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seramas

Anyone have a Cornish X Horror Story?

seramas
15 years ago

When birds expel their guts it usually means IMPROPER diet. Bird got too fat! I have a 22 week old Cornish X hen named

Hewetta. She is currently 34 pounds, lays an egg every 2 or 3 days (A BIgggg'EN). She gets feed mash 3xday. Just enough to eat in 10 or so mins then removed. She has plenty of "busy food"--whole punkins-apples-tomatoes-squash-cabbage.... These have lots of good things in them but requires effort to eat-therefore-"busy food". She is loose on the greenhouse floor with a couple hundred young Seramas )sweet little birds, 4 quail (they seem to rule the roost) and a dozen 1/2 grown jumbo pheasants.

Back to Hewetta, she followes me around like a jack russel terrier, alway under foot. She moves slow and loves to get up on my lap when I take a rest--has to be lifted. Most hip and heart problems a due to rapid growth and pood nutrients. So important to supplement with water soluable vit/mins. I let them drink it and use it to moisten their feed-they get a double wammie that way. There are mega bits of info on the net that will guide you on caring for the NEW kinds of meat birds. These are not our Grandfathers farm chickens.

Comments (9)

  • beegood_gw
    15 years ago

    34 lbs!!! Is that a typo?

  • seramas
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    It,s not a typo! She is bigger than some turkey hens I've had. She has had a very controlled diet and has very little body fat. Too much food too fast = poor health. She waddles because of the width of her hips, breast and weight. Going to miss her come Thanksgiving, but will enjoy her on the table with all the trimmings.

  • beegood_gw
    15 years ago

    Well at least all that weight and growth is going to good use. I'm sure she'll be delicious.Enjoy!

  • mxbarbie
    15 years ago

    Ah, pumpkins! what a great idea! Can't wait till Nov 1st to stock up for chickens winter feasting! Haven't had any horror stories yet (((knocks on wood))) Are you breeding Hewetta? THAT would be interesting. Hope you have a BIG oven ; )

  • seramas
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    There is a 9-1/2 ounce Serama Roster that has been trying. It kinda looks like the Taco Bell dog with a St.Barnard. Been trying to get a picture, but no luck-yet. Not trying to breed her-Hewetta is a cornish X and would not breed true. Currently I'm color breeding Seramas and now have 6 different colors that breed true about 85% of the time. They are the most genetically advanced chickens out there. About 7 weeks ago the first albino showed up. It will be a hen. I'll breed her back to father (who has to be split for albino) and hopefully this will lead the way to an albino roster. Then from this line eventually get a latino (yellow with red eyes) and from a latino x albino possibly a red eyed black chicken. I could go on and on about it-but won't-promise. If you don't have Seramas I strongly suggest getting some. Keep on Chick'en!

  • organic_flutterby
    15 years ago

    I hope you can post a picture of Hewetta (before Thanksgiving), I'd truly like to see her. I love that.. "busy food", makes me laugh.

    I am reading a lot about chickens, alas I don't have any myself...yet! I have read that the Cornish X are very fast growing, as I'm sure you all know already, but that they are rather nasty birds. Can anybody comment on that?

    Come to think of it, why don't you snap a shot of her on the platter too, lol.

    Here is a link that might be useful: my new blog

  • seramas
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Just threw together some pics on my website: www.virgilwalters.com

    Hope you enjoy them.
    Keep on Chick'en.

  • gardengalrn
    15 years ago

    I enjoyed your pictures. Hewetta looks especially huge next to the smaller birds! If you do a search, you will find a thread on this very topic. I read it last year and that is when I decided against the Cornish X. Some had good results and experiences, though. I opted instead to research some of the dual-purpose breeds for meat this spring. My reasoning is that despite the longer growing time (and thus a lower feed to meat ratio), I would also have a renewable resource if I so chose. Lori

  • seramas
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    So far this year we've raised 300 Cornish X and only had 3 missing. They disappeared at 7 weeks old. Think a neighbor 'borrowed' them-we have caught them in the act before stealing some of the seramas we had in that very same pen. We now have day/night cameras and locks. Sad for them-if they asked we would have given. Color breeding Seramas produces many extras. Out of each 1000 chicks we'll probably keep 25-30 birds. Last year and so far this year over 3400 birds (8 different species) went home with young 4-H kids (FREE). The more knowledgeable they were about the chickens the better quality (show) of birds went home with them. So many kids just wanted a pet. Some groups come a long way (Chicago-Detroit-Colorado)in buses and would take as many as 250 birds. We never give Serama chicks away until they are 4 weeks old-that way they can stand the stress.

    I think the reason for our success with Cornish X is we limit feed (except busy food) to what they will eat when it is first placed in with them. Then as they begin to 'walk' away from the table (20-30 minutes) we take the feeders out and repeat this 3-4 times a day while constantly monitoring their weight. If there is any 'puffy' fat like spots under their wings or on the breast under the crop (possibly water retention) we shorten the feeding time for a day or two. We give plenty of water with vitamins/minerals in them at twice the recommended rate. The first week we also add 1 tablespoon of honey and corn syrup per gallon of water. They are so full of those tiny trace things we hear about. We keep them on wire bottom brooder (home made) until they are about 3 weeks old and have feathered out enough to keep them somewhat warm. Then out in the inside/outside pens they go. We have waters and feeders as far apart as possible so they get plenty of exercise. Got to go-will 'talk' later.

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