eating the "right" amount for their age. I go off the welp hatchery CX feed chart, and they basically consume food like they would if they were one week younger than I was told they are. When I bought them the feed store guy said "these are a week old," and they looked huge compared to the EE chicks, so I figured he was right. Now I'm not so sure. I think I'll just stick to the feed plan (12 on, 12 off) and see how they do. I've been putting them on a scale and they are definitely gaining but just don't look as large as other two week old ones I've seen. So we shall see.

I started with the 12 on - 12 off, but now they have feed in front of them 24/7. I am using Dumor starter/ grower 20% protein, throwing in scratch everyday, and feeding them a ton of meal worms that are 56% protein. That could be the size difference. I have bought a bag of game bird feed that is 28% that I am going to mix with the next bag of Dumor to give me the roughly 24% protein I am trying to achieve. My birds are pretty active and I make them work for their meal worms. I have layers in with them so they have a little competition and have to get up and move for their food.

 

[silkiechicken]

If we're thinking of the same feed store in Monroe, I like that place.

They probably said a week old, but really could have been anything between 3-8 days.

That said, I've gotten cornish x from various sources and they are always a bit slower than "industry standards". Industry standard has the birds in temp/humidity controlled rooms with minimal energy loss due to moving about. I would not worry about them being a bit "slow". You'll likly have less leg issues if they are not packing on the pounds so fast. And near the end, they really really will pack on the pounds.

I feed 24/7, but at a few weeks old, let them go run around outside in the rain. They learn quickly to go back inside to dry off and get warm. Food is inside, and I do find they will go outside. By 6 weeks old, I remove light, so they eat by sunlight which effectively puts them on a diet restriction till I butcher at 8 or 9 weeks.

From the one year I weighed a few birds. Their weight in ounces per date. I don't remember what day they were delivered though... You can see exponential growth at like week 4-7.

22-Mar​

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3
30-Mar​

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8
5-Apr​

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20
12-Apr​

​

32
19-Apr​

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48
26-Apr​

​

68
1-May​

​

88
10-May​

​

100
18-May​

​

116​

 

[xC0000005]

Just keeping track for my own (and maybe others) benefit - at three weeks they basically weigh a little more than they should have at two weeks. I'm not worried - I'm not counting profit lost or earned if they aren't "ready" at six weeks. Probably headed to 8 weeks at this rate. Cockerels are now obvious (and man, what a difference weight wise). Heat lamp is off, still sheltered in greenhouse. Average weight is about 18 oz.

 

[hydroswiftrob]

At 3 weeks old, I still can't tell my cockrels from the pullets. They are very close to the same size. I am thinking I lucked out and picked all males out of the tub.

 

[silkiechicken]

So turns out that weighed bunch was delivered march 20th of that year, after 2 days of shipping, so 18 ounces at 3 weeks sounds about how I did with the meaties in the PNW, raised predominantly outside.