We kept our Cornish Crosses separate from our other chickens we put them in in small chicken tractors, since they don't even really move around very much, and you can move the tractor so you don't need to clean up after them, I thought they were quite simple to raise this way. also when you put the feeder in with them only fill it when you are able that requires you to check on them and feed them that way they don't over eat.. Make sure they have alot of water as well.
Having them separate has already been covered. Typical recommendation is shifting their feeding from 24hr availability to 12hr availability (I do 7am-7pm) to curtail the over growth issues. As for the predators yes smell can attract them. I am also very concerned whenever momma birds hatch out their chicks as I have noticed more foot traffic around the fences and runs with the increased chirping. To offset your meat bird production have you thought about quail? Dual purpose birds are 6-8 months to produce meat/eggs. Broiler/Rudd can be 12-16 weeks. Quail 18days incubation, 2 weeks brooding, total of 8 weeks until mature. Thanks for sharing your experience and having the conversation. My condolences for your bird.
@@JohnWCH I wouldn’t consider it a fancy food. From my understanding they taste a little gamier than chicken. I personally don’t consider them “fancy”. Reality is steaks can range from steak to fancy steam (wagu steaks from Japan cost like 200 a pound). The quail were used as a food source by many due to their numbers and ease of cleaning. Unfortunately this has lead to a sharp decline in their numbers in the wild. As a homestead meat source I was just making a suggestion as the quail mature faster(although you do have to have more of them) and require less maintenance and feed despite their numbers. I am personally trying to keep a mix of both chicken and quail to offset costs and availability. There is a channel slightly redneck that covers their raising and needs very well. Hope it helps.
i raised cornish cross chickens for the first time this year and literally everything you said and experienced, I did too. I had a 32% death rate before they were ready to butcher.
I just bought some this year and I noticed they were dying before I even got them. I have 9 buff orphingtons and none died. So far I have lost half the cornish crosses. They grow too fast. They seem to jam themselves in places and they can't move and die. Everytime I let them eat what they want they seemed to die. I would go with Bresse and Buff orphingtons but they don't have huge breast
Cornish Cross batches vary. Some I've no losses, typically I lose 1 or 2 out of a batch of 40 or 50. I've had other bad batches where I've lost 10 or 12 out of 50. There are very different strains of them. I free-range my cornish cross during the summer and they forage. I do grow mine out to 7~10 pounds dressed weight, I don't use meat bird feed just cheap layer feed, table scraps, garden waste and they forage a lot. As for a slower grower but with double breasting try white broilers. Actually, it's mid-winter now here in upstate NY and I've 40 cornish cross in a huge greenhouse eating all of the remains of the last crop I had in there to the ground with only some supplemental feed needed. Anyhow, try different strains of Cornish Cross or try white broilers.
One thing with the costs of homesteading is when the fecal matter hits the fan you have food that money can't buy or have it so you wouldn't have to get some experimental mystery stuff in arm to be able to access chicken in grocery stores.
Switch to Muscovy(Duck) and Goose. Both our flocks are 100% free range. They hang out with the native/wild Mallard and Canada on the prooerty ... make babies in the Spring. Harvest in Fall. We don't feed 'em. We don't water 'em. We don't house 'em. Semi feral ... almost wild. The only cost is to catch and harvest.
This is such an honest sweet video. Takes courage to put your troubles out in the public eye! But really, you have to change your set up and expectations dramatically. ONLY Cornish in one equal group, never mix them. Cornish x are their own thing and need constant care! You need a very large pen which must be kept heat lamped to make the shavings dry and 1 ft. thick shavings is what you need. TSC has the driest best quality bedding but it's also the most $$. For 40 birds we keep 12 x 14 size pen and it has to be cleaned daily. Start with good quality birds and have hatchery vaccinate for coccidia. You scoop up the poop, rake it under and add fresh to keep it very dry. And the feed and water must be constantly monitored! I can't say that loud enough. You need multiple feeders, many water sources and they must be kept spotless. Only feed designed for meat birds or medicated chick starter. There's no way to cut corners, they don't need to forage, they only poop and eat, sleep. It's a huge but short term commitment. Sometimes, so tired of cleaning and checking food and water all day long, am ready to fall over. BUT remember, it's only a very short time, 9 weeks and you're done. Remember the old saying "measure twice , cut once". That is true of Cornish x . Do it perfect for 9 weeks and you will be so glad in the end. God bless you, please try again. :)
I completely agree with you on Cornish crosses. I'm actually about to put a video out talking a little about this. Appreciate the video! Just subscribed!
Buff orpingtons are a good alternative, to a Cornish cross, they're also pretty good egg layers. Jersey Giants are also very large birds but they cost more to feed and take more time to get them to the table.
Really enjoyed the video. I’m looking into Delawares as my meat birds. They’ll have small breasts but have a pretty fast grow out rate for a heritage bird. I also enjoyed your comment on the dude in New Hampshire. He seems to really hate slower growing chickens and pigs. I don’t understand why someone would go through all the trouble of buying acreage, building structures, buying feed etc. just to raise low quality protein.
