Cornish Cross Spring 2020

[BarredBuff]

Seems like I remember the broody rooster!! I definitely will get more White Rocks in the future. This last batch of RIR I got from Cackle have been great too. I had a broody one last fall, and they are big birds. They also have a wonderful dark coloring and lay great brown eggs. Much better than the ones I had in 2009!

 

[Beekissed]

Seems like I remember the broody rooster!! I definitely will get more White Rocks in the future. This last batch of RIR I got from Cackle have been great too. I had a broody one last fall, and they are big birds. They also have a wonderful dark coloring and lay great brown eggs. Much better than the ones I had in 2009!

They sound MUCH better than most hatchery RIRs, for sure. I'd kind of marked RIR off my list of flock birds after the last few I got from feed store/hatchery sources....not a bit like the birds I grew up with. Mean, flighty, pale red, poor layers, no hardiness, and small carcass~culled quicker than any others those years.

I'll keep that in mind about Cackle.

 

[BarredBuff]

They sound MUCH better than most hatchery RIRs, for sure. I'd kind of marked RIR off my list of flock birds after the last few I got from feed store/hatchery sources....not a bit like the birds I grew up with. Mean, flighty, pale red, poor layers, no hardiness, and small carcass~culled quicker than any others those years.

I'll keep that in mind about Cackle.

I had too! I swore I never would have them again, but these are really good. They are not like the show quality reds, but they are much better than what I have seen. Cackle also has the hefty White Rocks too. Everything I get from them I enjoy.

 

[baymule]

Y’all have talked me into White Rocks!

 

[farmerjan]

White rocks, and most all the "Plymouth Rock colors" are pretty docile overall. Buff Rocks are good and are better layers than orpingtons which are very docile but not that great a layer. It does make a difference where the parent stock comes from and I have not bought too many "hatchery chicks" since having the purebreds for show....
But I agree that a WR rooster should be a good one disposition wise. the Columbian pattern, silver penciled, and buffs are very pretty. I personally am not a "barred color pattern" person. It is a hard color to breed in purebreds.

@baymule , I have had very good luck and customer service with Ideal Hatchery right there in Tx. Got some real good healthy turkeys from them years ago, and a batch of chicks that came to the P.O. and the postmistress friend called me and said, your chicks are here,but they are not making any noise and I think they are dead..... I called the hatchery from the P.O. and they okayed a new shipment without me even having to fill out any forms..... I offered for the P.O. lady to talk to them and they said that it was fine, they believed me and never batted an eye. Got a quick reshipment and they included some extras as well. Plus you are closer than I am so shipping ought to be quicker turn around.....They do offer some mixed shipments of "left over" chicks from some hatches that might have had exceptional fertility and so they offer some "surprise" mixes. I have done them once or twice..... just for fun and the chicks are cheaper that way. Since you would want roosters for some to kill, straight run is a good way to go.

 

[CrealCritter]

I moved them out yesterday. I had already played chickens moving to a new home, moving layers around. So the tractor was empty, moved to fresh ground and ready to go. The tubs are still on the porch, we’ll be gone today, so I’ll drag them out and clean them up this evening. I lost more than I wanted, the heat lamp was too hot. I couldn’t find old fashioned incandescent 100 watt light bulbs. Finally found some and chicks stopped dying. I moved 44 Chicks yesterday, now I just gotta keep them alive until slaughter.

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Naked little things sure are ugly. LOL

BIG water container! I got a feeling I’m gonna love using these.

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Not much plucking on those. Just about the right size for Cornish Hens that you would buy in the store.

 

[baymule]

I lost one yesterday, he was heavy! Today we are slaughtering 10. That seems to be the magic number for processing. We have ice in the ice chest, neighbor has an ice machine and we can have all we want. We give him a dressed, vacuum sealed frozen chicken. LOL

 

[Beekissed]

I lost one yesterday, he was heavy! Today we are slaughtering 10. That seems to be the magic number for processing. We have ice in the ice chest, neighbor has an ice machine and we can have all we want. We give him a dressed, vacuum sealed frozen chicken. LOL

Wow, Bay! How nice to have a neighbor with an ice machine! That comes in handy, I bet. Ten seems to be the magic number here as well, as the CX are so easily butchered compared to older birds.

I hope your slaughtering went well and all reside safely in a cold place.

 

[CrealCritter]

Wow, Bay! How nice to have a neighbor with an ice machine! That comes in handy, I bet. Ten seems to be the magic number here as well, as the CX are so easily butchered compared to older birds.

I hope your slaughtering went well and all reside safely in a cold place.

Yeah expecially in Texas where you burn up.

 

[baymule]

Whew! We got 13 on ice. Plus one mean rooster with 2” razor sharp spurs that won’t be flogging me again! Barely got the ice cooler in the house. BJ backed the mule up to the steps, we slid it across the porch, up the step and onto a waiting towel. Then we slid it to the kitchen. We cleaned up our mess, came in, got cold drinks and collapsed. We are tired. I got a full days work ahead to cut, vacuum seal and freeze them. I need a shower! I smell like chicken guts. LOL