Am I dumb? Just rescued a factory farm chicken.

[Cocky Wes]

Near our home, there is a chicken processing plant where hundreds of birds arrive throughout the day in cramped cages on big trucks. Today, one of those birds apparently escaped it's cage about block from the processing plant. It was at a red light in a pretty busy area of our city and it was blocking traffic. Without thinking, I jumped out and scooped it up in a blanket and drove home with it in my lap.

I currently have a small flock of 3 happy, healthy hens at home. When I got home, I let my girls out of their coop to free range while I temporarily stuck my new orphaned friend into the run. Is introducing a bird from a factory farm especially risky and was this a really dumb move by me? I'm really curious if these chickens are more prone to having disease and socialization issues. Sorry if this the wrong forum for this kind of question but I'm kinda desperate for help/answers before I get too deep and committed to integrating this girl.

PS: I can't get over how massive and meaty this chicken is. She is an absolute hoss compared to my little hens.

 

[donrae]

If it's having trouble walking, it's not from living in a cramped cage. Most broilers aren't raised in cages, they're raised in the huge commercial houses. yes, they're cramped for space, but they're able to walk and stretch their legs.

they're what is referred to as a self-terminating cross. Meaning, they don't really live long enough to reproduce themselves. If it's already having leg issues, I'm thinking it's not long for this world. Personally, I'd butcher it and enjoy the free dinner

. If you chose not to go that route, you should still read up on methods of humane euthanasia now, before it becomes an emergency and you're scrambling to put down a bird that's in CHF and gasping for air, or who's legs have become too weak to support itself.

Some folks have kept meaties as pets, and nursed them along for several months or a year. But, those are usually folks who had the chicks from hatch and limited feed while free ranging and encouraging exercise. Getting a bird that's been raised expressly for slaughter at this age, I'm thinking it's not going to live very long, sorry.

I don't think there's much risk to your current flock. The commercial broiler industry is heavily invested in keeping their birds healthy. I do think the broiler is probably at risk of cocci, etc one it's on your ground for a week or so unless you feed medicated feed or dose with Corid.

 

[aart]

Not dumb...but maybe a bit naive.

That bird was bred and raised to be harvested and consumed by and for people.....
.....it may survive, but probably won't thrive.

 

[Mrs. K]

Reality and romance. It sounds like a good thing to do, saving that chicken, but the reality is that it is a terminating cross. They only live so long, and they are not very vigorous. Go to the meat section, and you will see back yard chicken people, raising these up to harvest themselves, and sometimes losing quite a few before they are ready to butcher due to heat or other health issues.

As for quarantining, if you put her in your coop/run, you have already broken quarantine, you have exposed her to your chickens' droppings and any germs that your chickens can live with. When you put your own chickens back into the set up, you expose them.

A bird on the way to the processing plant, is at harvest size. Realistically, this bird is very near the maximum size, it is too late to fix that with a diet. This is not going to end well. Egg laying is going to be the least of the problems for this bird.

Mrs K

 

[chickengeorgeto]

The "X" in Cornish X stands for Cross or Cross Breed. Your rescued bird is a first generation Hybrid. or Cross of some very intensely bred or inbred birds and it is going to grow fast and furious, its what it does best. They are tightly inbred so that both of the X's or Cross' parents will contribute their full innate DNA or genetic traits into the chick that will become the finished product that you see in the supermarket. The exact same is true of all the Sex crossed birds that you purchase form a commercial hatchery. At least it should be because if carried into the second generation a Sex Linked, Sex Cross or Cornish X Bird bred to another such bird will not breed true so beware of someone selling Sex Linked or Cornish Crosses out of their garage. Chances are good that it isn't the real thing.

About 15 years ago I was approached by a poultry integrator about getting back into the Poultry Biz by producing hatching eggs (well anyway the hens producing them) for a poultry breeding concern that supplied day old chicks to chicken farmers. I passed and am glad that I did because I had some health issues three years later that would have prevented me from servicing my debt. They say that hindsight is 20/20 and I guess it is. Just saying that contributing my poorly worded ideas to this forum is not my first rodeo in the field of poultry husbandry.

Some of the foundation stock of Cornish Cross chickens will top out at about 30 pounds on unlimited feed, making it about as large as most domesticated turkeys and 1&1/2 the size of a bald eagle.

Don't worry too much about the health of your rescued chicken and it infecting your back yard flock. Regardless of the untruths spread by groups like PETA, HSUS, or the ASPCA birds like your rescue are about as free of contagious diseases and parasites as it is possible for a chicken to be.

Here is a good example of how much the Chicken has changed or evolved between 1957 to 2005. All of this was achieved with selective breeding.






.

 

[sourland]

It's always best to quarantine new birds, but chances are there are more chances of this bird getting something from yours then there is of the converse. Such birds generally have a limited lifespan. They are eating machines that gain weight so rapidly that they frequently have heart and leg problems. Some people have extended their lifespan by limiting feed intake and allowing them to free range. What you have done is a noble thing, but don't get too attached.

 

[Cocky Wes]

Do you have a picture of the bird? This will help me identify the breed and answer the question

Yeah sorry. I assume she's a "broiler" but not sure. I was mainly curious if birds raised for meat like this would eventually lay.

 

[Cocky Wes]

I believe she is a Cornish cross, I once owned a flock of them XD
Although the CC is meant for meat she will lay once and a while. But if you are looking for a layer in her you will be disappointed :/

Thanks! Not really looking for her to lay but I will take what I can get if she decides to contribute! Just hoping that everyone is healthy and gets along with eachother.

 

[realsis]

You did a very good deed!! Bless you for saving her!! I HIGHLY recommend that you read up on her breed and learn the ways to help extend her life. She will not be like owning a standard chicken. These poor, poor birds are bread to get as big as they can, as fast as they can with larger breasts. If treated like a regular bird her weight with her just standing can crush her bones. If free fed she can have heart trouble or wont be able to move. Its so sad. But from what i understand there are things you can do to prevent these things from happening to her! You will likely be shocked at how Young this bird likely is. So if you pay special care you can extend her life and she might even give you some eggs too! I know they need a very special diet to prevent the overgrowth. Im sure a google search should provide you with how to properly care for her. The reason their lives are so short is due to massive growth . If you keep her diet in check, give her lots of love and exercise her life can be greatly extended! I think you did a good thing by keeping her. Shes just a youngster so im sure you will be able to help her out and give her a good life and meet her special needs! God bless you both! You have given her hope for a normal life and thats beautiful! I wish you both the very best!

 

[aart]

These are the Cornish rocks with the late Mr. Woods the rooster. Again not sure if these were the same breed but when I try and google Cornish rocks they keep saying Cornish cross. Mine use to lay Brown eggs.oops sorry, wrong pic, they are with our Easter eggers.

Yeah, those are not Cornish Cross meat birds......but probably White Rock layers.
The breed names can get confusing.