Feed back on Ideal CX?sh

[RUNuts]

Gonna try meat birds next spring. I'd like to know how the Ideal CX are. Do you have to limit feed from day one? How did they turn out? Would you recommend? If not, why not? Healthy?

I'm staying away from the broilers b/c of the crowing in the neighborhood. Don't want to announce to the world. So, harvesting in 8 weeks sounds like a plan. Building chicken tractors that will be moved to fresh pasture daily. Biggest worry are the family dogs. Got the layers in the kennel fencing and dog proofed that.

 

[rjohns39]

I'd recommend either cobb 500 or Ross708 strain. Next spring I plan on doing a head to head comparison of those strains. If you need help finding a breeder, I know there is a good one somewhere in TX (I'd have to look him up). I've found that giving them what they can eat in 30 - 45 minutes, twice a day has given me best results. you'll want to set up your brooder in a triangle, heat, food, and water as far apart as you can get them to encourage them to exercise. I also use broiler booster in their water while in the brooder. I introduce them to meal worms at about day three and will throw a few, very few out every morning and after noon to get them running around. I feed an 18% broiler throughout their lives. 3 weeks in brooder, 35 days on pasture. I move mine daily first thing in the am when due is fresh. As they grow, it may become necessary to move them twice a day. My mortality rate is 3-5% using this method with an average carcass weight of about 5.5 pounds. I also run 3 hot wires around the base of my tractors with an inexpensive solar energizer at about a half joule. I use two sided trough feeders with at least 2" per bird and a bellmatic waterer fed from a 5 gal bucket on top.

 

[rjohns39]

Ok, found two links. The first I'm told sells CXs, but their website suggests only processed meats. http://windymeadowsfamilyfarm.blogspot.com/

Here's also a very good one in Iowa http://www.welphatchery.com/ Brian Kollasch is the manager. You can tell them both that you were referred by an APPPA member. I'm planning on using brian in the spring.

 

[RUNuts]

Thank you @rjohns39 !
Sounds like a good setup. Bellmatic waterer better than nipples? I'm leaning towards horizontal nipples for no geed reason. No experience with either.
Open troughs with 2" per bird makes sense for feeding frenzies twice a day.
Mortality rate sounds high, but I have no reference point. This is from aggression from other chicks or dropping dead with no visible cause?
Why do you move when dew is fresh?
How do you find out the strain if they don't post on website? Call and ask?

Whelp sells female Cornish where Ideal sells only straight run. Shouldn't be a crowing issue, but gives me the option.

Also, instead of Production Reds, I think my mystery girls are now New Hampshire due to the black tails, large (comparatively) size and slow maturity. If they had Leghorn genes, they should be laying. Interesting to note they are also faster growing for meat. I almost harvested them because they were the largest, but thought they were Leghorn crosses and opted for the Barred Rocks. Learn something daily.

 

[rjohns39]

I like, personal preference, nipples in the brooder and belmatic in pasture. One waterer, easy to reach covers the shelter and easy to clean. Also easy to fill. My friend here in TN uses nipples. I find them more difficult on pasture as they stick, take up more shelter space and are more difficult to clean. My shelters are 8X8 with hinged doors on top. They can hold up to 40 birds, I usually put in less.

You have to call the hatchery to ensure what strain you're getting. However, there is a warning. Unless you're talking to someone who knows where they buy them, you're likely to get what ever answer they think you want them to hear. If you use whelp, talk to brian to ensure you get what you're looking for. His sister company is International Poultry Breeders, which supplies hatcheries with CX eggs for hatching. Which gives him a lot more flexibility than someone who orders fixed amounts of different strains.

Mortality is just something that comes along with the CX. People using grass based systems and following the model I do experience between 2% & 10% and its generally because the birds internal organs didn't grow fast enough to support the body mass. Occasionally its leg issues or piling on issues.

It provides more water and the grass is nice and crisp. I just think its better. No science behind it that I'm aware of. If you can get it, aluminum is way better than tin, but I put the food under the tin door and water under the wire door. Hardware cloth is a better option, but I compromised with chicken wire and hot wires.

ETA: Make sure your uprights are at least a half inch above the bottom rail, otherwise they did in.