Meat Birds or egg layers? HELP!!!!

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Bugeater3

Bugeater3

In the Brooder
Mar 17, 2015
8
1
11
Back in March on St. Patricks day, we picked up some chickens from Tractor Supply Co. The sign said they were a mixed assortment. I know for a fact that we have one adorable Rhode island Red, but the others breed are unknown. (here are the photos)







They are extremely big, and eat like crazy. Besides eating, they lay on their fat tummies all day. And for some reason, they don't roost at all. We have limited their food intake hoping they would try to scavenge, but that didn't work.

Are Our chickens meat birds, or egg birds?
And does anyone know what breed they are?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Oh, great.
They are Cornish x hybrid meat birds. My mother had a few when I was younger that we had as pets. The poor birds get really fat and crippled once they get past the age most people kill them at, and often weigh over twenty pounds when they die a "natural" death at a year or so old. You can keep them going longer if you restrict feed and let them free range. I would do so now. As long as they have been let go to eat as much as they want, You might be able to squeeze another six months or so out of them.
 
Hmm...Meat birds, possible HybirdX. These bird often have health issues, weak joins and bones.... and so they are not that happy moving around....and this is why - imho- heritage or dual propose breeds are a much better choice for the owner and the birds.
 
They definitely look like Cornish X's to me. If you're not against it, I'd say process them ASAP. They're already older than they were designed to live. Even with a restricted diet, you'd be lucky to get 18 months out of them and what purpose would they serve while waiting for the inevitable organ failure or broken legs? A few eggs? Personally, I think it would be more of a mercy to take care of them now and start planning to brood their replacements.
 
Thanks!
bow.gif
 
Nupe said:
They definitely look like Cornish X's to me. If you're not against it, I'd say process them ASAP. They're already older than they were designed to live. Even with a restricted diet, you'd be lucky to get 18 months out of them and what purpose would they serve while waiting for the inevitable organ failure or broken legs? A few eggs? Personally, I think it would be more of a mercy to take care of them now and start planning to brood their replacements.
Click to expand...
What purpose? How about living and breathing in the outdoors, being the lucky few spared from having their heads lopped off? They are just babies right now, they have not even gotten to LIVE yet. Yes, they could eventually be in pain, but they would get to do what all creatures were meant to do, something all of their siblings were deprived of. It is only because they are "just chickens" that people are eager to kill them at the slightest sign of them being in pain. I do not think they would thank you for that kind of mercy.
 

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