Mine have gotten a significant amount of whole grains and sprouted grains, too. They seem to growing pretty fast, maybe not as fast as in a tractor where they eat all day. I've noticed that they get so occupied in playing that they don't eat much until. Round them up at bedtime and turn the light on for a few hours.
4x4 area would be ok to brood the little one's but less than 1 sq foot of space when they get big, don't see how that would work. These are big, poopy birds.
I still can't get my head around why someone with a hatchery would lose so many the first day, unless the chicks had a rough trip. I did lose 4 Cornish from one batch, all in the first 24 hours. They seemed to be lethargic like they'd been stressed. But once they start growing, they're pretty hardy unless they get leg problems. The heart problems aren't usually until they get bigger.
I find the Cornish X chicks much easier when first shipped, on average, than say, a shipment of banty chicks, who always seem pretty stressed on arrival.
4x4 area would be ok to brood the little one's but less than 1 sq foot of space when they get big, don't see how that would work. These are big, poopy birds.
I still can't get my head around why someone with a hatchery would lose so many the first day, unless the chicks had a rough trip. I did lose 4 Cornish from one batch, all in the first 24 hours. They seemed to be lethargic like they'd been stressed. But once they start growing, they're pretty hardy unless they get leg problems. The heart problems aren't usually until they get bigger.
I find the Cornish X chicks much easier when first shipped, on average, than say, a shipment of banty chicks, who always seem pretty stressed on arrival.
