Wet weather cool temps stunting Cornish X growth?

[Armyman2007]

Does anybody else have Cornish X's in tractors right now? Mine turn 4 weeks tomorrow, and have been in a tractor for a week, but they haven't gained much weight this week. I am thinking getting rain almost everyday and cool temps 40's to mid 50's is really stunting their growth. I am in Northwest Indiana. Anybody else experiencing anything similar? This is my first time raising chickens, and I haven't had any die yet, just seems they stopped growing for a week. I guess next year I will schedule delivery a little later in spring.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
Those temps will stunt their growth I have a batch currently split... One outside... the other in a temp controlled greenhouse. There is a huge difference in the growth. They will be fine, what I do if it's really wet is throw some staw in for them to have a barrier from the ground and their bodies. I'm in Ohio and we are having a really wet spring and cold. Seems like the weather pattern is stuck in this windy, wet, cold, no sun pattern and has really set us back so far this year.

 

[Armyman2007]

Brunty,

Thank you, I think we are experiencing the same weather.

I was thinking keeping these birds to 9 weeks now instead of 8 to get a bigger bird. Do you think that is a good idea or would you still butcher at 8 weeks?

 

[al6517]

During these weather conditions alot of the feed conversion is used by their bodies to keep warm, so if they are growing slower it certainly won't hurt to grow them out longer to weight.

AL

 

[Matrix Escapee]

Guys, especially Jeff, is it safe to put CX's outside with uper 40 to 50's at night if they are 3 weeks old, but NOT fully feathered yet. Maybe about 60-75% feathered now. Salatin style pens.

 

[CityChicken1970]

Hello! I am new to backyard chickens, and I have the same concerns about temptures and wetness. I have my 4 week old Rocks out in a tractor, I have also put a fenced in area to hook the tractor to at night. I worried about the strong cold wind and i put straw in it and covered it with a strong tarp, I just am not sure if that is warm enough. The weigh about 2lbs and have lots of feathers. They seem not to mind in the day time (strong winds) but at night I would hope they would be warn enough with the temp getting down to 29degrees tonight. What do you think?

 

[al6517]

If you could tarp it and avoid any big draft's and maybe hang a heat lamp from a long ext cord in there during the cooler nights, sure wouldn't hurt for another week. Then they should be fine, and perhaps a light layer of straw or grass hay would do them good.

AL

 

[Armyman2007]

We may get snow tonight! Those poor chicks I hope they make it. I gave them lots of hay today and completely covered tractor with tin to keep the snow off them. ugh

 

[Dogfish]

We had frost this morning and my CX were 3.5 weeks old. They are hardier than you think. Just make sure you have enough in each pen to produce some heat.

Last November I had 25 inside and 25 outside. The ones outside I fed 24 hours and they still were lighter than the ones raised in the brooders. They'll use the food energy to provide heat in too cool of temps.

Low 30's to 40's will reduce production. Mid 40's through 50's at night, I wish we had those temps. 40's as the daily low start the middle of this week.

 

[bigredfeather]

I have 2 tractors outside right now with birds in it. One of them has 3 week olds and the other 4 week olds. This past weekend was cold, rainy, and windy. I used no tarp, but made sure the opened end was opposite the wind, and they did just fine. I make sure I fill the feeders up in the evening so they have a nice full crop before dark to keep them warm. Dogfish is right in saying these little guys are tough. If birds are only 75% feathered out when moved outside, you'll be amazed how quickly the finish feathering when put in colder temps. The ones I put out last week had yellow heads when I moved them, and only one week later they are all white.