newbie to meat birds needs help!

[dwyer360]

I have 5 cornishXs that I boght from TS. I have them in an old kiddie pool with fence around it in my shed. They are 4 weeks and seem to be happy. Im in NW PA and it has been a cold spring. I still have them under a 125watt light. I just found this site today and have been readingfor hours! I have been wanting to move my birds into a make shift tractor that I have but have been worried about the temps. There shelter in the tractor is just a 3 and half sided box to keep them out of the weather. Was hoping to move them out this weekend, but wasnt sure how or if I had to wean them off the light? Ill be honest I dont know much about this! Any info about moving them outside and raising a good healthy flock would be appriciated.

 

[cassie]

I'm not much help because I raise my meaties inside. I can tell you that sudden changes in temperature are hard on any critter. Any reason they can't stay where they are now? You will only have them for another four weeks or so.

 

[jaku]

If it's nice weather, move them out. Don't do it if it's a cold, rainy day. They will act and look much healthier on grass in fresh air! Don't worry TOO much about the cold- they run hotter than layers, and can handle colder temps. I have my tractors rigged up with a heat lamp, and on cold nights, I run an extension cord out there and give them heat, so if that is an option, go for it. While they might be able to get by in the cold, keeping them warm at night is good. If that isn't possible, you can always cover the tractors with a tarp. Last fall, I had Cornish X's outside in a tractor at less than two weeks old in late October in Michigan- I covered the tractor with a tarp and used two heat lamps. It worked perfectly.

 

[lisalynne]

We had 12 on our small enclosed porch. It got pretty smelly in there! As soon as they were feathered out they went outside. It was still a little cool here in Indiana, but they did fine. We got them March 18th at Rural King; my daughter thinks they were about 2 weeks old, maybe 3 when we put them outside. I just know they were fully feathered out. We did have a heat lamp on them, but it was getting pretty warm on the porch so I did turn it off a couple days before we put them outside. They're doing great. We've already butchered 6 of them & our family will be enjoying one of them tonight! Hope all goes well with yours!

 

[blueskylen]

if they are feathered out - they like to be cool rather than hot and don't need a light if it is above freezing - they do like the light as long as they can get away if it gets too hot.
if they are out in the pasture, it would be a good idea to have a place that is off of the ground for them to sit on wet days, as i read here that the cold wet ground had made someones sick. i always keep mine in a coop, so someone who has a tractor would be more helpful.