# Hatchery straight run question?



## thibodeaux

I got some 7 Cornish Rock chick`s that was from a hatchery straight run, I don't want to sound stupid are have a stupid question but I'm a newbie and just had to get them along with 17 Production Reds which was all pullets, So what's my chances with the Cornish Rock's? 

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## chelsboers

You probably won't be able to tell until they get their feathers


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## ksalvagno

50/50 is your chance basically. You can get any amount of males or females with straight run. They don't sex the chicks for straight run so whatever is there is whatever is there. Really you actually want males for the cornish cross so you get more meat.

Don't keep the cornish cross with your other chickens. They will pick on them. It does work out better to have them in their own pen.


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## thibodeaux

chelsboers said:


> You probably won't be able to tell until they get their feathers


I thought that 

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## thibodeaux

ksalvagno said:


> 50/50 is your chance basically. You can get any amount of males or females with straight run. They don't sex the chicks for straight run so whatever is there is whatever is there. Really you actually want males for the cornish cross so you get more meat.
> 
> Don't keep the cornish cross with your other chickens. They will pick on them. It does work out better to have them in their own pen.


Yes I know with the straight run the chick's are unsex.. What would be the best cross with them? My chickens are free range, do I still need to have them pen away?

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## ksalvagno

Cornish Rock X don't last a long time. They are meant to go in the freezer. They are meant to grow in 8 weeks and then put in the freezer. They are not able to mate because of their heaviness.

Because they can't get away, they can be pecked to death. So to keep them from harm, you would want to keep them separate.


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## milk and honey

Bon appetite!


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## WyndwardFarm

They get so big. So fast if you keep them much beyond 8-10 weeks they are so heavy they can barely walk and will just plop down by the food and water and lay there. 

If you want a meat bird that can free range and you can cull 'as needed' for the dinner table I highly recommend the Freedom Ranger. 


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## thibodeaux

WyndwardFarm said:


> They get so big. So fast if you keep them much beyond 8-10 weeks they are so heavy they can barely walk and will just plop down by the food and water and lay there.
> 
> If you want a meat bird that can free range and you can cull 'as needed' for the dinner table I highly recommend the Freedom Ranger.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


I guess that would be better for me, and it's called freedom ranger :what:

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## thibodeaux

ksalvagno said:


> Cornish Rock X don't last a long time. They are meant to go in the freezer. They are meant to grow in 8 weeks and then put in the freezer. They are not able to mate because of their heaviness.
> 
> Because they can't get away, they can be pecked to death. So to keep them from harm, you would want to keep them separate.


Is that just the Jumbo Cornish Rock X are all cornish rocks?

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## christinajh

All the meat birds are butchered between 6-12 weeks. Most of the cornish crosses are 7 weeks 8 weeks for the hens. They will break their legs and everything because they get so fat so fast, and you need to pull their food 12 hours a day to prevent even more problems.


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## ksalvagno

All Cornish Rocks are meant for butcher.


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## thibodeaux

christinajh said:


> All the meat birds are butchered between 6-12 weeks. Most of the cornish crosses are 7 weeks 8 weeks for the hens. They will break their legs and everything because they get so fat so fast, and you need to pull their food 12 hours a day to prevent even more problems.


Poor little chickens 

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## christinajh

Did you not know you were buying meat birds?


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## KW Farms

You should have a fifty/fifty shot at male/female, however, I know some hatcheries will throw in more males or more females depending on if they have excess chicks after sexed orders are filled. Sometimes, they'll fill the sexed orders and left over chicks will go in the "straight run" bin and so sometimes you won't actually end up with a fair fifty/fifty shot. It's not right, but some hatcheries operate like that.


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## kccjer

Also, if you don't get those cornish cross butchered in that age range...they start dying. I will never buy the nasty things again. They are dirtier and nastier than the other breeds in my opinion.


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## christinajh

I have some right now, and they aren't too bad. I'm just getting ready to move them outside to make room for some free range ones. They do eat a TON of food though.


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## thibodeaux

christinajh said:


> Did you not know you were buying meat birds?


no not really I'm new to chickens :thumbdown:

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## thibodeaux

KW Farms said:


> You should have a fifty/fifty shot at male/female, however, I know some hatcheries will throw in more males or more females depending on if they have excess chicks after sexed orders are filled. Sometimes, they'll fill the sexed orders and left over chicks will go in the "straight run" bin and so sometimes you won't actually end up with a fair fifty/fifty shot. It's not right, but some hatcheries operate like that.


I guess you get what you pay for, I'm wanting to raise and eat them but didn't know I would have to kill them so young, thought I could let them live a good life before playing god and taken the poor chickens lifes away.. I just don't understand how they're still around if you have to do it so young, maybe someone can explain that to me... I know stupid but I'm a newbie

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## thibodeaux

kccjer said:


> Also, if you don't get those cornish cross butchered in that age range...they start dying. I will never buy the nasty things again. They are dirtier and nastier than the other breeds in my opinion.


