Anyone who has had meat birds, especially Cornish X, knows that they are just nasty birds. They basically eat and poop and grow. They have to do all these rather a lot if you want them to be ready to eat in 8 weeks. Mine have outgrown their tub already. They kept waking Michelle up at night because they would get out of the tub and then peep like crazy cause they wanted back in. They also smelled bad and I refused to play my violin in the spare room anymore because of the heat and smell. It was time for them to go out. In order for them to go out the other chicks needed to move. The other chicks had also basically outgrown their pen and needed something larger. I decided to put them in with my one big mamma bird left from last year. She is a big old meat bird that was always a cripple but somehow managed to live and I didn't have the heart to eat her. She is in her second year of laying eggs for me which is pretty phenomenal for a meat bird who technically should have died long ago. I have some reservations about that pen however. It is protected from the elements because the pen is under the roof of the back shed, but the pen is open on the top. It does not go all the way up to the roof. I am worried the cats will get in the pen so have been watching it all day. The little bantam roosters did get in and I threw them out, they are also a concern. We'll just see how it goes as I really don't have another pen they can go into right now so hopefully this one will work out.
They are quite happy in their new pen and the big mamma bird doesn't move well enough to hurt them. They have discovered dirt for the first time and bugs and they are enjoying both.
The meat birds are also enjoying their new pen which I had to clean all out and add new pine shavings. They had gotten quite crowded, dirty and hot in the tub and they are now enjoying more space and cooler temperatures. Their pen, unlike the other one, is quite secure.
Here's hoping everything goes well for the night.
Some turkey wire over the top should help secure the pen from cats and roosters, but not wild critters.
ReplyDeleteIf I had any more wire I would try it but so far the cats are not bothering them and the little roosters have not dared go back in the pen.
DeleteI am watching your work with the meat birds as its something I want t do this year, I have ducks for the table in the incubator at the moment as soon as they are hatched I want some chickens for the table, I am trying to sort out small pens and brooders in readiness, I ave done birds in the house before but not going down that route again they are smelly and noisy so I am setting up an area in the barn, I hope your do well with there move.
ReplyDeleteDucks are so much messier than any chickens and they are really cute and hard to kill (for me anyway). I always did love my ducks though. They usually laid eggs in the hot part of the summer when the chickens would quit. Good luck with your meat birds. The only thing to remember about Cornish X are that they need a high protein chick starter until you butcher in the last couple weeks you should switch to the unmedicated starter.
DeleteThey grow up so fast... - Kidding - so how are the making out in their new digs?
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