My "broiler" chickens -pics-

[raroo]

They are cornish cross.

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

Raroo they were much more durable and slow growing like the JG. Some where white, some black, some mottled. They grew up to be very huge chickens. She made us repair the pen and keep chickens a few years more even after we gave up.

We had her 4 years. She just fell over one day and passed away (probably a heart attack) when it was very hot (100f +. I think that she lived a fine life for a meat bird. We still make jokes and speak fondly of her. She never was a big layer (10-30) per year.

The reason we got her was because the local farm store had meat birds as colored easter chickens (before outlawed).

Wow lol...now I know I'm going to get another. Very docile birds, probably the most tame bird we've ever owned.

 

[raroo]

4 years is great!

I will be thrilled if mine live that long. I was worried about summer too... so we bought them an air conditioner.

That's neat about the chicks... when I get my BR's I'll be keeping a roo and I was thinking maybe... preserve George and Greta's memory! My fiance was worried about them having the same type of problems, its encouraging to hear that Big Alice's chicks were durable and healthy.

 

[DebbieLynn]

Thank you for this post! I have 6 cornish cross that I bought for meat but they have to be some of the friendliest birds I've ever been around. They also follow me around and when I go to their run they line up so I can pick them up and let them free range in the yard. Every evening they make their way back to the run and we go through the whole thing to put them back. I have been agonizing over what to do because I knew they weren't bred for a long life and they are 8 w/o now. I think I might try the aspirin thing and see if I can keep them as pets. I really was amazed by their sweetness and can't possibly kill them for food now! Thanks again

 

[raroo]

They sound like sweeties, that's a sad dilemma. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do. These big guys have a way of breaking my heart, because if they're loved as pets they still might not make it long. But if you give it a try, good luck! Let me know if there's anything I can help you with. And if you do decide to eat them, it sounds like they've had a good happy life with you, and that's the most important thing!

 

[kyeschicks]

It's weird that the broilers lay brown and white eggs!!! maybe some of their family must of been an brown egg layer to be able to lay that color! so theres a brown-shelled gene going on broilers!

 

[Reinbeau]

Quote:
What a neat outcome to a sad event!

 

[countrybum]

Thanks raroo, I know I am going to try it also. As for AC, I just do not think I can go that far.

 

[raroo]

Quote:

That's okay, I realize it's a bit weird and I've gotten some strange looks when people found out I bought an air conditioner for my chickens.

I justify it by knowing I'll benefit from it too! I know where I'll be when its 30 degrees this summer. LOL. The humidity gets so bad you just sweat and swelter, doing absolutely nothing. I figure if I can't stand it the last thing I want is for my chickens to die in the ridiculous summer heat. Yuck. Dry heat is much more tolerable.

 

[countrybum]

Okay, did you actually mean 130* and not 30*? 30* to me means cold.