keeping growth data on your meat birds / chart p. 2

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I am very pleased!
I'm really only in year two, of a probable 5 year project as breeding true and consistantly is a main goal. But another goal is to NOT push growth with premium comercial starters. I want a bird that will get to the weight I want, in the time frame I want; free foraging (pasture) and being fed whole grain. I think this is a bird a lot of people are asking for.
I do realize that the CX is in fact a cross . . . not sure what the point is there, but appreciate you making sure I know!

I just weighed the second batch for 1 week, they are a bit smaller than the first batch, I wonder why?

If anyone else could chime in with their meat breeds and weights that would be great!

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
I was just trying to encourage you ; comparing either a crossbred or a purebred to a hybred chicken is comparing apples to oranges . You may be successful in developing an improoved breed and I hope you are , but the modern Cornish X is neither a breed nor a cross breed , its a hybred .

 

[Brunty_Farms]

The cornish x's are a series of crosses. There are two points for doing this... one is to make it harder to replicate the original breeders. The more crosses that it takes to get the finished product, the better chance you have of keeping your bloodlines a secret.

Secondly and most important, is hybrid vigor. When you cross two totally different genetics from each line, you get offspring that out preform their parents in just about everything. If you cross a white rock with a rhode island red the offspring they produce will be more efficient. Most of the time, they are bigger... and will lay better.

If you notice, just about any commercial bird you see out there today (even the leghorns) are crosses of some kind. It basically keeps good genetics, the best of the best are simply just mutts.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
IMO they wouldn't make the crosses to protect the secret , but would certainly guard the secret of their crosses . There are many years of research going into developing two parent lines and its expensive . Both parent lines of the terminal end of the modern commercial meatie are a balance of size , laying ability , feed conversion rapid growth , livability , etc. , that niche together to get that terminal end .

I'm sure you know Cornish X is a pretty inaccurate word when used to describe the modern bird . The parent lines are neither pure Cornish or White Rock ; and nearly but not quite as efficient in turning feed in to large quantities of meat in a very short time as the commercial end result is ; they have to be closely managed on restricted diets to be used as breeders . If you manage the commercial bird available to the public to keep it capable of breeding , then use it as breeding stock , the chicks produced will degenerate back to the parent lines plus lack the hybrid vigor . That said ; the size , body type , and early maturity might be valueable assets in developing a self-sustaining breed .

P.S. To Katy , Jeff , or others doing the crosses : I would love to see a picture of the chicks you're getting .

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Steveh - encouragement appreciated!
here is one at hatch

and same chick at 2.5 weeks

3.3 oz at 1 week, 7.4 at 2 weeks and 10.3 at 2.5 weeks
I'm only feeding standard chick starter not high protein.
They are runnining around very active and almost fully feathered.
They sleep more than my layers that were hatched same time and breath heavier, no noticeable smell yet.
they are three times the weight of my layers and more than half of Brunty's CX . . . really right where I want to be for now.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Thank you for the pic . That's a very nicely built chick IMO !

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

recorded 3 week weights on chart, still holding at about half of Brunty's CX weights. I hope it stays right there . . . of course this is not my end product, but still I'm right where I want to be. Everyone is quite healthy and running around, not as active as same day hatch layers, but still running around and beginning to forage.

Still hoping that others might chime in with their chicks weights . . .

 

[Smokin Silkies]

Interesting post! I'll be watching this one

Very good looking bird and huge legs.....sweeeeet! Good Luck with your project!!!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I recorded some new weights on page 2. They are still maintaining almost exactly half the weight of Brunty's CX's, but have far surpassed my laying breeds - really exactly where I want to be right now.
I'm still feeding just standard chick starter, with intentions to move to whole grains soon. At 5 weeks they are fully feathered and actively free ranging with the big birds. They take more "breaks" than the layers their age, however they run and play quite a bit- no lazy pigs yet.
as a side note to remind; my goal is to reach 6 lbs in 15 weeks, feeding standard fee/free range/whole grains with stock that is capable to carry over for next years breeding if so desired. I feel I am on track so far although we are still early in the game.
I would LOVE it if anyone else would chime in with their weights.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I have some Freedom Rangers arriving this week. I plan on keeping some to breeding age and will be keeping track of weights. I'm not so much interested in how much the Freedom Rangers weigh at various points, but in comparing their weights to their offspring's weights.