One of my 17-week-old Cornish Cross Hens (I think they are Ross 500s) laid her first egg. A tiny 30g egg! I’m quite excited haha 
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I bought a batch of Isa-Brown day-old chicks and the hatchery had a special on excess meat birds so I bought 10 (ended up with 11, one spare). I didn’t have a good run with them, 5 died within 3 days due to some strange paralysis issues where they would fall over with paralised legs and wings (the ISAs in the same brooder were fine). The other Hen died about 2 weeks ago after a hot day, I suspect a heart attack or fluid on the lungs, she had coughed most of her life.
Anyway, I didn’t have the heart to process the ‘survivors’ so I decided to grow them out and see what happens. I’d like to try and breed them together and maybe cross them with some heritage breeds.
I restricted their feed between 8 and 15 weeks but I have been encouraging them to free range more so now they have access to the other feeders but they are reasonably controlled with their feed intake.
I have noticed these birds always seem to have diarrhea (which makes their coop stink, it requires cleaning twice a day
) and they drink a heap. They have done this all their lives, they are fed on the same food as everyone else (initially chick starter and now 17% protein layers mash).
I’ll have to see if I get another egg tomorrow! Stay tuned for the breeding program stories!
Attached is some photos of the egg, the hens and the size difference with the rooster and the Isa-Brown pullets!
.I bought a batch of Isa-Brown day-old chicks and the hatchery had a special on excess meat birds so I bought 10 (ended up with 11, one spare). I didn’t have a good run with them, 5 died within 3 days due to some strange paralysis issues where they would fall over with paralised legs and wings (the ISAs in the same brooder were fine). The other Hen died about 2 weeks ago after a hot day, I suspect a heart attack or fluid on the lungs, she had coughed most of her life.
Anyway, I didn’t have the heart to process the ‘survivors’ so I decided to grow them out and see what happens. I’d like to try and breed them together and maybe cross them with some heritage breeds.
I restricted their feed between 8 and 15 weeks but I have been encouraging them to free range more so now they have access to the other feeders but they are reasonably controlled with their feed intake.
I have noticed these birds always seem to have diarrhea (which makes their coop stink, it requires cleaning twice a day
) and they drink a heap. They have done this all their lives, they are fed on the same food as everyone else (initially chick starter and now 17% protein layers mash).I’ll have to see if I get another egg tomorrow! Stay tuned for the breeding program stories
!Attached is some photos of the egg, the hens and the size difference with the rooster and the Isa-Brown pullets!