That's funny I'm newish to chickens and I just got this breed from a friend who had way too many chickens and I thought they pooped a lot and had a lot of flies and stunk. I didn't remember chicken smelling that bad.. they're way too old, 6 months and ready to be slaughtered. But I have them losing weight eating veggies exercising and they click around pretty happy. I'm curious how long can they live healthy lives? I plan to cull. But I don't want them to suffer while waiting. Thank you. Good video.
I did an experiment this year when I raised my cornish cross chicks. I fed them wheat grains and dry cat food. they did great. I was able to grow them to breeding age and got eggs from them and now have great success in hatching their eggs. The chicks from my cornish cross birds are big with heavy body types. I have 9 more eggs in my incubator. I plan on posting educational videos soon about them.
100% agree with your experiment. I have also raised them past two years old and had babies from mixed roosters. Most people overfeeed these birds and they warn you about that when you buy them. I raise mine with the rest of the flock so that they “go get fed” naturally by foraging. I also don’t rush to grow or eat them. Three to four months is plenty big enough and still tender. Cheers
We did Cornish cross once. Half way into raising them we already switched to American Bresse. Now we hatch them and produce our own chicken supply. Never going back to Cornish cross
It’s weird everyone has different experiences. I spared 3 Cornish cross chickens 2 hens 1 rooster and let them free range they lived for 2 years before I had to cull on them. Their food was limited and water was a little walk from their food. I will try it again and start a RUclips channel to share.
Leghorns are small and grow slow. So far I’ve had Barred Rocks, Rhode island Reds, leghorns, Buff Orpington’s, red layers and barnyard specials that my Orpington’s hatched out (very broody girls). If you want to raise a dual purpose bird, barred rocks are good layers and the roosters get big fairly fast. Half of the chicks my girls have hatched were roosters. The down side is the roosters are aggressive to hens especially in groups, and have been aggressive to me also, so the boys must be isolated from the flock.
I used to raise pure cornish, also called indian game. They are cool. They behave like actually self aware creatures and dont eat themselves to death. They can free range just fine. They retain roughly the same body structure of the cornish crosses but dont grow as quickly, produce far fewer eggs, and can have issues with male fertility. Its a good meat breed if you are patient.
New to homesteading, and researching which birds I plan to use for meat... I've come to the conclusion that I won't be raising cornish cross, but instead either Australorp or Orpington - or a mix of the two will be my regenerative meat bird. The australorps poop out the most number of eggs, akin to leghorn, 300+ yearly... and the orpingtons are great mothering birds as well as big for meat. So, this is my plan. We're picking up a young australorp cockerel (4 mos old) today and dispatching our Salmon Faverolle rooster.
I'm so happy you're getting into homesteading. Listen, I'll level with you: nothing you do is gonna be WRONG. There just may be better options. You can always change things in the future. I wish you the BEST of luck.
@@JohnWCH It's been four months since my comment and I would like to add to it. I am heavily considering American Bresse now. The price is a bit high for my liking but the breed looks exactly like what I want. If I could find a breeder that sells Dark cornish I'd buy some day-olds and some white rocks. But I have yet to find available Cornish chicks.
I dont do corny cross but perhaps wood ash and wood char. It improves feed conversion rate so they wont eat so much. It also will take out the smell like an activated carbon filter because it is one. Smaller poops should be expected. I think these adress all the problems you are speaking . They also supplement calcium , potassion , magnesium, phosphorus
I have 15 Cobb chickens at 91/2 weeks old which apparently are the same as Cornish crosses. They free range and are on a diet of 75 - 80% sprouts, whatever Vegies and fruit I can get they love. I was told by the supplier they won’t forage like other chickens ect and will only eat grains……, the things we’ve heard about Cornish crosses, but they’re been foraging, jumping, running, dust bathing almost the same as your normal chicken… Just like humans, what we eat and our environment will affect our health….am hoping to possibly start breeding, it is early days….. I would also say that they may need to be on a very high nutrient diet to curb their natural tendency to ever eat…mine are so very busy foraging…and also spend time relaxing and not seemingly bothered to eat the food I provide for them…constantly… I can hardly smell anything from them or their poop, nothing that bothers me……
Do you find the rangers have rubbery skin? Especially on the legs and thighs? I agree with everything you say about the cornish cross but I went back to them because my family just did not enjoy the skin on the red rangers
I would suggest you try the Delaware. Thet were commercial meat birds in the initial breed development. I would order cockerels and process at 16-18 weeks. I would use the tractor system 20 birds to the crop batch. You are correct you will not save cash, but you will govern the product.
I have Silver Grey Dorkings from Murray McMurary hatchery. They have the biggest breasts of any chicken I have ever owned. Big and full. Might take 5-6 months till harvest though.
I have a Cornish cross chick with a tumor on its shoulder two days in already having problems now I'm wondering how many are going to make it to 10 weeks.
Get you some Delaware good eggs to hatch your own and for meat you will get 4 to 6 lb chickens in 12 to 14 weeks. They free range great and was to meat birds until the cross came along
@JohnWCH this year I been using gqf1502 I set 270 eggs at a time and have avg 245 chucks in 5 hatches, they end up about 50/50 hens to roosters most times. I started doing my roosters half at 8 weeks and the other at 10 and gives me 3- 4lbs at 8 4-5 lbs at 10 weeks. And my hens at 12 weeks ago 4-6 lbs.
