Raising CX for education

[Nestled Chickens]

I am creating lesson plans for sustainable living as part of an outdoor environmental education camp program for schools. Last spring I had eggs hatching in my incubator just in time for the students. I was surprised how many kids have never seen a chicken in real life, let alone a chick, or have even pondered that the eggs have everything it needs to turn into a chick in such a short period of time...

This next fall and spring, I would like to add meat vs egg chicken lessons. I'm thinking about purchasing some CX hatching eggs and some RIR eggs to have in an incubator ready to hatch around class days and then raising them side by side so the students can see/feel how different the chickens are. How are CX eggs for hatching? (or is it better to just pick up some CX from the feed store ready to go?)

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, sounds like fun.

CX is not a good example of sustainable living IMO... Since they will become to obese for breeding and you always have to order.

Then how many will try saving the females and keeping them and dealing with their extra issues... learning to keep the weak instead of keeping the homestead livestock strong?

To me egg chickens ARE meat chickens, specifically RIR. Sustainable farms, I believe aren't going for the biggest meat bird... and in poorer regions you will notice their birds are much more adept at foraging with thinner bodies... doesn't mean they can't be used for meat or eggs.

I understand wanting them to see the difference in size and growth. Guess I'm just opening up the conversation. Sorry I don't have an actual answer to how the CX eggs are for hatching.

The egg to chick thing is quite amazing! How cool that you will be able to share that. What age kids will you be working with? Are you considering any other breeds? What made you choose RIR?

 

[Nestled Chickens]

I do know that cornish cross aren't sustainable. I've raised them from chick stage myself many times. Also Broad Breasted Turkeys. My family has been raising our own heritage turkeys for years (my family is too large to eat just a RIR-we need a whole heritage turkey haha).

The camp I work for has an assortment of classes, with ages ranging from K to 8th grade and family groups too. None of our animals are self sustainable. We have chickens, turkeys, goats, sheep, and a llama. The large animals were rescued from a slaughterhouse. Our sheep and goats and llama don't provide anything useful and just eat expensive hay...but they let city kids pet them and that is what is more important. The whole idea is to get city kids into nature and also see what small farms can (and cannot) do. I could write volumes on what I could and would do with an unlimited budget...but I don't have it

Just wondering if CX hatch or if they die off in the eggs easily. If I have a group for three days, they can see the chicks side by side for the first few days of life and how quickly CX grow compared to (any other egg laying breed).

 

[centrarchid]

We are doing similar with older students. In near term we will be raising several hundred per batch. A big part of learning curve is understanding biosecurity and detecting signs that things need to be changed. Cornish X used in early part of effort root us in thinking used for actual chickens consumed by most Americans.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Just wondering if CX hatch or if they die off in the eggs easily.

I have had mostly terrible results with shipped hatching eggs... to the tune of only 3 out of 36 hatching (Florida to Ca)... and you KNOW they were all boys! Never thought I would spend $50 per cockerel chick!

If you are able to get some local CX hatching eggs.. It shouldn't be an issue. But if they will be shipped very far, chicks MIGHT be a better choice.. depending on your shipping route. Short shipping routes are much better. I shipped Silkie hatching eggs to a teacher for a class project about 7 hours from me.. 10/12 hatched and 8 were pullets.

Thank you for sharing with the kids! Raised in the city, I was very far removed from reality.... but so much more well rounded and aware of my consumption now and the circle of life. The neighborhood kids LOVE seeing my mini pigs and such. And I LOVE seeing their reactions.