My freedom rangers are currently 1 month old on Saturday. I put them out on grass at 3 weeks old, because we were having good warm weather at night. Here are my observations:
1) I have not lost a single one from the 50 due to disease. A cat made off with one while my back was turned, that is it.
2) Their feather growth is keeping up with their body growth. They aren't all bald looking like the Cornish cross.
3) They are very active. They scratch at the grass, they hop up on the feeders, they sometimes fly out of the tractor when the door is open.
4) They aren't growing as quickly as the Cornish X, but when you pick them up they feel meaty and you can tell they'll be broad breasted. I can't say as a % how much smaller they are than a Cornish X at this age, but there's no doubt they'll make butchering weight.
I generally expect to lose 25% of my Cornish X's in a crop. I'm really amazed how low the mortality has been... I mean that really affects my bottom line.
http://www.freedomrangers.net/
1) I have not lost a single one from the 50 due to disease. A cat made off with one while my back was turned, that is it.
2) Their feather growth is keeping up with their body growth. They aren't all bald looking like the Cornish cross.
3) They are very active. They scratch at the grass, they hop up on the feeders, they sometimes fly out of the tractor when the door is open.
4) They aren't growing as quickly as the Cornish X, but when you pick them up they feel meaty and you can tell they'll be broad breasted. I can't say as a % how much smaller they are than a Cornish X at this age, but there's no doubt they'll make butchering weight.
I generally expect to lose 25% of my Cornish X's in a crop. I'm really amazed how low the mortality has been... I mean that really affects my bottom line.
http://www.freedomrangers.net/