8 Weeks Old...White...Fat Legs...Won't Perch...Lay Around...Huge

[rckirby]

I have three 2 year old red sexlinks that are awesome. Bought 6 chicks at TSC in April. They are already bigger than my reds, have huge fat legs. They waddle around a few steps and plop down, but have been going in and out of coop to free range a few feet from the coop. They have never ever perched and won't go up the ramp. They are solid white, red combs....oh, did I say they are huge??? They are so danged different than the reds! And so skittish!

 

[fire370]

Hope you like fried chicken. Sounds like you got some Cornish x's.

 

[rckirby]

Oh wow. I guess I'll have to do some research. I did mention to hubby today that they already have more meat on them then the older girls.

 

[rckirby]

Hope you like fried chicken. Sounds like you got some Cornish x's.

So, if I'm not looking for 'meaties', but 'eggies', what should I do next?

 

[daskhan]

Trade for egg layers? You might be over feeding?

 

[thegawd]

delete

 

[rckirby]

Trade for egg layers? You might be over feeding?

Definitely over feeding....but I didn't know why until today! The 'reds' don't overfeed, so I never thought about it until the white ones did nothing but eat and get fat and lazy!

 

[rckirby]

its not reallhy possible to overfeed a meat bird cross but there pretty much at slaughtering age and the longer there kept the greater the chances are that they will develop problems with there crazy fast growing frankin chicken bodies... man that really sucks if you ordered layers.... if they survive to maturity they wont really lay.

Al

Thank you. That's what I needed to hear. "Frankin Chicken' Bodies describes them well.

 

[thegawd]

delete

 

[rckirby]

thats exactly how they were designed. the less they move the less energy they expend the faster they grow... they really are frankin chickens. now picture a barn with half a million birds in it....

Al

I can't,,,,but I do understand why there are farms that do it. After all, I like my fried chicken too. Thank God there are people who grow them for meat.