Red Laced Cornish X and project talk (pics p. 8)

[KatyTheChickenLady]

woowooo . . . I can't wait for my eggs to hatch

lol, steve that last one is awesome!

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Thanks for the updated pic of your AM x CX, Steve, I've been wondering what those were turning out like.

 

[SteveH]

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I hope you and Yotetrapper have great hatches Katy.

 

[SteveH]

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Your welcome Cari.

They've lost some of the broad breasted look and start shooting upward before getting to this age; but the breast feels full when doing a check by feel rather than eye. This bird and the one hatched last Nov. are nearly identical now, so I asssume this one will be larger and fuller. Its hard to know for sure, but I suspect that by breeding age they will be wider and thicker, yet still young enough to be suitable for the table at that time. So far, all of them would have been at fryer processing size at or before 14 weeks; though certainly smaller than, but more like a Freedom Ranger in body type. Hopefully my Easter hatch will have crosses from the Dark Cornish................... and still hoping the male CX has managed to fertilize an egg or two; I'm thinking either of those two crosses will add some width to the project.

I also have a much nicer and larger White Ameraucana roo to work with now. I'm not sure if I want to raise another batch of CX for breeding and the freezer or not; but suspect the last two living CX hens will produce few, if any, eggs [there's three in the bator now]. The last CX hen to die had a blue comb for a few days; but I also found a broken thigh bone when I processed her for the dogs. Proper management would require a seperate pen to rigidly restrict their diets; with a pair of roos penned and fed seperately and given only a day or two with them per week.

The big CX roo is limping very badly after going airborn in an attempt to fight the Ameraucana through the fence, but he's still attempting to cover his girls. I think the big red cockeral from Katy that I hatched may be his replacement later this year; and suspicion he'll be built better for successful breeding.

 

[al6517]

Well folks my 3rd Cornish hatch of the year is well on it's way, I have more than 50 out so far and still going strong.

AL

Mostly chicks from my meatie project in this brooder, they will be my parent stock from which I will be selling egg/chicks from next year.

All Cornish in this one, WLR's & Whites.

And here is what is left to go, almost done just a few more to go, I am already collecting for the next batch.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

way to go al, you might have more chicks than me! they look fluffy and clean, can't wait to see them when they get bigger

 

[SteveH]

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Congrats!!!!

 

[SteveH]

My next hatch is due on the 23rd. Hoping there will be a few new breeds/colors to consider for crossing into my dual purpose, blue/green egger plus self-sustaining meat flock. [Have some English Orpingtons split for lavender, Coronation Sussex, and Lavender Ameraucana x Marans and Olive Egger eggs set along with my own crosses and some pure Ameraucana] Those three "Cadsbury Easter Eggs" may not look it, but they're from the olive egger and have a blue egg under that deep brown.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Do you guys think I should keep my Broilers/ Meatbird projects on chick starter 22% or switch them to Broiler finisher 17% with higher fat?

 

[knjinnm]

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Aaah we're still talking chickens here, right?