Tractor Supply Co Sexing - Accurate?

Really, i thought those little ones were just the Cornish hens that are the Cornish in Cornish X.
I did hear that the Cornish X was a 4 breed cross.

For the other poster... When you talk about people breeding them it is usually to other breeds to produce a good meat bird without the Cornish X trough rate which equals their issues right? A more sustainable meat bird.
The best example I have seen using a Cornish X in a breeding project is duluthralphie's toads. This is from his thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/toad-raising.1152440/

The Toad is a 4 step process,

The first Generation is Cx crossed to CX,, That is known as a frog

Next Generation is a Frog to a Dixie Rainbow, This becomes a lizard
Then the lizard is crossed back to the CX.

That gives you a toad, it is 7/8th CX and 1/8 Dixie rainbow. That little Rainbow gives a bigger bird that does not eat itself to death.
They are huge with more dark meat to white meat ratio. They are not lazy slobs.

Fascinating thread even if you don't raise meat birds.

I hope he doesn't mind me posting a pic of his, but here is an example of one of his processed toads next to a turkey of the same age.

700
 
Okay....all I ever wanted was pet chickens that laid eggs. I have six now, down from seven.
I got them from a farm store, a family-run enterprise that got their chicks from a hatchery.
The TSC stories are upsetting. This thread has morphed into horror stories. :hit
 
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Okay....all I ever wanted was pet chickens that laid eggs. I have six now, down from seven.
I got them from a farm store, a family-run enterprise that got their chicks from a hatchery.
The TSC stories are upsetting. This thread has morphed into horror stories.

I agree. :( Hopefully my chicks will be good.

I almost made a huge mistake on them - so we have ours in a shed that stays around 90-95 all day, so perfect for the chicks, but we had them towards the back. It's the perfect spot for them, because it's secure, shaded, and the proper temperature, but... When the sun starts setting, it gets crazy hot in the back of the shed, probably over 100 (which isn't rare since I live in AZ), but that's where I had them because it seemed safest from any birds that might fly down into the shed, along with being a super good spot for them. I had no idea it would get that hot back there, so on my hourly check, (it's been multiple times per hour because I can't help myself, but I'm definitely checking them at least 1 time per hour :p) I saw at least two or three of the chicks struggling from the heat out there. I picked one of them up, and she just kind of toppled over in my hand, not being very active at all. After realizing my huge, huge mistake, I moved their little tub/pen to the front of the shed where it's still shaded, but wayyyy cooler, and added a frozen water bottle with a rag on it in there for them to gather around. All of them seem to be doing okay. I don't want to kill them! D: Had no idea they'd be this young.. the last two groups I got were also 1 and 1/2-2 weeks old, and these are 3-4 days old.

Any tips for chicks this young? Is the 90-95 temperature the right temperature for them? I did do research, but I'm not 100% sure on chicks this young.
 
I can only go by what I have done. I am a first-time chicken mama and am doing my very best to get this right.
I raised my two-day-old chicks in a plastic tote. I aimed my heat lamp at one end of the brooder and took it from there. Some chose to hang out near the lamp, others were happy with wandering all over the place. There were two that looked far bigger and more advanced than the others and they acted accordingly.
I had a thermometer in the brooder and, initially, I went by it but after a while I took some cues from my chicks.
If they were cold, they huddled together under the lamp. If they were happy, they were all over the place, pecking and running and having fun.
If they were too warm, they moved away from the lamp.
We lost one (my sweet beloved Rocky) but all the others are fine now, enjoying life in the coop and the run. They're about 11 weeks old now (although I think the BO's are a bit older).
 
I can only go by what I have done. I am a first-time chicken mama and am doing my very best to get this right.
I raised my two-day-old chicks in a plastic tote. I aimed my heat lamp at one end of the brooder and took it from there. Some chose to hang out near the lamp, others were happy with wandering all over the place. There were two that looked far bigger and more advanced than the others and they acted accordingly.
I had a thermometer in the brooder and, initially, I went by it but after a while I took some cues from my chicks.
If they were cold, they huddled together under the lamp. If they were happy, they were all over the place, pecking and running and having fun.
If they were too warm, they moved away from the lamp.
We lost one (my sweet beloved Rocky) but all the others are fine now, enjoying life in the coop and the run. They're about 11 weeks old now (although I think the BO's are a bit older).

Sorry to hear about Rocky. :( :hugs
As for the chick body language, that's what I used when I raised my last two groups, too - didn't even really use the thermometer. I definitely can't risk turning on the heat lamp, seeing as how they were already ridiculously hot without one. They seem active enough, but then again, all they really do is eat, drink, poop, play, and sleep . :lau:love
 
Aww, I'm so sorry! D:

So sorry.....

Thank you! This occurred between shipping and one week old. The remaining (plus two I got locally) are doing well now at 21 weeks old (in avatar & other pics that I've posted else where). I've had time, but it still sucks!

Edited: Make that 22 weeks this coming Monday.
 

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