Id look into brahma. They take a while to grow out, but theyre thrifty gentle giants. The last brahma roo that I culled was the size of a small turkey at 7 months.
They are definitely monsters, I raised some last year and just ordered 60 more. My last year experience was a success, lost 1 out of 25 on week 7. Never had a smell issue as I moved them in a chicken tractor. Beware of over feeding, starting week 3 for me we switched to 12 hour feeding/non feeding increments. My yard has never been greener! 😃
So here is the issue. There is not a comparable chicken. They are way more finicky than most other breeds & they have a mortality rate that should be factored into their efficiency. At the end of the day, they need to be separated from other chickens to flourish and you must butcher them at weight, not on a time schedule. They peak then die, their hearts cannot keep up with the body mass.
I don't like Cornish cross,the only one I have is named "Nugget" he is a good boi,I manage his weight by giving him the right feed to thrive but not overgrow,and everyday,we run around together to get him some exercise,he is now 1 Year Old :D , I'm saying this to people who got attached to your meat birds,I know there are some people like that are like me,so good luck!
I raised guineas, turkeys, silkies, and various other species of poultry. Cornish cross was my nightmare. I tried 12 cornish cross chicks. Lost 11 in 3weeks. Most if them really ate to death. Others just lay down and died
I’ve never lost any of my Cornish cross , well , only to my stupid dog a few times. .mine followed me around the yard till they got to 8-9 pounds . You’re waiting to long to butcher if yours are dropping dead . Somethings not right there
They are not bred to live long past butcher time. Maybe just buy some Cornish. I believe the hens go broody easily. They grow slower. I've heard they free range great.
Only feed them for 12 hours and 12 off never leave feed for them all day or they will just eat and eat, probably best to keep them separate, we raise them that way and don't have any problems, after 1 week in brooder, they are supposed to be on the 12 on and 12 off diet but we just gave them all they wanted for 2 to 3 weeks until we put them in their coop or tractor that hasn't caused us any problems doing that, we have them in a coop made of 8 foot pallets made about 6.5 foot by 8 foot with 2/3rds covered with a tarps and the other 1/3rd covered with chicken wire, we have about 20 or so in there and works good, you do it this way you will have good luck with them
After a week or two old you have to only allow feed 12hours on 12 hours off.killed two at 3 weeks old just recently first time raising them also.they should be raised separate from your other birds.
@JohnWCH I kept 2 cornish cross hens to maturity, they started laying, I bought a kebonnix incubator, I put 3 cornish cross eggs with production red eggs in the incubator, I may have done it, I put a video up lol, I'm half way there.
I’ve gotta say, I don’t know why people complain so much about Cornish Cross chickens. No, they’re definitely not as hardy as other breeds and yes, they poop a ton, but their feed conversion ability and growth rates are second to none. They’re a remarkable meat bird. You can try raising Bresse but it’s gonna take a heck of a lot longer and more feed $$$ as well. Pros and minuses to every breed, that’s for sure.
In my opinion, people are blinded to the cons by the output of the product. Feed conversion isnt a concern for me, which is arguably the most frequent point that people bring up when raising Cornish crosses. They sucked as "birds." As food they were fine.
I like my red rangers best for meat. I got better things to do with my time than take food away from chickens so they don't eat themselves to death. Not to mention putting the feed tray back in the morning.
Just saw this video....I know it is two years later...but the reason your Cornish Cross birds smell is because you may be overfeeding them. Try a better feed mix, and place them on a 12 hour schedule. You will see a more successful bird!
I like my rhode island reds .good free rangers, like to dust bath and healthy. Austrolops are good too. They're black and i think hawks think there ravens and don't attack them.
We just finished up 50, which we processed at 7 1/2 weeks, since it was getting too hot here. Most finished at 5-7 lbs, after processing, so we were happy about that. We did lose 3 birds around week 6, who were unable to walk. We processed them, so they wouldn’t suffer, and the meat was fine. (We think their legs just gave out.). We fed them 20% protein for the first 4-5 weeks, and then went down to 18%. We fed twice a day, but made sure they ran out of food for quite a few hours, which they didn’t seem to mind. (We basically split the food you’d give them for the day, in half, so they weren’t QUITE as hungry). It’s important to note that we are in the desert, so there is no grass for them to eat…just the chick feed. Our main motivation was to try to replace the big “chicken mills” chicken, with some that we knew the history of, what they were fed, and that they were ethically raised. Also, the chicken breasts are generally what we eat, so the Cornish cross made the most sense. They are a very strange breed, but mine actually did move around a little, because I’d throw handfuls of feed for them, which they had to really search for (right in front of their faces, lol). Everything you said about their filth I found to be true, also. Their run also started to really smell that last week, even though I did my best to keep it clean. They just are pooping machines. Mine all had great temperaments, and some were actually very friendly, unlike what I’ve heard some people say, although they definitely aren’t like layers. We’ll do it again, because the meat is soooo tender, and good! Just can’t go back to the store bought meat after that! I would not do 50 again, however, because they cost me a fortune in food! 25 sounds like where we will be at. Thanks for posting the video, as we are always trying to hear about what others are doing.
