I might raise some next year. Schlecht Hatchey has a good price, how are theirs? Also, how do I restrict the feed so they don't egt leg problems? If I raise them I want to do a good job! Thanks! EDIT: what do you all think of buying up some cheap sexed cockerals and butchering young? Would that work? Anybody done that? thx.
Quote:Murray McMurray hatchery calls what you are talking about--cheap sexed cockerels--their "frying pan special." And lots of other hatcheries sell their egg-laying breed cockerels at low prices, too--some give them free along with an equal number of pullets. I've never tried it myself, but my understanding is that it's fine if you don't mind smaller birds that eat more and take longer to get to butchering size than Cornish crosses. If you had access to cheap feed, it might be worth it. But the beauty (or monstrosity, depending on your view) of the Cornish cross is their incredible feed conversion ratio. You get more growth out of every pound of feed you give the Cornish crosses, and you get that growth very quickly. http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/frying_pan_special.html There are lots of compromises, like "slow broilers" and Freedom Rangers, where you sacrifice some of the quick growth and have a higher feed conversion ratio, but get a bird that is healthier and more flavorful. There are also lots of DP (for dual purpose) breeds that people keep, and they eat most of the cockerels and keep most of the pullets. If you hatch them yourself or let the hens hatch their own, the chicks are pretty cheap. What way is best depends on what you've got--money for feed? Access to cheap feed or grow it yourself? Plenty of time and space? Hatching out chicks anyway and need to do something with the cockerels? It's been discussed on this section A LOT, so just search around a little for lots more information and discussion of the various merits of different methods. (I've been reading this section for quite some time, trying to decide what to do myself. But I just recently found someone who is selling organic tractored chickens at a very low price, so I've decided to just let her raise chicken for me and focus on turkeys, myself! Good luck!)
I would only go with CornishX. www.townlinehatchery.com has the best. They ship all year.After 4 weeks feed lower portein feed and you wouldn't have problems. I just dressed a 15 week old pullet that dressed 9.5 lbs. I feed 21% protein feed the first four weeks 17% though the 8th week and then about 12%. I use whole corn to lower the protein in the feed.
I got mine from Central Hatchery. They were 85 cents each including shipping, but you have to buy a big box of them I think...I got a group together and we got 200 between us. They are big robust chicks, nice and healthy. I lost a good number in the first week because they were trampling each other to death, not sure what was going on there. I am feeding mine a selection of fruit and vegetables alongside their packaged chicken feed, and they get a few hours most days to come outside into a fenced garden to run and scratch and be chickens. They are super active, foraging for grass and bugs, and even roosting and flying. They are 3 weeks old today and no leg problems yet, we will see how things go in the upcoming weeks.
I will vouch for townline hatchery as well. I have over 200 cornish x in my field right now and they are doing great. I also have bbw turkeys that I started late and are looking huge. Barry
I ordered slow broilers from Welp Hatchery. They are nine weeks old today and doing great. I didn't loose a single chick and the only problem that I had at all was two with pasty butt for two days. I weighed one of the roosters last week and he weighed 5lbs. Their food consumption has deffinately increased but so has their size. They seem to just be exploding these past few days. I plan on the possibility of butchering the largest roos this next weekend if they are big enough. The Hatchery said that they would probably be a good weight at around 10-12 weeks. I have 18 birds in a 6x12' run so they are in the sun and get to run around. They like to roost and for the space that I give them, quite active. I might try cornish next time but I know that I will try the slow broilers again. I will post again after I butcher with the details of the experience and opinions of the meat.
Schlecht is a small family owned facility. Their CX are always consistant, grow well and are very meaty. I asked the USDA inspector that came to inspect my birds about MM because that's where I get my layers and I was thinking of trying them. She felt they were a "mixed bag" because they get their birds from a variety of places (as do most large hatcheries). I'm going to stick with Schlecht. I've never had leg problems. I only feed 3 times a day, but mine are in a tractor, so they can eat grass, bugs and whatever else they find when they run out of food. At 9 - 10 weeks mine dress out at about 5 - 6 lbs.
I ordered from Schlecht, and was very happy with them. Good customer service, good packaging, and good birds. Plus, like Sunnychooks said, they're a small family owned op which is nice. And the price is unbeatable! I feed mine 12 on and 12 off. We butchered our first batch this past weekend and they were 5-6 lbs dressed at 7.5 weeks. They free ranged in my yard with my egg birds and were quite active.