I really don't know much about chickens, but every chicken I have has freedom... They're not in a pen and use my rabbit nestboxs from when I raised rabbit's, not really a breeder anymore only have my 4 dwarfs and my 3 french lops... I know when in a pen they've gotten more nasty in my opinion, so I free range them... At what age did they start dying for you? I'm a newbie and most likely going to drive everyone mad with my questions.

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## thibodeaux

christinajh said:


> I have some right now, and they aren't too bad. I'm just getting ready to move them outside to make room for some free range ones. They do eat a TON of food though.


How old are them?

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## kccjer

Ours started dying around the 8 week range. My hubby thot we could just butcher a few at a time over the summer and bought like 150 of the things. We butchered half that. Not good. They will develop leg issues at around 6 weeks and that is when you'll know you have to get them taken care of.

Carmen, Oleo Acres LLC, NW Ks


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## ksalvagno

They aren't a breed themselves. They are always crossed with a Cornish and a White Rock. That is how they keep it going. They are always first generation crosses.

I'm sorry you didn't know. Those aren't the nicest of surprises to find out.

The Freedom Rangers sound like a better option for you or one of the dual purpose larger chicken breeds. Those you grow out much longer before butcher.


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## christinajh

Mine are only 2 weeks old. I'm getting some red rangers tomorrow, but someone told me they aren't much better. Too late since I begged the farm store to order them, and I promised to buy 10. I'll be butchering the first batch probably in 4 weeks, and that will give me another two weeks to prep for doing the 10. I had hoped the red rangers would fair a tad better and be able to free range some before heading to the freezer. I'm also doing Peking Ducks, and I'll probably order some heavy breed birds mid-summer to carry through the winter. I will also get a couple turkeys the end of April. My goal this year was to have enough poultry to fill the freezer and not buy any from the store.


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## thibodeaux

kccjer said:


> Ours started dying around the 8 week range. My hubby thot we could just butcher a few at a time over the summer and bought like 150 of the things. We butchered half that. Not good. They will develop leg issues at around 6 weeks and that is when you'll know you have to get them taken care of.
> 
> Carmen, Oleo Acres LLC, NW Ks


Wow that's really sad when you think about it, I know it's just part of life and it's the way it goes but still so young  I only got 7 but I was going are planning on going get at less 7 more but not anymore  ... Wow 150 is a lot :sly:.. Thank god my boyfriend has no problem with all that. :thumbup:

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## thibodeaux

ksalvagno said:


> They aren't a breed themselves. They are always crossed with a Cornish and a White Rock. That is how they keep it going. They are always first generation crosses.
> 
> I'm sorry you didn't know. Those aren't the nicest of surprises to find out.
> 
> The Freedom Rangers sound like a better option for you or one of the dual purpose larger chicken breeds. Those you grow out much longer before butcher.


Okay I thought it was a breed, so thank you for the information.. I won't know any better, I would of been thinking it was a breed until someone made me feel stupid..

Yes it was a surprise because when I told the guy which ones I wanted, I was like I want some write ones and he didn't say it was a meat chicken and didn't say nothing about the problems are so that comes a long with it... I didn't even know what type it was until I looked at the receipt and it had St.Run Rock... I also got 17 Production Reds...

What's the best freedom ranger chicken in you're opinion? I thought about ordering some from Murray McMurray Hatchery, I'll seen a few I really like, but scared this happens again lol

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## thibodeaux

christinajh said:


> Mine are only 2 weeks old. I'm getting some red rangers tomorrow, but someone told me they aren't much better. Too late since I begged the farm store to order them, and I promised to buy 10. I'll be butchering the first batch probably in 4 weeks, and that will give me another two weeks to prep for doing the 10. I had hoped the red rangers would fair a tad better and be able to free range some before heading to the freezer. I'm also doing Peking Ducks, and I'll probably order some heavy breed birds mid-summer to carry through the winter. I will also get a couple turkeys the end of April. My goal this year was to have enough poultry to fill the freezer and not buy any from the store.


I'm not sure how old the one's in the picture is, I got a few chickens already, I have Read Island reds and a few 2 other breeds...

I also have Pekins, Rouen and Khaki Campbell s and megpies and Turkey's I love them...

My boyfriend has goat's but I'm not to happy about eating goats... I have pygmy dwarfs and Sheep, I have a little lamb right now and I put her and the to twin goats we have in diapers lol...

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## ksalvagno

I've never gotten any freedom rangers so I don't know. I'm sure those are just fine.


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## goathiker

Hmm, I'm going to have to interject here because I have 6 year old Cornish cross here, still laying their 7 to 10 eggs a year. Don't over feed them if you want them to live. They aren't really good for anything but bug patrol though.


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## thibodeaux

ksalvagno said:


> I've never gotten any freedom rangers so I don't know. I'm sure those are just fine.


Ok thank you for your help!

