Cornish Thread

[Fat Daddy]

Good evening... My nest boxes are at floor level. I'd say you're thinking along the same lines I would. Any of my birds that don't end up on the roost, tend to sleep in a nest box.... I even set up a lid to close at night to prevent this.... I'd think a nest box low and little roost for them would be a good idea. I'm sure the injuries I have had from high roost were due to them jumping off. You could hear the heavy birds hit the floor even with deep litter. My biggest oldest dark Cornish rooster damaged a knee joint that he never got over. It got to point he could get around with a limp, but didn't successfully top hens again.... Good luck

 

[Turk Raphael]

Good evening... My nest boxes are at floor level. I'd say you're thinking along the same lines I would. Any of my birds that don't end up on the roost, tend to sleep in a nest box.... I even set up a lid to close at night to prevent this.... I'd think a nest box low and little roost for them would be a good idea. I'm sure the injuries I have had from high roost were due to them jumping off. You could hear the heavy birds hit the floor even with deep litter. My biggest oldest dark Cornish rooster damaged a knee joint that he never got over. It got to point he could get around with a limp, but didn't successfully top hens again.... Good luck

Totally agree. Thanks for the sentiment about dad and yes, I would appreciate being put on the list.

I can receive PMs but for some reason, I can't return. Gotta' get that checked out.

Aaron

 

[JRNash]

FD, do you have a problem with "flip"?
I DON'T have ANY experience with SOP cornish. I'm working my way in that direction though. The new pen 100 x 100
Will be subdivided into 4-50'x50' pens with a common laying house. The intent is to be able to rotate my egg flock to new graze. I'm also building more breeding pens. Up till now,I only had one enclosed breeding pen separated from the general "flock" When I wanted to try a combination I'd snatch up one of the free range roosters and rotate them into the isolation pen. 99% of the time I keep them free range.

 

[Fat Daddy]

FD, do you have a problem with "flip"?
I DON'T have ANY experience with SOP cornish. I'm working my way in that direction though. The new pen 100 x 100
Will be subdivided into 4-50'x50' pens with a common laying house. The intent is to be able to rotate my egg flock to new graze. I'm also building more breeding pens. Up till now,I only had one enclosed breeding pen separated from the general "flock" When I wanted to try a combination I'd snatch up one of the free range roosters and rotate them into the isolation pen. 99% of the time I keep them free range.

Good morning JR, I'm not familiar with the term "Flip"..... But I dont know anyone who wouldnt lust for 100'x 100' pen like you describe thou. Sounds like a great set up. I run at least 4 pens at all times. In the summer and fall its more like 7 with young birds of differing ages. I can only let one at a time out as a treat. More than that and there is blood. I dont have a rooster that is not a A-hole when it comes to another rooster. Cornish to seem remember their gamebird roots. Its even common to find the one thats out, has strolled over to one next door to pick a fight thru the wire! I have a lot of tore up combs and wattles from this.

 

[JRNash]

From the literature I read,they said the sop cornish would often end up on their back like a turtle.

 

[JRNash]

Building the pen has been a goal for the last two years. 3 kids in college and life in general have delayed my plans too many times to count. Finally everything is coming together.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Oh yeah, They do a turtle impression every so often... none are very good at it! Always The best cockerels and roosters you have of course...Iv actually lost two this year to it. I assume the first fell off while breeding. He was in with hens and was aggressively "courting"... The other was in a "just in case" pen alone. I always keep a few extras... A big storm blew thru, lots of wind and big thunder. I'm guessing he freaked and ended up on his back. Either way he was dead with not a mark on him...Idon't know why they can't lay on their back long and live. Not sure if they die from the stress of being unable to right themselves and feel defenseless. Or if it's a physical issue like lungs filling with fluids. But they are always in the same position....

 

[JRNash]

Build some type of light weight cross harness contraption to keep them on their feet.lol

 

[Fat Daddy]

Build some type of light weight cross harness contraption to keep them on their feet.lol

I gotta tell ya man.... I truly love the breed.... but I have drawn a mental line with them.... Two things mainly.... They need to be able to stay alive without me, while I go fish'n or at work.... And they need to be able to breed on their own, without me touch'n a birds toilet parts!! I hate look'n up a chickens skirt or fondle'n toilet parts....

 

[JRNash]

Baaaahaha. I AGREE.