Yet another Jumbo Cornish Cross Thread

[crealbilly]

After attending a seminar at a local farm store given by Nutrena, I decided to give jumbo Cornish crosses at try. I ordered 12 roos from the farm store (Rural King) they shipped 13. Today is day 3 and all 13 appear healthy. Amazing how much these lil things eat. My wife took some meatbird crumbles 21% and ran it through the food processor. They are working on their 3rd quart of feed (1 quart every day), they are truly pigs with wings. I've named all 13 fattie

 

[blucoondawg]

It depends on your weather and your individual setup to go outside. Do you have another flock already using your chicken run? If so I would not put them in there at all unless you divide it.
If you had a setup where they had a dry area with heat like a big dog house with heat lamp attached to a small safe run for them and your temperature is not severely cold I'd put them out soon probably next week for sure.

 

[crealbilly]

So a quick question I've had the roos on free choice 21% meatbird crumbles since day 1. They are now 9 days old. I was told by the nuterina guy to feed 12 hours on 12 hours off but I don't recall when I'm supposed to start that schedule. Do you think at 3 weeks will be a good time to start the 12 on 12 off schedule?

 

[blucoondawg]

3 weeks is what is usually recommended I definitely wouldn't do it before that. You really don't have to run the crumbles through a grinder chicks eat crumble feed just fine.

 

[crealbilly]

3 weeks is what is usually recommended I definitely wouldn't do it before that. You really don't have to run the crumbles through a grinder chicks eat crumble feed just fine.

Thanks - 3 weeks can not come soon enough... these chickens are fixing to eat me out of house and home. Never seen a chicken in all my days eat like these things do -Whoo-wee...

 

[blucoondawg]

Ya, it would be easier on you to switch to a little larger feeder and waterer so you only have to refill one or two times a day lol

 

[crealbilly]

Ya, it would be easier on you to switch to a little larger feeder and waterer so you only have to refill one or two times a day lol

I think I may need two brooders the way these eat and grow. What in the heck did the scientists do to this chicken "breed"? So when is it safe to cut them loose in the chicken yard? Hopefully not much longer...

I gave up on trying to stay on top of their bedding. I just add a new layer of pine chips on top of the old one when they start stinking. Deep brooder bedding I guess that's what I would call it.

@ 2 weeks old -only 6 to 8 more weeks to go.

 

[crealbilly]

It depends on your weather and your individual setup to go outside. Do you have another flock already using your chicken run? If so I would not put them in there at all unless you divide it.
If you had a setup where they had a dry area with heat like a big dog house with heat lamp attached to a small safe run for them and your temperature is not severely cold I'd put them out soon probably next week for sure.

I have a 12'x14' (168 sqft) fenced in area for them. I'm going to throw together a 4x8 lean-to with closed in sides and back so they can get out of the weather. Honestly I think I'm just going sink four 4x4s in the ground and build the lean-to around the 4x4s. The perfect chicken shantee - :lol

I need to get them off the screened in porch pretty soon.

 

[bluto in mo]

Mine are 4wks today I have gone through 200 lbs of feed. I have 33 chicks straight run. I have them in a 7x7 tractor in the yard. I don't have a fenced yard. If I did i would section off a big part of it for them.

 

[crealbilly]

Mine are 4wks today I have gone through 200 lbs of feed. I have 33 chicks straight run. I have them in a 7x7 tractor in the yard. I don't have a fenced yard. If I did i would section off a big part of it for them.

So do you have yours on a 12 on / 12 off feed schedule? I put in a large yard for my laying hens last year which is way to big for them so I'm just going to carve off a little 12x14 section off for the Cornish Cross roos. My property backs up to the Shawnee nation forest so I really need a fenced chicken yard with electric fence or I would just be feeding whatever has a taste for chicken that wonders out of the Shawnee.

Where abouts you at in Mo? My son and I went hiking and camping the Mark Twain last year in October. What nice country black bears and all.