Here's the thing. And its called fasting! Giving them much less food will make them grow slower and therefore live longer. Cornish cross don't feel full after eating. They keep eating and eating and without stopping. Thats how they end up dead due to heart problems from the quantity of food they consume daily. Additionally by forcing them to walk and run will make them stronger and improve their overall health. I have heard that they can live up to 4 years with proper care and love!!
I think your conflating "food" and pets. The whole point of the breed is to convert feed into meat faster. Youre probably correct about fasting tho. It seems that people who do 12hrs on/12 hrs off have a better survival rate.
I don't like them either. I don't like the genetic modification. I prefer pure breeds. It makes me feel horrible to watch them. Dual purpose works better for me. Leghorns are great layers but mine are not big.
Have you tried selling on eBay? There's a guy in South Carolina who is AWEASOME!! LOL The old man can get you what you need, or at least get you going.
I saw a reddit thread the other day bad talking him the other day. I just want to point out I was ahead of the curve on that one. And I'm gonna do more research and me and the old man can go to the auction.
Sorry about that but you practically fed it to death Homesteading is a great way to explore & experiment Their feed has is quite high in protein. How about mixing it with grower feed before they eat? Who says they have to be slaughtered by 8 or max 10 weeks? Personally, I've fed them on layer feed [lower protein content] in a caged system for about 5-6 months and they responded well I've gotten eggs from them [very poor output though] Despite been a meat bird,they are just chickens So treat 'em as you will any chicken even as you apply precautionary approaches due to their unique needs
You can try Kosher kings , they are also called grey broilers They are a cross between sussex and barred rock, they free range, get okay breast, and grow slower. People say they also carry forward the big breasts gene when bred. Now this is according to a lot of people, you can still give them a try Or I think think there's no problem in raising sussex for meat, yes they don't have biggest breast but they are okay 🤷♂️
Why not cross breed and make your own breed. Just breed in desired traits over time. You love the rangers, but they lack meat. You dislike the cornish cross for many reasons, but love them for the meat. So do yourself, your chickens, and other farmers a favor and make a meaty ranger type chicken.
If I were you I would not have them on full feed because they are going to flip over and die that was my problem I have been there please don't put them on full feed..
@@JohnWCH your response didn’t seem relevant to what i said. Your problem is that you over feed them and didn’t keep them in a clean coop. That’s not changing your set up that should be an easy fix. Remove feed at night and keep the coop clean
They have weak immune system and they very sensitive,Don’t keep them with other birds and geese expecting they’ll survive ! Other birds could fight a small virus with no symptoms but instead Cornish will die from that small virus in blink of an eye. They need to be separate from other birds and animals , well cleaned and sanitized around ect So I guess the fault is in you sir
We kept our Cornish Crosses separate from our other chickens we put them in in small chicken tractors, since they don't even really move around very much, and you can move the tractor so you don't need to clean up after them, I thought they were quite simple to raise this way. also when you put the feeder in with them only fill it when you are able that requires you to check on them and feed them that way they don't over eat.. Make sure they have alot of water as well.
I actually never thought to keep them separate. Good idea.
❤❤@@JohnWCH
For sure separate them! Especially the boys… but yea, good suggestion brian!
Having them separate has already been covered. Typical recommendation is shifting their feeding from 24hr availability to 12hr availability (I do 7am-7pm) to curtail the over growth issues.
As for the predators yes smell can attract them. I am also very concerned whenever momma birds hatch out their chicks as I have noticed more foot traffic around the fences and runs with the increased chirping.
To offset your meat bird production have you thought about quail?
Dual purpose birds are 6-8 months to produce meat/eggs. Broiler/Rudd can be 12-16 weeks. Quail 18days incubation, 2 weeks brooding, total of 8 weeks until mature.
Thanks for sharing your experience and having the conversation. My condolences for your bird.
I actually don't ever think I've eaten quail. I grew up poor and that sounds like fancy people food. Is it good?
@@JohnWCH I wouldn’t consider it a fancy food. From my understanding they taste a little gamier than chicken. I personally don’t consider them “fancy”. Reality is steaks can range from steak to fancy steam (wagu steaks from Japan cost like 200 a pound). The quail were used as a food source by many due to their numbers and ease of cleaning. Unfortunately this has lead to a sharp decline in their numbers in the wild.
As a homestead meat source I was just making a suggestion as the quail mature faster(although you do have to have more of them) and require less maintenance and feed despite their numbers. I am personally trying to keep a mix of both chicken and quail to offset costs and availability. There is a channel slightly redneck that covers their raising and needs very well. Hope it helps.
i raised cornish cross chickens for the first time this year and literally everything you said and experienced, I did too. I had a 32% death rate before they were ready to butcher.
I believe the commentors here have some good advice if you plan on doing them again. I switched breeds to avoid this. Follow-up vid coming soon.
