Weight Loss In Cornish Cross X

[Sprinkles71]

Recently we started culling our flock and processing them. 83 birds in all in my flock. 55 birds were processed - beautiful, healthy birds...finished weight after processing upper 5pds to 7 pds. The last 28 to be culled have lost weight..so much so, we stopped culling after a few. They were low weight, low 4 pds. They are being fed 30% protein meat and gamebird feed.¼ pd of feed per bird. They're vaxxed for cocidossis and Mareks. Any advice what I should be doing to improve my flock? Thank you in advance.

 

[Molpet]

Recently we started culling our flock and processing them. 83 birds in all in my flock. 55 birds were processed - beautiful, healthy birds...finished weight after processing upper 5pds to 7 pds. The last 28 to be culled have lost weight..so much so, we stopped culling after a few. They were low weight, low 4 pds. They are being fed 30% protein meat and gamebird feed.¼ pd of feed per bird. They're vaxxed for cocidossis and Mareks. Any advice what I should be doing to improve my flock? Thank you in advance.

Are the small ones pullets and the big ones cockerels?

 

[Sprinkles71]

Are the small ones pullets and the big ones cockerels?

I believe so, yes. All the birds are 10½ wks old

 

[FunClucks]

I believe so, yes. All the birds are 10½ wks old

Sounds like normal weight variation between males and females to me. If you want bigger females, feed them for a few more weeks. But you will be taking a risk with that, and will have to hope they can put on weight and you can cull them before health issues that are endemic to CX catch up with them. You don't want them to die before you process them, and the longer you wait, the higher the odds. The hens will continue to get larger over time, but will never equal the size of a same-age rooster.