Free-range is the way to go

I see so many complaints about Cornish cross meat chickens: they're gross, they're messy, they can't move around, etc...I've been raising them for years and don't experience these issues at all due to free ranging. The chicks go out around 3 weeks and learn to forage from the rest of our flock. They spend very little time in front of the feeder, and act like any other breed of chicken until around 8-9 weeks, when they start to slow down some. We harvest at 8-10 weeks for a larger whole bird (usually around 10lbs dressed). The birds in this photo are 8 weeks. Never lost one to heart or mobility issues, and they aren't dirty or covered in feces. This is the way!