Sudden Death in Broiler Chicks

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I will have to search this forum to find out the consensus as to which bird is the best meat bird. If its a matter of taking a few extra weeks to get to my desired slaughter weight, that's fine.

I think it will depend on what an individual's deffinition of "best" is. I think it is a given that the CX types are "best" as far as putting on meat quickly and converting feed into meat. However, they have health issues and some don't like the idea of a creature that is basicly programed to eat itself to death. Having raised CX, Freedom Rangers and Red Rangers. I would say that the Freedom Rangers are "best". They were much healthier and more active than the CX and reached a nice weight of 4 - 5 pounds in about 10 - 12 weeks. The Red Rangers were equally healthy and active but were not as heavy or meaty as the Freedom Rangers at a similar age.

However, there would probably be another group of forum members who would define "best" as a true breeding heritage meat bird that they could produce on their own,not having to have chicks shipped to them every year. I think I'm going to conduct an experiment with Delawares next spring, because I don't like paying for shipping and I don't like having my chicks arrive dead.

 

[rick54]

I have heard good things about the "Freedom Ranger" birds and will consider them for next year. The CX birds I just had cleaned dressed out at 10#. A very nice roaster for Sunday dinner and enough left over for some follow-up dinners and lunch. Or I may go back to the Cornish Roaster, as they were a good bird for us.

 

[Evangelina]

you can give them one asprin per gallon of water and that helps with there heart problems, just like humans.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Interesting!

 

[aoxa]

Try raising them differently and you will be surprised by their hardiness. I have 22 of them right now. 20 of them are 12 weeks, two are 17 weeks old.

They overheat VERY VERY easily. I lost 8 my first batch to a cocci outbreak during the hottest time of the year (but I lost 10 Red Sex Link layer chicks too). Second batch this fall I had one die of pasty butt, one unknown (flip) and two killed by a cat. I also had to cull one who was injured by being stepped on.

 

[SmokinChick]

.
Frankly, these birds are way more trouble than they're worth. Especially since there are so many other breeds out there that are equal if not better as a meat bird.

. If its a matter of taking a few extra weeks to get to my desired slaughter weight, that's fine.

I have raised 5 batches of CXers in 3 years. I am not an authority and I raise no other livestock. I have experienced no more then a 10% lose during any of my batches. I raise them in a tractor. They get enough food to last all day, and unlimited water. They require 10-15 minutes a day. For 5 weeks, the first 3 weeks are in a brooder and need even less time. I don't restrict feed until they get outside. After 8 weeks I process them in the backyard and get 7-8 lb dressed birds. I am processing 27 of my 30 chicks. Lost 2 in the first 2 weeks and lost one 2 weeks ago. Dressed out @ 3.5 lb skinned. I didn't die but was having trouble walking.
My point! They have no equal and are not alot of trouble, IMO. The feed to meat conversion is excellent.

 

[Angelicisi]

I haven't found a feed to meat ratio bird that comes close to the CX. The fermented feed has made them strong, active, feathered by 3 weeks and overall health is great. I highly recommend a vitamin supplement with B vitamins & a probiotic in the water with ACV from day one and free range when/if possible from week 2-3. You will not be disappointed.
I have found that the CX from certain hatcheries need a vitamin & probiotic boost. They seem to be lacking vitamin nutrient absorption abilities causing system failures the 1st 7 days being the scariest.
Without the added nutes they don't seem to thrive as well from 2 hatcheries tried & feed stores here.

I add ACV to all the chooks water all the time. As well as feed fermented feed. Both have great health properties and help the chicks systems adjust to such fast growth. They go out to free range at 7-14 days depending on weather and forage and chase bugs like my layer chicks.

I just raised a batch of 25 to 3 weeks, sold them at 1 lb because the buyer never saw such healthy active CX chicks. Lol
The next batch of 50 is due to arrive next Friday! I can't wait.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I may or may not ever try CX again, but if I do I'll heed all of your advice. I think part of my issue may be that I live at 8,000 feet of altitude and the Jumbo Cornish I purchased this summer arrived on an unseasonably cold morning, which we get sometimes around here. Half (9 of 18) were dead or almost dead on arrival and I'm sure the rocky start plus the high altitude played a part on the loss of 3 more, bringing my total number that made it to butchering date a meer 6 out of the 18 ordered.

I'll be raising some Freedom Rangers again next spring and then may try something like a Deleware that I can hatch out my own every spring rather than rely on the Postal Service and play Russian Roulette with the weatehr.

 

[donrae]

you can give them one asprin per gallon of water and that helps with there heart problems, just like humans.

I don't see how.

Aspirin "thins" the blood, keeps clots from developing. Prevents strokes and heart attack, things caused by clots.

My understanding is the Cornish have fluid overload issues, more like Congestive Heart Failure. Aspirin does nothing for CHF.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I don't see how.

Aspirin "thins" the blood, keeps clots from developing. Prevents strokes and heart attack, things caused by clots.

My understanding is the Cornish have fluid overload issues, more like Congestive Heart Failure. Aspirin does nothing for CHF.

That is my understanding as well. I think the sudden cardiac death(flips) are caused by an abnormal heart rhythm caused by the congestive heart failure....but that is just an opinion. I think I remember reading that there can be changes in the amount of potassium in the blood, which can cause abnormal heart rhythms.