I just bought some this year and I noticed they were dying before I even got them. I have 9 buff orphingtons and none died. So far I have lost half the cornish crosses. They grow too fast. They seem to jam themselves in places and they can't move and die. Everytime I let them eat what they want they seemed to die. I would go with Bresse and Buff orphingtons but they don't have huge breast
Cornish Cross batches vary. Some I've no losses, typically I lose 1 or 2 out of a batch of 40 or 50. I've had other bad batches where I've lost 10 or 12 out of 50. There are very different strains of them. I free-range my cornish cross during the summer and they forage. I do grow mine out to 7~10 pounds dressed weight, I don't use meat bird feed just cheap layer feed, table scraps, garden waste and they forage a lot. As for a slower grower but with double breasting try white broilers. Actually, it's mid-winter now here in upstate NY and I've 40 cornish cross in a huge greenhouse eating all of the remains of the last crop I had in there to the ground with only some supplemental feed needed. Anyhow, try different strains of Cornish Cross or try white broilers.
One thing with the costs of homesteading is when the fecal matter hits the fan you have food that money can't buy or have it so you wouldn't have to get some experimental mystery stuff in arm to be able to access chicken in grocery stores.
Boy you ain't lying!
But chicken food...still gotta buy it!!
Switch to Muscovy(Duck) and Goose. Both our flocks are 100% free range. They hang out with the native/wild Mallard and Canada on the prooerty ... make babies in the Spring. Harvest in Fall.
We don't feed 'em.
We don't water 'em.
We don't house 'em.
Semi feral ... almost wild.
The only cost is to catch and harvest.
This is such an honest sweet video. Takes courage to put your troubles out in the public eye! But really, you have to change your set up and expectations dramatically. ONLY Cornish in one equal group, never mix them. Cornish x are their own thing and need constant care! You need a very large pen which must be kept heat lamped to make the shavings dry and 1 ft. thick shavings is what you need. TSC has the driest best quality bedding but it's also the most $$. For 40 birds we keep 12 x 14 size pen and it has to be cleaned daily. Start with good quality birds and have hatchery vaccinate for coccidia. You scoop up the poop, rake it under and add fresh to keep it very dry. And the feed and water must be constantly monitored! I can't say that loud enough. You need multiple feeders, many water sources and they must be kept spotless. Only feed designed for meat birds or medicated chick starter. There's no way to cut corners, they don't need to forage, they only poop and eat, sleep. It's a huge but short term commitment. Sometimes, so tired of cleaning and checking food and water all day long, am ready to fall over. BUT remember, it's only a very short time, 9 weeks and you're done. Remember the old saying "measure twice , cut once". That is true of Cornish x . Do it perfect for 9 weeks and you will be so glad in the end. God bless you, please try again. :)
Every day is a learning experience.
@@JohnWCH I miswrote, for 40 birds we have 16 x 14 pen. You'll get this, it will be great and you'll make a new video for us. :)
I completely agree with you on Cornish crosses. I'm actually about to put a video out talking a little about this. Appreciate the video! Just subscribed!
Buff orpingtons are a good alternative, to a Cornish cross, they're also pretty good egg layers. Jersey Giants are also very large birds but they cost more to feed and take more time to get them to the table.
Thanks for the tips!
Really enjoyed the video. I’m looking into Delawares as my meat birds. They’ll have small breasts but have a pretty fast grow out rate for a heritage bird. I also enjoyed your comment on the dude in New Hampshire. He seems to really hate slower growing chickens and pigs. I don’t understand why someone would go through all the trouble of buying acreage, building structures, buying feed etc. just to raise low quality protein.
That's funny I'm newish to chickens and I just got this breed from a friend who had way too many chickens and I thought they pooped a lot and had a lot of flies and stunk. I didn't remember chicken smelling that bad.. they're way too old, 6 months and ready to be slaughtered. But I have them losing weight eating veggies exercising and they click around pretty happy. I'm curious how long can they live healthy lives? I plan to cull. But I don't want them to suffer while waiting. Thank you. Good video.
Thanks. I'm gonna try again with some of these commenters advice. I'll upload about it in the future
I did an experiment this year when I raised my cornish cross chicks. I fed them wheat grains and dry cat food. they did great. I was able to grow them to breeding age and got eggs from them and now have great success in hatching their eggs. The chicks from my cornish cross birds are big with heavy body types. I have 9 more eggs in my incubator. I plan on posting educational videos soon about them.
Ive always heard, because theyre a hybrid, that breeding them wasnt advised. Shout out to you for taking a chance and having it work!
100% agree with your experiment. I have also raised them past two years old and had babies from mixed roosters. Most people overfeeed these birds and they warn you about that when you buy them. I raise mine with the rest of the flock so that they “go get fed” naturally by foraging. I also don’t rush to grow or eat them. Three to four months is plenty big enough and still tender. Cheers
We did Cornish cross once. Half way into raising them we already switched to American Bresse. Now we hatch them and produce our own chicken supply. Never going back to Cornish cross
Nice.
It’s weird everyone has different experiences. I spared 3 Cornish cross chickens 2 hens 1 rooster and let them free range they lived for 2 years before I had to cull on them. Their food was limited and water was a little walk from their food. I will try it again and start a RUclips channel to share.
Honestly I didn't even know it was possible to keep them alive that long.
@@JohnWCH oh it’s possible and they get huge.
