Chicken Chat

When you raise Cornish Cross meat birds, every bite they take shapes the quality of the meat that ends up on your table. Feeding them organic, nutrient-rich foods not only supports fast, healthy growth, but also results in cleaner, richer-tasting chicken. By combining Scratch and Peck Organic Broiler Feed, Serenity Sprouts Sprouting Mix, and a variety of healing dried herbs, you’re giving your flock everything they need for robust health and superior flavor.

Why Cornish Cross Meat Birds Need High-Quality Nutrition

Cornish Cross broilers are bred for fast growth and high meat yield—often reaching processing weight in just 8 - 10 weeks. But such rapid growth requires carefully balanced nutrition.

Conventional feeds often rely on soy and fillers, which may push growth but compromise bird health and flavor.

Marek’s Disease and Your Flock:

Marek’s disease is a viral infection in chickens that causes tumors, paralysis, and sometimes death. For families raising poultry, deciding whether to vaccinate can feel complicated. This guide breaks down the decision process based on flock goals, explains what early symptoms to look for, and helps distinguish Marek’s from other conditions.

Should You Vaccinate? Pros and Cons

Pros of Vaccinating

Protects birds from paralysis and death: Vaccinated chickens rarely die from Marek’s disease.

Reduces visible outbreaks:  Improved chance of your flock appearing healthier.

A lot of chicks can look very similar to each other and it might not be until they grow out to easily tell between them. Can you identify the chick above?

Baby Chicks (Day-old to 2 weeks)

Bielefelder

• Autosexing: males and females look different at hatch.

  • Females: dark chipmunk stripes, defined “eye liner.”

First Sorting Evaluations:

Feathered Feet?

• Yes → Brahma, Silkie, D’Uccle, Frizzle, Cochin-types

• No → Orpington, Rock, Wyandotte, Marans, Polish, Sussex, etc.

Feathered Feet and a Crest?

• Yes → Silkie (then sort by color: White, Black, Blue, Buff, Partridge, Splash, Gray, Red, Silkie Surprise, Crested/Bearded)