The Meatie weigh-along!

[ChickenAlgebra]

Updates

29 CX - are now 26, the 3 pullets moved to the EE pen.
Mt Healthy, hatch date of 3/9.
50% Dumor 20% protein, 50% Purina 18% protein.
12 hours on, 12 hours off feed.
In a tractor during the day, catch 'em (have kids for a reason) at night, pop them in the stall with a heat lamp. Smelly beasties.
Largest is 32 oz. Weigh increases REALLY dropped off when they got off 26% gamebird. Next largest is 30 oz now. Average is 25.8 oz.

2 possible CX, raising with EEs - now plus the 3 CX pullets
Mt Healthy, hatch date of 3/9.
90% Purina 18% protein, 10% (give or take some) Dumor 20%.
Unrestricted.
Playing during the day in the baby tractor, in the brooder at night.
The two maybes are 17 oz and 15 oz. The 3 CX are 19 oz, 18.3 oz and 17.3 oz.
The 3 CX and the 2 maybes are the same size. The 3 girls were first going "errm, what?", now will run around with the EEs. So I think all 5 are CX.

New group...

25 black sexlinked cockerals.
Mt Healthy, hatch date of 3/28.
100% Dumor 20% - I want fat roos.
Unlimited
Brooder babies still
Average around 3 oz each right now.

 

[TanksHill]

Hello all,

I am on my first batch of Cornish X ever.

Great to hear all of your info and experiences.

I have 25 Cornish X in my brooder. They are hanging out with 5 natural hatch Bourbon Red turkeys. The turkeys were hatched to a first time Momma. I had issues with my tom attacking some of the hatchlings. Lesson learned there.

Turkeys hatched 3 -27/28. Cornish X came from McMurray last Saturday the 2nd.

I usually start with pullets or do a natural hatch so the chicks and brooder are new to me.

Wish me luck.

g

 

[In His Service]

Sorry for the delay, my weigh day helpers haven't been very cooperative lately...
weights, (4 weeks + 2 days)
1 @ 2.75 lbs (44 oz)
2 @ 3.5 lbs (56 oz)
2 @ 3.75 lbs (60 oz)
1 @ 4.00 lbs (64 oz)
2 @ 4.25 lbs (68 oz)
total weight
29.75 lbs (476 oz)
average weight
(appr) 3.75 lbs (60 oz)

I have 3 girls and 5 boys, the smallest is a girl, need to beef her up, lol
Mine are in a modified C & C cage on my heated porch. They haven't even tried to fly out

:cd We are hoping that this will last until Thursday, as we are supposed to get 3 days of rain next week . Still in the 30's and 40's at night here, and only 50-60ish in the daytime. I have a 5' x 5' pen built for them, with half of it covered with a tarp, top and sides. As soon as we gather all the equipment, I will set the date.

I was wondering, how many reading/contributing to this thread are 1st timers to cornish x raising, and would you do it again?

I am having mixed feelings about doing it again. I do like the quick turn around time, so I will probably talk myself into it one more time...warmer weather means they are out of the house sooner.

I have really loved having others to compare notes with. Thanks everyone!!

 

[PotterWatch]

The last batch of cornish were my first with that breed. I did like the quick turnaround time and they are very easy to care for. I already have another batch in my brooder and one more batch arriving this next week.

 

[Wife's Chicken Killer]

My meaties just hit four weeks today. So, out to the tractor they went... My nose is SOOOO happy!!!

so is my wife, cocker spaniel, and bassett hound!!!!

Only 4 more to go. Mid-May is my harvest time. Now I have to find a few turkeys to pop into the brooder and get up to weight before the holidays.

Maybe at the chicken swap next saturday in ocala, fl... IF your local or even close to north cental florida/Marion county area you should check it out...

Here is the forum link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=476893

See ya there, hopefully.

 

[DogandPonyShow]

Quote:
I'm in!

14 Cornish X (lost one runt)
Meyer Hatchery, 3/21/11
Started with 18% Nutrena (guess it's now Country Feeds?) NatureWise, switching them over to Purina Start & Grow 18%
Currently unrestricted
Tractor

I'll weigh on Saturdays since that's easier than wrangling them after work...

Today's info:

Range 18 oz-22.5 oz
Mean 20 oz
St Dev 1.15 oz
Median 20.25 oz

For comparison, my same-age pullets are 4 1/8 oz (exchequer Leghorn) to 6.5 oz (Speckled Sussex)!

Questions:

Mine seem smaller than other people's, which is fine since I want to minimize leg/heart issues. I was planning on restricting feed at 3 weeks. Does that make sense, given their size? Should I wait a bit longer?

I'm also thinking about switching them to 20% Flock Raiser after the medicated feed. They'll be on the ground so I want to make sure to keep them on medicated starter long enough that they build up their own immunities. When should I switch them over? 4 weeks? 5 weeks?

Thanks!

 

[Matrix Escapee]

Quote:
I'm in!

