20 normal meat birds, one runt

[UncleHoot]

I bought 21 "Cornish Roasters" from McMurray and received them about 4 weeks ago. After about the second day, I could already tell that one of them was not developing as fast. He was more withdrawn, didn't move around as much, and as time went on, it became more and more obvious that he was not like the others. Today, at about 4 weeks old, he is about the same size as our non-meat pullets, which makes him perhaps 1/3 of the size of the other meat birds. But other than his size, he seems fine now. He walks around ok and eats and drinks like the rest.

Is it normal to occasionally have a "runt"? Or do you think he probably had (or has) some other problem?

I guess I'm mostly just curious. I haven't seen any external signs of disease.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Sure it's a cornish? Hatcheries do screw up. Post a pic.

 

[MissPrissy]

Not just the hatcheries make mistakes but also their egg suppliers. Call McMurray, state your case. They will most likely credit you the cost of the 1 chick.

 

[UncleHoot]

Quote:
My camera gave up the ghost about a week after we got this batch. I'm pretty sure it's a cornish (of some sort). The legs are sturdy and far apart, like most cornish varieties. It looks just like the others, but it looks the way the others looked 2 weeks ago, with perhaps a few more feathers.

I'm not too concerned, mostly I just find it interesting. I'll feel kind of strange butchering him with the rest in a few weeks, but I really don't have any other plans for him. He's been nicknamed "nugget".

 

[PurpleChicken]

Just wait it out then. Maybe he'll be the lucky #21 and convince you
to add him to your existing flock.

Or maybe he'll be a light snack.

 

[silkiechicken]

Haha, I was gong to say, that's where momoftwinsinwi's layer went and she got your cornish x!

Her story

 

[4-H chicken mom]

if the bird is still alive after 4 weeks id almost bet its a hen. Most times when you buy that many birds a hen gets thrown in there by accident. You'll be able to tell if its comb is smaller and lighter than the rest. No big deal, hens just dont grow as fast and dont get as big.

 

[doodledo]

I too had a small cornish, so I think ir should I say thought!

It didnt act like the others and after 8 weeks it still was smaller than the others. But I hate to sya it, to th butcher it went. I didnt want to have 1 small cornish and it end up with leg problems down the road. My hubby still wont let it go!

 

[UncleHoot]

Hmmm... Today, I started to think...

I ordered 21 Cornish Roasters from MM, which develop about 2 weeks slower than their other Jumbo Cornish X Rocks. At 5 weeks now, they don't seem to be developing much slower than my last batch of Cornish Cross (from a different hatchery). I have one chicken that is about 2 weeks behind the others. It makes me wonder if I got 1 Cornish Roaster and 20 Jumbo Cornish X Rocks.

I doubt it, but it still makes me wonder. Well, even if so, I'm pretty happy with these, since they seem so active. And whatever the "runt" is, he's starting to look more male all the time, though I still can't say for certain. If it turns out to be a pullet, I may have a decision to make. Otherwise, instead of being a Sunday Dinner, he will end up as brunch.

It's hard to say how fast the meat birds are developing, since I'm not running both breeds side-by-side (maybe someday!), but they're starting to look good now. I wish I had a decent way of weighing them...

 

[momoftwinsinwi]

Get on the scale, weigh yourself, then get back on holding the bird....