Spring meaties

[Darin115]

You just have to ask them what date they are expecting chicks to arrive. They will know when they are arriving. Just get there the day they come in and buy them when they put them out. No one will have time to switch them around if you get there early.

Last year I was looking at what chicks they had. There were people buying some chicks. They were buying Cornish X chicks. I asked them how long they were keeping them before processing. They said oh noooo we are getting them for eggs only. I said you better pick different chicks, those are meat birds and will probably not live until egg laying age. They looked at me like I was stupid and proceeded to load up a box full and go pay for them. I figured in a few weeks they would realize what I said was true and then they were stuck with those monsters.
I bet they listen to someone next time. TSC should put a note on them saying they are meat chicks, not egg laying chicks.

Darin

 

[twentynine]

Quote:
My local TSC had the chicks cordoned off with fence panels. Children or adults could look but not touch.

 

[jtbrown]

I remember the "mark down" bin at TSC last year. I remember Cornish x for 1.00 then .50 cents a bird. I was impressed how gangly and large those guys were. I know TSC isn't a sure bet, we were new and got 5 straight run white rocks and then as they grew and I learned found we had light brahmas! Didn't matter, to us and we've got the room.

I am so anxious to get those meaties! Such quick turn around, can't wait. Thanks for all thei put, I've got options on housing them that I never considered because I thought I would throw them all in together. I've got some ideas now of what to do.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Seriously, if I could get 2 week old Cornish Cross for 50 cents, I'd buy them all. But they would have to be penned far away from my flock, because there is the possibility that people who have sick chickens at home have come into the store and handled them.

It isn't worth it to save a couple of dollars and risk losing my own flock.

 

[goldfinches]

You asked about keeping them with non-meaties. I wouldn't. Mine ate different food from the beginning. They also ate ALL THE TIME. And POOPED! My dainty egg layers would have been horrified if I had them together. I actually had to move my meaties outside at 2 weeks because they pooped too much for the brooder. (But, I had 30 or so, not just 5)

 

[Darin115]

I would keep them seperate as well. They are night and day difference in egg layers and cornish x. I would not want to live with them. Too much poop and I am sure they would hog all the food. And you should be feeding them a different ration all together.

2 week old cornish x chicks for 50 cents?? I would love to run into that deal. They would probably be behind in growth but you could throw the feed to them and keep them a week or so longer. Still a steal any way you look at it. And at 2 weeks you can definately tell the difference in a Cornish x and pretty much any other breed of chicken.

Darin

 

[SC-ChickMom]

My cornish X and egg layers are all together in the coop. Yesterday, the egg layers were not outside much because it was raining and they began to pick the feathers of some of the CX. The CXs don't even move. Since we are at the 7 week mark on Sunday and I was planning on processing early next week anyway, I will be taking them to freezer camp on Friday or Saturday(first non raining days). Honestly, I think if it was not raining the egg layers would have never done it.