Leghorns are small and grow slow. So far I’ve had Barred Rocks, Rhode island Reds, leghorns, Buff Orpington’s, red layers and barnyard specials that my Orpington’s hatched out (very broody girls). If you want to raise a dual purpose bird, barred rocks are good layers and the roosters get big fairly fast. Half of the chicks my girls have hatched were roosters. The down side is the roosters are aggressive to hens especially in groups, and have been aggressive to me also, so the boys must be isolated from the flock.
I used to raise pure cornish, also called indian game. They are cool. They behave like actually self aware creatures and dont eat themselves to death. They can free range just fine. They retain roughly the same body structure of the cornish crosses but dont grow as quickly, produce far fewer eggs, and can have issues with male fertility. Its a good meat breed if you are patient.
i dont think i will ever raise cornish again either
Im happy with regular ol meat birds. What am I Perdue? I gotta squeeze every cent out of life?
New to homesteading, and researching which birds I plan to use for meat... I've come to the conclusion that I won't be raising cornish cross, but instead either Australorp or Orpington - or a mix of the two will be my regenerative meat bird. The australorps poop out the most number of eggs, akin to leghorn, 300+ yearly... and the orpingtons are great mothering birds as well as big for meat. So, this is my plan. We're picking up a young australorp cockerel (4 mos old) today and dispatching our Salmon Faverolle rooster.
I'm so happy you're getting into homesteading. Listen, I'll level with you: nothing you do is gonna be WRONG. There just may be better options. You can always change things in the future. I wish you the BEST of luck.
@@JohnWCH It's been four months since my comment and I would like to add to it. I am heavily considering American Bresse now. The price is a bit high for my liking but the breed looks exactly like what I want. If I could find a breeder that sells Dark cornish I'd buy some day-olds and some white rocks. But I have yet to find available Cornish chicks.
I dont do corny cross but perhaps wood ash and wood char. It improves feed conversion rate so they wont eat so much. It also will take out the smell like an activated carbon filter because it is one. Smaller poops should be expected. I think these adress all the problems you are speaking . They also supplement calcium , potassion , magnesium, phosphorus
Also wood char cleans the digestion /absorption . Wood ash takes care of the parasites
I have 15 Cobb chickens at 91/2 weeks old which apparently are the same as Cornish crosses. They free range and are on a diet of 75 - 80% sprouts, whatever Vegies and fruit I can get they love.
I was told by the supplier they won’t forage like other chickens ect and will only eat grains……, the things we’ve heard about Cornish crosses, but they’re been foraging, jumping, running, dust bathing almost the same as your normal chicken…
Just like humans, what we eat and our environment will affect our health….am hoping to possibly start breeding, it is early days…..
I would also say that they may need to be on a very high nutrient diet to curb their natural tendency to ever eat…mine are so very busy foraging…and also spend time relaxing and not seemingly bothered to eat the food I provide for them…constantly…
I can hardly smell anything from them or their poop, nothing that bothers me……
Do you find the rangers have rubbery skin? Especially on the legs and thighs? I agree with everything you say about the cornish cross but I went back to them because my family just did not enjoy the skin on the red rangers
Yes I agree. However, We smoke our chickens so the skin kinda get tough anyway so it doesnt bother us much.
I would suggest you try the Delaware. Thet were commercial meat birds in the initial breed development. I would order cockerels and process at 16-18 weeks. I would use the tractor system 20 birds to the crop batch. You are correct you will not save cash, but you will govern the product.
Great suggestion. Thank you.
I have Silver Grey Dorkings from Murray McMurary hatchery. They have the biggest breasts of any chicken I have ever owned. Big and full. Might take 5-6 months till harvest though.
That's definitely a consideration, but if it's good it may be worth it!
I have a Cornish cross chick with a tumor on its shoulder two days in already having problems now I'm wondering how many are going to make it to 10 weeks.
They're capitalism with feathers.
Bro you want to get the ginger broilers from McMurray hatchery, or even the big red broilers, but the gingers are the best.
Would help with about 20% more B-Roll. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Noted.
Get you some Delaware good eggs to hatch your own and for meat you will get 4 to 6 lb chickens in 12 to 14 weeks. They free range great and was to meat birds until the cross came along
Never heard of them, however, now that you mentioned it and I did some research, they may fit right in!
@JohnWCH this year I been using gqf1502 I set 270 eggs at a time and have avg 245 chucks in 5 hatches, they end up about 50/50 hens to roosters most times. I started doing my roosters half at 8 weeks and the other at 10 and gives me 3- 4lbs at 8 4-5 lbs at 10 weeks. And my hens at 12 weeks ago 4-6 lbs.
We feed ours 12hours on 12 hours off
Great analogy with reloading 👍 have you looked into Dark Cornish Chickens. Big old chicken breast and heard they will chase away foxes ✌️🍻
Good suggestion!
Id try a bresse mix. They’re supposed to be the best fair from my research. One of the best.
Id look into brahma. They take a while to grow out, but theyre thrifty gentle giants. The last brahma roo that I culled was the size of a small turkey at 7 months.
oh dang! nice! im keeping a list!
