Raising Cornish in NY - Now?

[Connorrm]

I have a Chicken Tractor I like to use to raise cornish. I've never gotten them before April. I did a batch last year but it was HOT out, so at 2 weeks they did just fine outside in the tractor 24/7.

I am SO TEMPTED to buy a few now from TSC, but I don't want to raise them inside. They're too dirty and stinky. Any thoughts on this? When could they feasibly do decent outside on pasture in the tractor? By 5 weeks they're GIANTS!

I'm in upstate NY. Temps at night are still freezing. Daytime - 30-40 norms.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

Based on your average frost date I'd say you're probably just about ready. I'm in Illinois. Our maple sap has been running for a while now and I'm expecting an unseasonable high of 70 on Friday. This is an unusual winter but our average last frost date is May 1.

I put my first batch in the brooder last week and expect to have them on pasture the third week of March and in the cooler April 21st. Hopefully they will be butchered before the buffalo gnats hatch. Well, hopefully there won't be much of a buffalo gnat hatch...

 

[Connorrm]

Excellent - how many would 10 x 6 foot tractor hold?

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

I don't see any reason you couldn't raise 25-30 in a tractor that size.