Winter Fat?

[the simple life]

I talked to a guy yesterday about the cornish crosses and he said this time of year and going into the next few weeks they are more apt to put on more fat than usual rather than ending up with a big meaty bird.
He said although some people like to go a couple of extra weeks growing out their birds that its a bad idea to do during cold weather because all they add is fat.

I realize that its probably a physiological reaction to the cold, as animals usually do put on an extra layer of fat in the winter but can this be avoided by keeping them warmer or feeding them differently?

I have no idea about any of this so any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

[silkiechicken]

They probably add a bit more fat due to a potential chill, but really, if they are cold, it will take longer to grow them out because they will be spending more time burning energy to keep warm. That said, if you keep them warm, doesn't matter the season you are growing them in. Commercial houses keep humidity and temps controlled year round so can consistently produce meat birds year round regardless of season.

 

[jaku]

I would guess that the change wouldn't be too dramatic. A lot of that would be genetics and feed, plus, 8 weeks total lifespan isn't a whole lot of time for big changes to happen.