Anyone ever free range Cornish X?

[Beekissed]

I can't imagine them going broody or even laying...how in the world would they make it up to the nest boxes?

 

[Frosting]

You'd have to have the nest boxes on the ground.

I have my cornishXs with the mix mutt chicks I hatched. The mutt chicks are far more active than the cornishX ones. And when the cornishX ones do walk any distance it's more of a wattle. They are funny to watch. One thing I haven't had trouble with is fighting amoungst themselves. They are just plain to lazy!

I swear, you won't believe it until you see it. They REALLY do not want to forage! As I said above, we had birds that sat on their butts the entire day waiting to be fed when they could have walked out the door and gotten grass and bugs 6 feet away!

I have found this to be true too! There is plenty in the run but, they just don't want to do after it. Fill the feeder and they are right there. Even with being with the mutt chicks.

 

[patandchickens]

Well I meant breeding the colored rangers, not CornishX Although the former do grow to a considerable size too. If you're saving stock for breeding, you have to keep them on really reduced rations while they are growing, and potentially thereafter.

There are some people on BYC with 'pet' CornishX hens a year or two old, and some of those people say they are decent layers.

(e.t.a. regarding CornishX laziness -- mine were in a 4x6 indoor pen with a 4x14' run. I put a limited amount of food in a dish in the run each day, the main feeder was indoors and IIRC the waterer was indoors too. They actually did wander in and out a fair amount, especially before 5 wks or so. That was around when they stopped chest-butting and hopping and running and flapping and became more like the guy you see on the news being carried out through a removed picture window by five husky paramedics b/c he couldn't fit through his door anymore. But even then, they did seem to like to waddle out to the far end of the run and lie in the sun and enjoy the breeze, in between (frequent) meals.)

Pat

 

[me&thegals]

Ohhhhh Now I get it. I was picturing a scenario similar to broad-breasted bronze turkeys, which actually have to be AI because they're too large to mount. Yeah--I like the idea of the freedom rangers. Are they black? I had a friend raise those--at least I think they were those--and really liked them. Just not the black pin feathers.

me&thegals

 

[me&thegals]

Well, more than a year later I thought I would resurrect this thread. For once, something happened exactly the way I planned it!! Woot!

We got 150 Cornish X birds 5 weeks ago. I wanted to try this again, only in late summer/fall instead of early spring/summer. My thinking was to get the chicks when the weather is really hot--and they want it hot--and grow them out as it cools down--and they want it cool. Last time, our birds barely pastured.

This time, they are out there all day!! It's awesome! Not only are they not going down due to obesity, they are literally running and even flying up a tiny bit. I am so, so happy about this change. It looks like we may get away with the same amount of feed for 150 (down to 135) as we did for 100 last time. Awesome!

Now, any ideas why I lost so many right off the bat? I lost 1-2 every 1-2 days for 2 weeks, a total of 12. Two more in moving from brooder in garage to farm down the road. Another 1 due to unknown causes. No pasty butts. No apparent breathing problems. They would just die.

Also have 3 with displaced hips. It's hard to watch, but so far they are still making it around. Does this all sound genetic? Care related? Last time we lost 0-1 (nobody can remember for sure).

Thanks in advance--me&thegals

 

[miss_thenorth]

Did you feed them medicated chick starter? I always start with medicated, to allow them to build up resistance to the cocci, then switch them over to nonmedicated. also, another reason why they die is smothering. If the brooder is not the correct size , with adequate access to feeders and waterers, (esp. if you let them empty out-then they have a frenzy trying to get to the food/water).

 

[me&thegals]

The brooder was probably too small, but it didn't look like smothering. I would see one starting to look slow and weak, and then within the day it would be dead. No pasting. No apparent leg problems. Just getting weak and dying.

I did not use medicated feed, but I didn't last time either. The one thing I noticed was that the poo built up really quickly, and it was so busy those 3 weeks that I didn't get it cleaned out as often as I should have. Could wet poo bedding cause lung problems leading to death?

We had tons of feeders and waterers, so I don't believe that was an issue. Only 1 heat lamp, and I probably should have had 2.... That's all I can think of for now. Each and every one was beak dipped into vitamin water before going into the brooder (swimming pool )

 

[Blackbird]

It would be hard to say with Franken-birds. Who knows, pretty soon they might build them up too much and they won't be able to get anywhere with them.


Ok, can I admit something while the both of you are here. I ALWAYS get you two mixed up! Heck, just as I was reading this I thought you were the same person and thought '...Why is she replying to herself??'

So... Who wants to get an avatar? -bats eyelashes-

 

[miss_thenorth]

It could be the build up of poo. or maybe smothering trying to get under the heat lamp. Or maybe you just had a few unhealthy birds. displaced hips,--haven't seen that before, sounds painful. I think you might just have gotten a bad bunch.

 

[miss_thenorth]

If you make me an avatar, I'll put it up. I am computer challenged in that area.

I am flattered that you get me confused with Me&thegals, I take that as a compliment.