Schlecht Hatchery Cornish X

[jemmasgrandma]

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How's the little sicky? -hopefully on the mend

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

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Mine do eat and sleep a lot but they also, at least at two weeks, flap their wings and fly around the brooder. They also spend a lot of time scratching in the bedding. I guess they are afraid that someone might get a tasty morsel and they will miss out. I am also amazed at the growth of these guys. I have them where I can watch them often and I'm somewhat shocked. Some of them are also beginning to get a pronounced comb and wings and feathers are quickly replacing the fuzz. I will probably move them outside into the coop and run at 3 to 3 1/2 weeks since they are growing so fast. It will depend on the weather. It is still very hot here but is supposed to drop into the 90's later this week with night time lows in the 70's. They should be very well feathered by that time and won't need the lights.

 

[lsv313]

The sick one did not make it.

We tried everything - even did some research and built it a "chick chair" (http://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces) which is supposed to help birds with injured legs. It is sad, but it probably is for the best as the poor thing just seemed miserable. Also, now we can focus our attention on the 25 healthy ones that we have. They are huge! We had to pick them up to clean out their box tonight, because they get stinky FAST! And when we grabbed them, they were so heavy! They will make tasty food soon! They do scratch and flap alot. I am going to do the 12 hours on 12 off method for food beginning tomorrow as that is supposed to help them remain more active, and help them not to grow too fast where they run into leg/heart problems. I will be building them their tractor pen hopefully in the next few days. They are fun to watch - I spend way to much time staring at their cuteness!

I have heard their cuteness does not last, so I'll enjoy it while I can. I do have to remember that these will be dinner soon.

 

[jemmasgrandma]

Lost my first chick this morning...such a sad sight, even though they will be going into cold storage in a few weeks

I have one more that seems a little off, the rest are doing fine. Amazing the change in one week. They are so fast, running back & forth in the brooder, stretching their wings & legs! I had one try his best to jump out when I had the chicken wire off the top, yikes. I'm thinking about restricting food at night, any thoughts on this pro or con??? Not looking forward to the stink that everyone talks about, but looking forward to some yummy chicken this winter.

 

[lsv313]

I'm sorry you lost a chick. Our remaining healthy ones are still going strong. I started taking away their food at night 2 nights ago. I had read that is best for them, and when I went to the feed store today, the guy at the store asked if we were doing that, and said if I wasn't, that he would tell me to. The chicks do not like it - they scream all night long and then when I give it to them in the morning, they stampede the feeder like nothing I have ever seen before! As far as the stink, I have already experienced it - wow. Although they are in the house still, so I probably wouldn't notice as much if they were outside

I too am amazed at how huge they are! They are so dense and heavy - little fatso's we call them! We decided against the organic food this time and went instead with all natural non-medicated. We're going to see how much feed they go through and maybe next time we'll do organic, but we'll see. There's not antibiotics or hormones, which is the main thing I'm concerned about. I have people interested in trying them, maybe I will sell some at some point. We'll see - for now I'm enjoying my first experience of meaties!

 

[jemmasgrandma]

lost another one this morning... down to 50, they all look fine. I'm going to start the 12 hours on 12 off feed today.

 

[jemmasgrandma]

In the big coop now, a few days in there and I'll let them out in the grass! 2 weeks 2 days when this pic was taken.

 

[jemmasgrandma]

Hi all... I Still have 50 meaties, they are 1 day shy of 4 weeks old. I weighed some today and they are between 1 3/4 lbs to 2 lbs. I do have one little runt that weighs 12 oz.

still a baby... -they have 4 weeks to go! Amazing how the time flies and how fast they grow. The couple that I had with leg problems are doing fine now, in fact I can't tell which ones were limping around, so glad I didn't cull.

 

[jemmasgrandma]

My little runt chickie!

 

[jemmasgrandma]

Gee Whiz

I found my little runt chickie dead this morning -made me sad...