Study that confirms Why I didn't like raising CX

[Molpet]

Full disclosure...I only raised a few CX with layers. They did free range a few hundred feet. After a couple weeks I started restricting feed, so I could keep a pullet for breeding. A couple definitely were in pain and were culled at the appropriate time. Now most of my flock are descendents of CX. But they grow slower. Cockerels dress out 5 to 7 lbs at 16 weeks.
Sure can't beat the fast growing CX for feed to meat though, but mine are good enough for me.

Anywho, this article claims that all that sitting around they do is a sign they are in pain.


https://www.treehugger.com/problem-fast-growing-broiler-chickens-5079307

 

[Tre3hugger]

Interesting read. Thanks.

 

[Compost King]

Anywho, this article claims that all that sitting around they do is a sign they are in pain.

are the offspring from the CX you bred sitting around often or are they active most of the day?

 

[Molpet]

are the offspring from the CX you bred sitting around often or are they active most of the day?

The 1/2 CX cockerels were more active than their mother but somewhat lazy. Their offspring with br and bjg hens, were as active as layers. Same with the offspring bred together.

 

[Morrigan]

Interesting. It is also one of the reasons I've started to gravitate against raising CX. You can minimize some of the overly fast growth issues by aggressively rationing feed, but I've sometimes wondered about what it is like for them to be so hungry all the time.

I've been happy with the results of raising slower broiler strains like Red Rangers for Slow White Broilers, or crossing such birds with heritage birds. With a Red Ranger type chicken you still get a nice meaty chicken in a relatively short amount of time (10 to 14 weeks) and they seem to behave very much like normal chickens. You don't have to ration food, and you can keep some of the hens as egg layers if you want.

All that being said, I think it is still a more humane option to raise a CX yourself in a more spacious and healthy setting then what the broiler houses are doing.

 

[Compost King]

Interesting. It is also one of the reasons I've started to gravitate against raising CX. You can minimize some of the overly fast growth issues by aggressively rationing feed, but I've sometimes wondered about what it is like for them to be so hungry all the time.

I've been happy with the results of raising slower broiler strains like Red Rangers for Slow White Broilers, or crossing such birds with heritage birds. With a Red Ranger type chicken you still get a nice meaty chicken in a relatively short amount of time (10 to 14 weeks) and they seem to behave very much like normal chickens. You don't have to ration food, and you can keep some of the hens as egg layers if you want.

All that being said, I think it is still a more humane option to raise a CX yourself in a more spacious and healthy setting then what the broiler houses are doing.

When I raise CX I try to process a bit earlier, smaller bird but it cost less in feed and when processing very early they haven't started sitting around yet so they haven't gone through extreme pain period.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Observing my first batch of cornish, butchered between 7 & 8 weeks at around 8 lbs live, I don't think they were ever in extreme pain. They chased bugs and chest bumped with each other til the end. They were put in a tractor and limit fed from 3 weeks old on. They also got vitamin booster to promote healthy bones and heart. Of course, they may have experienced discomfort that just wasn't obvious to me. But overall I wouldn't say the majority of their existence was pain based. At least it certainly didn't seem that way.

ETA: I also doubt they were starving because they got two, 45 min feed sessions a day.