Dark cornish chicks!!!

[Deberosa]

So my plan is working! They are indeed good mothers. I opened their area up to a new brushy area a couple of weeks ago and this morning out came a hen with 5 new chicks. And it snowed this morning! She wouldn't let me get near them - I'll try to get a picture later!

Still have 5 or 6 more hens wondering around so this is working already! I've moved the dog houses and tractors over there and just got the straw to fill them all on Wed but it's been pouring rain. Guess this hen simply didn't want to wait!

Debbie

[MadTripper]

Nice! I need to separate my 4 so they can start the next meat flock. I also have about 5 roosters I need to send to the freezer. They are starting to get a bit agressive with the ladies.

Do you have a time frame for butchering these birds yet? From hatching to freezer?

Tripper

[Deberosa]

Sorry, just catching up!

I got the last batch in late June and could have butchered by mid September, but waited a while longer for cooler weather. So 12 weeks should be plenty to grow the dark cornish out.

My one hen still has her 4 chicks out back and the other hens were starting nests a couple of weeks ago - I bet they start setting soon.

[MadTripper]

Great! Thanks for the info. I plan on separating my 3 hens and the roo so I can get a guaranteed run of the cornish. I don't think 12 weeks is bad at all for those birds. Were the weights decent?

Thanks again!

Tripper