14 Cornish X (lost one runt)
Meyer Hatchery, 3/21/11
Started with 18% Nutrena (guess it's now Country Feeds?) NatureWise, switching them over to Purina Start & Grow 18%
Currently unrestricted
Tractor

I'll weigh on Saturdays since that's easier than wrangling them after work...

Today's info:

Range 18 oz-22.5 oz
Mean 20 oz
St Dev 1.15 oz
Median 20.25 oz

For comparison, my same-age pullets are 4 1/8 oz (exchequer Leghorn) to 6.5 oz (Speckled Sussex)!

Questions:

Mine seem smaller than other people's, which is fine since I want to minimize leg/heart issues. I was planning on restricting feed at 3 weeks. Does that make sense, given their size? Should I wait a bit longer?

I'm also thinking about switching them to 20% Flock Raiser after the medicated feed. They'll be on the ground so I want to make sure to keep them on medicated starter long enough that they build up their own immunities. When should I switch them over? 4 weeks? 5 weeks?

Thanks!

I am no expert, but the feed experts at Fertrell and others I trust say that feed restriction makes no sense on a bird that was designed to eat and get big. This of course assumes they experience darkness at night, in which case they will be sleeping and therefore not eating. This, in effect, is feed regulation through inactivity during sleepy time at night.
As far as medication, my philosophy (just my opinion, I am not an expert) is that by not messing with their system by treating with medications and vaccines, you allow their immune system to natural build resistance to things. I did not vaccinate my birds or medicate them. I feel that those things are crutches, and that you screw with the ability of the bird to naturally defend itself. Of course, the assumption is that you have MAXIMIZED all other factors you have control over such as brooder temperature and cleanliness, water cleanliness, fresh bedding, and a feed that has the OPTIMUM vitamin and mineral content as well as probiotics.
I put clumps of weeds (henbit, chickweed, clover) into my brooder and sprinkle a little feed on top of it to get them to root around in the clump. I want to expose them to the very soil and plant life they will eventually be living on. Plus I want them to get some grit/minerals from the soil. I also give them worms I dig out of my yard. Both earthworms and red wrigglers. If I find some beetles or moths (still early spring here, so it's slim pickin on bugs), I toss em in too.
In short, I feel that you can't expect a living entity to build up their immunities if you are hindering that very process with a chemical alteration to their system. I could be wrong here, but it just feels right to me to think this way. I treat my body the same way. Also consider that big Agriculture has to use all the chems because their birds are put in deplorable living conditions, so they are just waiting to come down with some kind of problem.
GL to you.

 

[Matrix Escapee]

OK, my week 1 weigh-in:

I have 100 birds, so its kinda tough to get an overall weight. I see obvious monsters, mediums, and a hanfull of runts. I weighed a few of each. They were roughly 9, 8, and 7 ounces respectively. So i guess my average is 8 oz.

I have lost 4 for unknown reasons. Luckily not all at once, which would concern me. I have only lost one since adding fish meal and nutribalancer on wednesday. The other 3 were spread out over the week and all 3 had curled toes/leg issues. I feel we could have prevented that if the fish and nutribalancer were added from day one. My belief is that pre-mixed feed has all the MINIMUM required minerals and nutrients, but not the best possible OPTIMUM amount. I want better than the minimum requirement, so I have enhanced my feed. Someday I will get all my own ingredients and make my own feed.

Oh, and we lost 1 due to operator error. My poor wife squashed one putting the waterer back in the brooder. Didnt even know she did it, it must have run under the waterer right as she was setting it down. Never made a sound. She was horrified to find out. Upset for 2 days. Lesson learned. So, we are down to 95. I am still very happy though, as I have never raised chickens. Just spent the last 7 years researching and visiting with a farmer who does them on pasture. So, to only have lost 5 with outside temps being cold and wet a lot of the last 10 days, I am happy. Of course, my wife is home during the day to pop in the shed to adjust the lights as necessary and check the feed and water, so that helps alot.

To answer a previous post, yes I would do this again. I have another 100 coming Friday, and will order another 100 this Wednesday for 2 weeks from that date. Basically we plan on having 100 birds coming in every 2 weeks. We plan on slaughtering weekly, beginning at the end of May. We plan on selling at a busy Farmer's market, and to some high-end restaurants we have contacts with (we are growing organic and all natural).


GL to all.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Ok, here is the updated group 2 chart. If any one else is interested in joining, by all means, jump on in!

TanksHill and Wife's Chicken Killer, I didn't get enough info from you guys, so I wasn't sure if you were joining. Let me know if you're willing to weigh each week.

BigDaddy'sGurl, today is your weigh day, and as soon as I get that I'll update the group 1 chart. Thanks!

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Quote:
So far, I'm not loving raising them - but they haven't been horrible either. The finished product will really be the decider for me, but I'm thinking about raising a flock of Buckeyes and eating the roos. Having a sustainable, dual-purpose flock I think would be more enjoyable, more affordable, and less labor-intensive than these guys have been so far. But we'll see...