They are definitely monsters, I raised some last year and just ordered 60 more. My last year experience was a success, lost 1 out of 25 on week 7. Never had a smell issue as I moved them in a chicken tractor. Beware of over feeding, starting week 3 for me we switched to 12 hour feeding/non feeding increments. My yard has never been greener! 😃
When (if) i try it again, im doing the on/off feeding. Seems like that was the big issue.
So here is the issue. There is not a comparable chicken. They are way more finicky than most other breeds & they have a mortality rate that should be factored into their efficiency. At the end of the day, they need to be separated from other chickens to flourish and you must butcher them at weight, not on a time schedule. They peak then die, their hearts cannot keep up with the body mass.
I'm clearly seeing it, that painting with the wide brush doesn't work for them.
I don't like Cornish cross,the only one I have is named "Nugget" he is a good boi,I manage his weight by giving him the right feed to thrive but not overgrow,and everyday,we run around together to get him some exercise,he is now 1 Year Old :D , I'm saying this to people who got attached to your meat birds,I know there are some people like that are like me,so good luck!
I raised guineas, turkeys, silkies, and various other species of poultry. Cornish cross was my nightmare. I tried 12 cornish cross chicks. Lost 11 in 3weeks. Most if them really ate to death. Others just lay down and died
apparently its a thing, Im taking all ve these comments and tryin again now.
I’ve never lost any of my Cornish cross , well , only to my stupid dog a few times. .mine followed me around the yard till they got to 8-9 pounds . You’re waiting to long to butcher if yours are dropping dead . Somethings not right there
I was overfeeding them. I made a follow up video
It's been a year. Have you tried this a chicken tracker?
ruclips.net/video/q7YRhEQqDgM/видео.html
They are not bred to live long past butcher time. Maybe just buy some Cornish. I believe the hens go broody easily. They grow slower. I've heard they free range great.
Only feed them for 12 hours and 12 off never leave feed for them all day or they will just eat and eat, probably best to keep them separate, we raise them that way and don't have any problems, after 1 week in brooder, they are supposed to be on the 12 on and 12 off diet but we just gave them all they wanted for 2 to 3 weeks until we put them in their coop or tractor that hasn't caused us any problems doing that, we have them in a coop made of 8 foot pallets made about 6.5 foot by 8 foot with 2/3rds covered with a tarps and the other 1/3rd covered with chicken wire, we have about 20 or so in there and works good, you do it this way you will have good luck with them
Thank you for your information!
I don’t think hawks can smell? they use site vultures can smell up to a couple miles I think Redtail hawks are the worst
The Cornish breed also known as Indian game, is a better option if you dont mind waiting a little longer to maturity
Wonderful
After a week or two old you have to only allow feed 12hours on 12 hours off.killed two at 3 weeks old just recently first time raising them also.they should be raised separate from your other birds.
My Cornish crosses never died on me.
They free ranged pretty well.
The only downfall would be that they freaking stink.
Fair
I'm trying a experiment, im going to try to cross breed a cornish cross with one of my wild chickens...a healthier bird if it works lol
In my experience, albeit limited, they'll all be dead by the time they reach maturity. Good luck!
@JohnWCH I kept 2 cornish cross hens to maturity, they started laying, I bought a kebonnix incubator, I put 3 cornish cross eggs with production red eggs in the incubator, I may have done it, I put a video up lol, I'm half way there.
Feed cornish cross twice a day, let them free range for the rest, so far my experiments have been working.
Maybe if you cleaned your coop more often
Maybe
I've had good luck giving the cornish cross alot of room in the brooder stage they do alot better later on... Just my personal experience
Im heeding all these tips...maybe another round is justified....Thanks!
I’ve gotta say, I don’t know why people complain so much about Cornish Cross chickens. No, they’re definitely not as hardy as other breeds and yes, they poop a ton, but their feed conversion ability and growth rates are second to none. They’re a remarkable meat bird. You can try raising Bresse but it’s gonna take a heck of a lot longer and more feed $$$ as well. Pros and minuses to every breed, that’s for sure.
In my opinion, people are blinded to the cons by the output of the product. Feed conversion isnt a concern for me, which is arguably the most frequent point that people bring up when raising Cornish crosses. They sucked as "birds." As food they were fine.
I like my red rangers best for meat. I got better things to do with my time than take food away from chickens so they don't eat themselves to death. Not to mention putting the feed tray back in the morning.
Preach brother
We just butchered 25 birds, first time doing them. I do not like the way they taste. Have to figure out why that is. Our mortality rate was about 30%
I'm my experience, the water they have influenced the meat and eggs flavor significantly.
Thanks John. We raised them in a different location than our "farm". Water was from a municipality so definitely understand that statement.@@JohnWCH
Just saw this video....I know it is two years later...but the reason your Cornish Cross birds smell is because you may be overfeeding them. Try a better feed mix, and place them on a 12 hour schedule. You will see a more successful bird!
It's not 2 years. It's only 2 months old. And thank you for the suggestions. I have a bit to learn if I decide to do them again.
Try White Plymouth Rocks.
Good idea
I like my rhode island reds .good free rangers, like to dust bath and healthy. Austrolops are good too. They're black and i think hawks think there ravens and don't attack them.
Good to know, I'm gonna put them on the list!
