Smell of Meat birds

[DMichaelW]

Hi, I have a flock of 10 chickens that I keep in my backyard. The lot that I live on is just under 1 acre. Someone told me I should shy away from raising Cornish cross due to their smell. I was curious if this “problem” is as serious as they are saying it is. How much worse are they from a regular flock of laying hens?

 

[Fishkeeper]

Cornish crosses are bred to grow very large very fast, and often suffer from serious health issues due to that, including broken legs. I can't vouch for the smell, but IMO you should pick a healthy breed. There are lots of options that will be good meat birds without being genetically doomed to suffer.

 

[LightningRidgeF]

Cornish crosses are bred to grow very large very fast, and often suffer from serious health issues due to that, including broken legs. I can't vouch for the smell, but IMO you should pick a healthy breed. There are lots of options that will be good meat birds without being genetically doomed to suffer.

We inadvertently bought some Cornish crosses. They get so heavy so fast that they can barely walk if they can walk. We called them Frankenstein chickens. They grew so fast their feathers couldn't cover them and they would sit around the feeder and eat and eat. With the great quantity of food they consumed they also have a great quantity of poop. They did produce a lot of meat, but since we were wanting layers we still weren't thrilled. They were not happy and bouncy like our other birds are.

 

[DMichaelW]

Cornish crosses are bred to grow very large very fast, and often suffer from serious health issues due to that, including broken legs. I can't vouch for the smell, but IMO you should pick a healthy breed. There are lots of options that will be good meat birds without being genetically doomed to suffer.

What breeds do you suggest?

 

[Ms Biddy]

They eat and eat and poop and poop. The quantity they eat is much more than normal chickens and so...they make more poop too. Much more than a flock of laying hens. Since they tend to laze around by the feeder, I'm sure that area gets pretty gross pretty fast. I've heard that fermented feed cuts down on the big poops and bad smell since fermented feed is digested more efficiently. I think they still poop more than normal chickens regardless because of how much they eat.

 

[RUNuts]

I'll disagree. I have mine in a tractor and move it. The smell is normal. If you take care of the bedding or move the tractor, the smell is not out of line compared to the layers. If you cram 50 birds into a small closet and don't clean up, yes they will smell horrible and look disgusting.

What is your goal?
Grocery store meat is cheaper. If you like large, mushy meat, done.
If you want taste, everyone says heritage breeds and older birds. They will give you a "normal" chicken carcass. Like the rubber chickens you see. That is a real chicken carcass compared to the Cornish Cross meat birds. It will taste stronger and be more toothsome. I like this.
If you want a lot of meat that tastes better than grocery store that you raised yourself quickly, Cornish cross is a viable solution.

The beautiful thing is you choose the correct answer. After reading all the horror stories, I read the stories of the people who have done it and are trying to improve by sharing solutions. There are many ways to raise chickens, dogs and kids. Which one is right for you?

As far as which breed is better, they are all made of meat, so try them all. Better is relative. I've raised Barred Rocks from a hatchery. Raising Cornish Crosses now. And will try broilers or Naked Necks next for meat. Best wishes.

PS. Whatever you decide, have fun doing it! That is the secret to a lot of things.

 

[Morrigan]

If you give your Cornish Crosses plenty of space to range and limit their food, they do not smell any worse than any other bird. They also can act like normal chickens and lead healthy lives up until butchering day. I think feeding fermented feed also helps with the smell.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

It's all in your animal husbandry practices that will determine if you end up with "Franken-chicken" or a normal chicken that is capable of being as active as a dual purpose or layer. People who end up raising Franken-chickens do so by OVERFEEDING! Too high of protein feed and too long of access to food. If you want an active Cornish-cross then use a chick starter that is 18-20% protein for the first 2 weeks, then switch to a 17% protein grower/finisher and only give them as much as the can consume in a few hours during the A.M. and P.M. The lower protein will also eliminate much of the smell because the poop will be firmer like a cats and not watery.

 

[redblack10]

I'll disagree. I have mine in a tractor and move it. The smell is normal. If you take care of the bedding or move the tractor, the smell is not out of line compared to the layers. If you cram 50 birds into a small closet and don't clean up, yes they will smell horrible and look disgusting.

What is your goal?
Grocery store meat is cheaper. If you like large, mushy meat, done.
If you want taste, everyone says heritage breeds and older birds. They will give you a "normal" chicken carcass. Like the rubber chickens you see. That is a real chicken carcass compared to the Cornish Cross meat birds. It will taste stronger and be more toothsome. I like this.
If you want a lot of meat that tastes better than grocery store that you raised yourself quickly, Cornish cross is a viable solution.

The beautiful thing is you choose the correct answer. After reading all the horror stories, I read the stories of the people who have done it and are trying to improve by sharing solutions. There are many ways to raise chickens, dogs and kids. Which one is right for you?

As far as which breed is better, they are all made of meat, so try them all. Better is relative. I've raised Barred Rocks from a hatchery. Raising Cornish Crosses now. And will try broilers or Naked Necks next for meat. Best wishes.

PS. Whatever you decide, have fun doing it! That is the secret to a lot of things.

I really like your attitude. I raised 30 heritage birds for meat - first time - last year. They were mostly buff orpingtons, with a few others. They were free range, until the roosters became too aggressive. I took care of them for 6 months, before processing, because I did not like the idea of raising "frankenbirds". This year, I will raise the Cornish cross, for these reasons: Hatch to processing will be short enough that I won't become attached to them, as I did with my first group . One-fourth of the time = less feed, less monitoring, and more meat -- my largest heritage bird was 4.5 pounds. The processor I chose (great, caring people) charges slightly less for Cornish cross. I may monitor feeding and wait for 8 weeks before processing, to lessen health issues. What is your timetable with your current CCs?

 

[JDN]

Cornish crosses are bred to grow very large very fast, and often suffer from serious health issues due to that, including broken legs. I can't vouch for the smell, but IMO you should pick a healthy breed. There are lots of options that will be good meat birds without being genetically doomed to suffer.

The point of Cornish X's isn't that you've bred a bird that lives a long life frolicking with unicorns. Its a bird that is ready for the table in a short time with a minimum of input.

You can spout terms like "frankenbird" or "genetically doomed" but its husbandry practices like this that allow chicken to be affordable at the store, that allow the great unwashed to partake in luxuries like meat.

To the OP...I have raised a few of them, and I will say they defecated more than any other bird...They don't stink, they just eat and poop a lot, so a bit more to keep up with depending on your situation.