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

[Tracydr]

Yeah, well he deserved it for a lot of other reasons. Losing a peachick was just the tip of a huge iceberg!

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
Hi Steve,
Your survivor looks like it has the legs to carry some weight,
Keep us posted with pictures of the progress.
Joe

 

[al6517]

As many of you know I have been super dedicated to my standard white cornish and finaly had a good year hatching some, I also like the fact that I never have lost any birds attributed to heat, even with the terrible high temps we have here. Well it finally happened I got home late from work, I had to stay late because one of my crews had some issues at a job site. My DW normaly waters in the mid morning and I feed and water when I get back, when I got to their pen I had found 6 dead and the waterer dry. She did water them but I usualy get home at 3 or 4pm that night I didn't get in till 9pm and the DW was off shuttling kids around. So anyway my whites are now down to 10 with only 2 young cockrels, I lost 3 roosters & 3 hens and I was totaly devistated this one hit me hard and has me questioning where to go from here. And wouldn't you know it the ones I lost just happened to be the best looking ones with the most promise. All the other birds are doing fine so I am back to collecting more eggs to hatch if my fertility is up to par, anyway thanks for putting up with the rant.

AL

 

[Tracydr]

I'm so sorry, Al. I think the only thing that has prevented me from losing birds this summer is the huge wading pools I've been providing, made of rubber made container lids. This is also a big backup source of water.
Once it cools down, my hubby is going to run an automatic waterer to the coop.
Won't help with batches of broilers but will be great for the permanent flock.

 

[SteveH]

I'm sorry you were forced to experience that Al.

wouldn't you know it the ones I lost just happened to be the best looking ones with the most promise

Almost all the juvies I lost awhile back to the heat were the thickest representatives of each breed, and I'm afraid that makes sence. I think those heavy bodies we are looking to breed are harder to cool. In my own philosophy though, I'm breeding for a quality meat bird, and more concerned with minimal heat requirements in the winter than the ability to withstand temps far over 100. I do think both of our losses were due to our own errors, and noted that my commercial meaties, in the better shaded cage, sailed through the day that my others failed to survive. The CX had drank more water than ever before, and would have run out had I not returned when I did. We live, we learn.​

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
What are the challenges in raising these that you're talking about?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Quote:
I'd like the links, can you PM them to me Al? Thanks!

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
I don't pretend to have either the experience or the knowledge that Charley [Pepper] or Al have, but its no secret that they have trouble live breeding when developed to the extreem, short, wide bird bred for showing. The hens are very poor layers, being more like their game bird ancestors in that respect; you can't produce as many chicks fom a flock as you can with any other other breed developed for meat. Besides issues with breeding naturally and low egg counts, some seem to have low fertility, and this issue seems greatest in the whites. They seem to require a higher protein diet then the feed mixes many are used to buying for their birds, and most of the Cornish people I've talked to use vitamin and mineral supplements. My own experience is that they need plenty of space to travel for optimum health; and though they finally got it settled and shared a harem, my two DCs fought like games [not just the short skirmishes to determine alpha position] inspite of having plenty of area to avoid each other.

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
I don't pretend to have either the experience or the knowledge that Charley [Pepper] or Al have, but its no secret that they have trouble live breeding when developed to the extreem, short, wide bird bred for showing. The hens are very poor layers, being more like their game bird ancestors in that respect; you can't produce as many chicks fom a flock as you can with any other other breed developed for meat. Besides issues with breeding naturally and low egg counts, some seem to have low fertility, and this issue seems greatest in the whites. They seem to require a higher protein diet then the feed mixes many are used to buying for their birds, and most of the Cornish people I've talked to use vitamin and mineral supplements. My own experience is that they need plenty of space to travel for optimum health; and though they finally got it settled and shared a harem, my two DCs fought like games [not just the short skirmishes to determine alpha position] inspite of having plenty of area to avoid each other.

From the few pure (hatchery) Cornish I've had in the past tight feathering is a factor in keeping them cool. The CX are looser feathered allowing better cooling.

Joe

 

[al6517]

Yes Steve I think it was my fault in part, I am and have been watering twice a day, once in the morning and again when I get home, it just somehow got over looked in that one pen, and I have been so stacked up with other business pulling me in 10 different directions. I am being harder on myself than anybody else, it was just a kick in the head I didn't need right now.


WMR.............. Steve has hit it pretty much on the head with the major issues in raising LF Standard Cornish. The WLR & Darks do tend to do better mainly with fertility, the whites tend to be bigger and they just have a hard time under the sheets LOL. Feed is an issue, housing takes on special requirements. Some old timers tell me the cornish like the sun on their backs as it helps produce certain vitamins "A & D" and kick their hormones in that induce fertility. The heritage Cornish is lucky to produce 150-165 eggs a year, to less as they age. All of these issues of course do not pertain to the hatchery version of cornish.

AL