My Experience with Cornish X

[mojoejoe]

Great advice. Thanks!
They have survived the cold 50 deg nights
My tractor is about 2/3 closed in and 1/3 open. I have been closing the open part with tarps when raining or cold.
So far all have survived (with the heat lamp).
I cant believe how fast they grow. Its amazing!
Looking forward to hearing about the butchering burgerusmc

Hoping the bear stays away for just 4 more weeks

 

[MichaelZ13]

We got down to the high 30's last night. And all my chickens are frozen and no longer living. They have been frozen for almost a month now. In my freezer.

And we have bear problems too. Bears are getting a bit pushy now as they fatten up for winter so I am glad all my chickens are processed.

 

[jimbob86]

Well, despite others reporting good luck discouraging hawks with fishing line this has proven completely ineffective for me. I've lost 5 in 5 days bringing the total hawk kill to about 10. They are now visiting me daily. The fishing line stopped the killing for several days but the hawks have gotten bolder and decided to plow through the line now. I have tufts of hawk down all over the fishing line and they come back daily sometimes 3-4 times a day. I thought it was the pair of coopers i see all the time but after catching them in the act it is a large male red-tailed hawk and what I assume is his much smaller lady friend. They eat the entire head first, skull and all, and then move on the breast meat. I've managed to keep them from killing the last two days but it's simply by happening to check on the chickens at the right time. Without prevention I am certain they would kill at least a bird a day and probably more. I'm going to add flight netting whole chicken yard for the next batch of birds but I am done sinking money into the flock for now. I've erected the most bizarre scare crow today but I anticipate a few more loses over the next 2 weeks. The most frustrating part is they have systematically killed my biggest chickens EVERY time. Every single kill has been one of my biggest roos.

I see now why my property has so few squirrels and rabbits.

You need some 30lb test Fireline or GorillaBraid. A hawk might try to plow through that, but he'll only do it once.

 

[Schroeder]

I'm at week 3 of my first experience with Cornish X. Something has come up, and I have to be away from home for a week beginning 4 days after the birds will turn 6 weeks old. It won't be convenient to have someone take care of them for the week I am gone, so I am planning to butcher at 6 weeks. I don't mind having smaller birds, but am concerned I might end up with a high percentage that don't even reach 4 pounds. Am I being too pessimistic? All I read says to butcher at 6 to 8 weeks. What do you think about processing at the very low end of this range?

 

[burgerusmc]

They'll just be smaller. That's when "cornish game hens" are processed.

 

[moussa]

almost 3 weeks ago i bought 6 cornish x chicks age one day and my orpington hen adapt them with her 3 chicks was also one day old
now the 9 chicks grow up together the 9 chicks in open free range and the 6 chicks cornish x they behave exactly as any natural chicks they eat only what their mother allow them to eat they making dust bath and sun bath they sleep under their mother wings they behave 100% natural
i have hope to get from them eggs
any one know when they start laying eggs?
if i will not get eggs from them better to use them for meet than to keep them and disappointed at the end

 

[CommonRookie]

There is a post on here somewhere about a woman who kept cornish X hens until they laid. You might find it with some digging. However, I'd kill them at 10-12 weeks and use them for meat. If you put the food to them they can be ready in 6-8 weeks but if they are just free ranging i'd give them a few more weeks and kill them at 5-6 pounds. I'd use the CX hybrid for what it's meant for and just be happy with the meat. There are other breeds suited way better to both ranging and laying. If you have CX hens, by the time they are laying, if they lay at all, the meat won't be as good anyway.

 

[WalkingWolf1]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/698833/freedom-rangers
This is a link that describes our experience taking meat birds to point-of-lay. We have never had much luck getting the corn-X to adult. One of the keys to success is restrict how much you feed them to slow down their grow rate.