Will Cornish X really start dying off????

[juliemom25]

Our Cornish X are very large and they will be 6 weeks tomorrow. We have a date on the 13th to have them butchered. They will be 7 weeks 2 days. Could they really just die because they are so big. I guess I am just getting worried I will lose some before they get processed!

Thanks!!

Julie

 

[Riparian]

yes, some birds may die from organ failure. This is due to their abnormal growth rate.

I raise 30-40 at a time and on average i will loose two or three in their 9-10 week growing period.

 

[ChanceRider]

Yep, I lost one of my 6 1/2 week olds today. The remaining 24 look good, active, eating and drinking well. I've learned not to stress too much about it as long as the rest of the flock look good.

I feed 12 on and 12 off to slow down the growth rate. We'll be processing the largest birds on the 16th and the rest on the 23rd.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I have 4 that will be 7 weeks old on Tuesday. Mine look really healthy and still run and try to fly, even though they are massive compared to my regular chicks that are the same age. I call them our "feathered pigs" because they love to EAT so much.

 

[jaku]

They don't ALWAYS die, but you should expect a couple losses, and it's always a bummer when they eat 8 weeks worth of food then die as a full grown bird. I wouldn't worry or try to change anything, just know that if a couple die, you probably didn't do anything wrong, they just aren't a stable breed.

 

[juliemom25]

Ok, thanks a lot guys. I will just keep doing what I am doing and pray they make it!

Julie

 

[deerman]

Most will be ok up to 10 weeks, just dont feed them 24/7, no roost if so only about a foot off the ground.Dont give them any extra light. I have raised them up to 12 weeks, but dress out like small turkeys.

 

[sesa]

At what age would you switch to a 12 on 12 off feeding schedule and what do you mean not to give them any extra light, I've got 22 that are almost 3 weeks old that I feed 24/7 and there is a spotlight on their tractor at night along with a 75 watt bulb in a reflector base in the coop end of the tractor, am I screwing things up?

 

[deerman]

Give them more light, they will eat more and over eat. Use red brooder light, only normal daylight.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I took mine off 20% starter food at 3 weeks and switched them over to 15% grower/finisher. I feed them 2 times a day, about 12 hours apart. They moved out of their brooder and into a tractor at 3 weeks, with a 75W bulb for heat during the night. After about a week I turned off their light. Now they're out of the tractor, because they're too big, and in their own little run (under my deck) with a small dog house for a coop.

These were taken on 4/29 when they were 6 weeks, 1 day old.