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## thibodeaux

goathiker said:


> Hmm, I'm going to have to interject here because I have 6 year old Cornish cross here, still laying their 7 to 10 eggs a year. Don't over feed them if you want them to live. They aren't really good for anything but bug patrol though.


Cross with what, I'm a newbie so please explain a little better so I can know just what you are talking about..

I thought the Cornish Rocks are cross already, are yours cross with something else?

Ok so they can live as long as I don't over feed them, What would be an idea feeding for them & do you feed them a different feed?

I just don't like the idea of killing them so young! I guess I'll have to see what happens...

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## WyndwardFarm

Even though they are young they are huge. They are designed to have a great feed to weight ratio and get big quickly so it's not like you'll be killing tiny fluffy babies. They will be 7-9 lbs live weights. Ours dress out at about 4-6 lbs after processing. 


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## kccjer

There is always that exception to any rule. If you want to keep them longer, then don't feed much of anything and just let them free range. That may or may not keep them going longer. If you can't free range then cut grass and weeds and throw to them...less grain, less growth. 

If you are wanting something that works well for a meat bird and for laying I would suggest a buff orpington or a barred rock. Both are large meaty and hardy birds that also lay well. I'm sure there are other breeds out there too, but those are the 2 I'm most familiar with. I've had red sex link which weren't too bad...not as large but still ok. Nice thing about them was that the males are white and the hens are red (mostly anyway) so super easy to tell them apart.


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## hallsthirdacrefarm

if your receipt said straight run rock...they could be white rocks...which ARE a laying bird....unless it said cornish rock or cross...


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## thibodeaux

hallsthirdacrefarm said:


> if your receipt said straight run rock...they could be white rocks...which ARE a laying bird....unless it said cornish rock or cross...[/QUOTE
> 
> No it said Cornish Rocks :-(
> 
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## thibodeaux

kccjer said:


> There is always that exception to any rule. If you want to keep them longer, then don't feed much of anything and just let them free range. That may or may not keep them going longer. If you can't free range then cut grass and weeds and throw to them...less grain, less growth.
> 
> If you are wanting something that works well for a meat bird and for laying I would suggest a buff orpington or a barred rock. Both are large meaty and hardy birds that also lay well. I'm sure there are other breeds out there too, but those are the 2 I'm most familiar with. I've had red sex link which weren't too bad...not as large but still ok. Nice thing about them was that the males are white and the hens are red (mostly anyway) so super easy to tell them apart.


I was going to free range them anyway, that was my plain when I got them, before my big surprise... I'm going to free range & see how that works & if I see anything abnormal then I'm going to have the boyfriend do what needs to be done...

I have a male (Roo) Bluff Orpington. I was thinking about getting a few Females thought. I'm going to look up the barred Rock and see what it looks like. Oh I do have 3 red sexlinks but to young for anything, so that's still a waiting game on them for me to see what my opinion is on them..
I never seen a male the 3 I have are red with white on them...

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## KW Farms

You have to remember that these are chickens, they are bred for a purpose and as long as you give them a quality life, there is nothing wrong with butchering them young. Those particular chicks are not meant to live a long life. They grow quick and get too big to live very long. It's really in their best interest to not keep them after they reach butcher weight. They will generally start having leg issues, sometimes they'll have heart attacks. 

I got some jumbo cornish x rocks last year to raise and butcher. Let me tell you, those things were disgusting. They smelled, were messy, and ugly. At about 8 weeks some of them started walking with a limp. They were huge pigs and would just eat and eat until all the food was all gone. I was happy to get rid of them.

If you don't want to butcher them yourself, you can always raise them up and sell when they're bigger or hire someone to butcher them. Or maybe try and work a trade for layers.


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## thibodeaux

KW Farms said:


> You have to remember that these are chickens, they are bred for a purpose and as long as you give them a quality life, there is nothing wrong with butchering them young. Those particular chicks are not meant to live a long life. They grow quick and get too big to live very long. It's really in their best interest to not keep them after they reach butcher weight. They will generally start having leg issues, sometimes they'll have heart attacks.
> 
> I got some jumbo cornish x rocks last year to raise and butcher. Let me tell you, those things were disgusting. They smelled, were messy, and ugly. At about 8 weeks some of them started walking with a limp. They were huge pigs and would just eat and eat until all the food was all gone. I was happy to get rid of them.
> 
> If you don't want to butcher them yourself, you can always raise them up and sell when they're bigger or hire someone to butcher them. Or maybe try and work a trade for layers.[/QUOTE
> 
> I agree, I'm not sure what's going.to happen... :-(
> 
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## nchen7

here's a blog article about a woman raising her Cornish cross naturally, free range.

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/10/free-ranging-cornish-cross-cx-meat-birds.html


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## thibodeaux

nchen7 said:


> here's a blog article about a woman raising her Cornish cross naturally, free range.
> 
> http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/10/free-ranging-cornish-cross-cx-meat-birds.html


Thank You

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