We just finished up 50, which we processed at 7 1/2 weeks, since it was getting too hot here. Most finished at 5-7 lbs, after processing, so we were happy about that. We did lose 3 birds around week 6, who were unable to walk. We processed them, so they wouldn’t suffer, and the meat was fine. (We think their legs just gave out.). We fed them 20% protein for the first 4-5 weeks, and then went down to 18%. We fed twice a day, but made sure they ran out of food for quite a few hours, which they didn’t seem to mind. (We basically split the food you’d give them for the day, in half, so they weren’t QUITE as hungry). It’s important to note that we are in the desert, so there is no grass for them to eat…just the chick feed.
Our main motivation was to try to replace the big “chicken mills” chicken, with some that we knew the history of, what they were fed, and that they were ethically raised. Also, the chicken breasts are generally what we eat, so the Cornish cross made the most sense. They are a very strange breed, but mine actually did move around a little, because I’d throw handfuls of feed for them, which they had to really search for (right in front of their faces, lol). Everything you said about their filth I found to be true, also. Their run also started to really smell that last week, even though I did my best to keep it clean. They just are pooping machines. Mine all had great temperaments, and some were actually very friendly, unlike what I’ve heard some people say, although they definitely aren’t like layers. We’ll do it again, because the meat is soooo tender, and good! Just can’t go back to the store bought meat after that! I would not do 50 again, however, because they cost me a fortune in food! 25 sounds like where we will be at.
Thanks for posting the video, as we are always trying to hear about what others are doing.
Here's the thing. And its called fasting! Giving them much less food will make them grow slower and therefore live longer. Cornish cross don't feel full after eating. They keep eating and eating and without stopping. Thats how they end up dead due to heart problems from the quantity of food they consume daily. Additionally by forcing them to walk and run will make them stronger and improve their overall health. I have heard that they can live up to 4 years with proper care and love!!
I think your conflating "food" and pets. The whole point of the breed is to convert feed into meat faster. Youre probably correct about fasting tho. It seems that people who do 12hrs on/12 hrs off have a better survival rate.
I don't like them either. I don't like the genetic modification. I prefer pure breeds. It makes me feel horrible to watch them. Dual purpose works better for me. Leghorns are great layers but mine are not big.
Have you tried selling on eBay? There's a guy in South Carolina who is AWEASOME!! LOL The old man can get you what you need, or at least get you going.
I saw a reddit thread the other day bad talking him the other day. I just want to point out I was ahead of the curve on that one. And I'm gonna do more research and me and the old man can go to the auction.
@@JohnWCH I believe he's the original FTG award winner, very prestigious. Cool.
I think you may be right lol. I should send him a gift.
Breese chicken is the best alternative
Second or third vote for them so far
Sorry about that but you practically fed it to death
Homesteading is a great way to explore & experiment
Their feed has is quite high in protein. How about mixing it with grower feed before they eat?
Who says they have to be slaughtered by 8 or max 10 weeks?
Personally, I've fed them on layer feed [lower protein content] in a caged system for about 5-6 months and they responded well
I've gotten eggs from them [very poor output though]
Despite been a meat bird,they are just chickens
So treat 'em as you will any chicken even as you apply precautionary approaches due to their unique needs
Chickens die. I bought 25 Cornish cross and lost 2 within the first few days. That’s how raising poultry goes. Chickens are sensitive
Hundreds of birds later and Cornish crosses are still the worst.
You can try Kosher kings , they are also called grey broilers
They are a cross between sussex and barred rock, they free range, get okay breast, and grow slower. People say they also carry forward the big breasts gene when bred.
Now this is according to a lot of people, you can still give them a try
Or I think think there's no problem in raising sussex for meat, yes they don't have biggest breast but they are okay 🤷♂️
Ill put them on the list for next time
I have noticed that anything white is targeted by hawks.
Why not cross breed and make your own breed. Just breed in desired traits over time. You love the rangers, but they lack meat. You dislike the cornish cross for many reasons, but love them for the meat. So do yourself, your chickens, and other farmers a favor and make a meaty ranger type chicken.
they are the result of too extreme selection, resulting in unhealthy birds with all kinds of medical and behavioural issues.
If I were you I would not have them on full feed because they are going to flip over and die that was my problem I have been there please don't put them on full feed..
You over fed your bird. If you follow the instructions from the hatchery that you bought them from you feed them 12 hours on 12 hours off
I'm not interested in changing my coop setup. I'll just avoid this breed in the future.
@@JohnWCH your response didn’t seem relevant to what i said.
Your problem is that you over feed them and didn’t keep them in a clean coop. That’s not changing your set up that should be an easy fix. Remove feed at night and keep the coop clean
Chicken Tractor
They have weak immune system and they very sensitive,Don’t keep them with other birds and geese expecting they’ll survive !
Other birds could fight a small virus with no symptoms but instead Cornish will die from that small virus in blink of an eye.
They need to be separate from other birds and animals , well cleaned and sanitized around ect
So I guess the fault is in you sir
Ill just stick to regular meat birds.
Bresse
Thanks!
Holy cow theyre expensive! I like it!
American breasse
In the coop now!
Bresse
They're in the coop now!