Anyone ever have success at keeping a Cornish Cross as a "pet??"

[AudraBrooke]

So sad I didn't do my usual research before jumping into something... It was a spur of the moment choice on a day off for my husband and I to get baby chicks. We'd talked about for years wanting to have back yard chickens for eggs but had just never pulled the plug on the idea and then all of a sudden we were at the store looking at baby chicks and bought some!

I love them dearly...we have 4 as we want them for personal egg supply and I had chickens as a little girl and have always loved their cute personalities!

I'm a researcher prior to doing anything....and this time I didn't and I'm regretting that now. We wanted a variety in our 4 so we went with a barred rock, a rhode island red, an ameraucana...and unfortunately my husband chose the picturesque cute yellow baby chick as our 4th....which turns out is a Cornish Cross meat chicken!

They are now 6 weeks and as you would guess our girl is about double the size of the other three. I would love to believe that being around the other three and no other meat chickens might change her stance on JUST eating and keep her active like the others....but I understand this might not work out.

These are my babies now and I'm definitely not going to be the one to end her life and have her for dinner. I am not above having meat chickens for food....if I was going to do that I would not have named her and thought of her as a pet from the get go and gotten into this from the emotional side....but none the less now I have. I have friends that raise meat chickens and I could give her to them if she really can't live out a nice life in my back yard. It might hurt my heart a little....but I can understand the realities of life if I have to.

Anyone here successfully have a happy Cornish Cross?? She's the sweetest pullet. First one to come say hi and doesn't like to be picked up but if I sit down she's the first to climb on my lap. I'd like to hear some opinions from others more versed in backyard chickens than I am. Thank you for any comments.

 

[danceswithronin]

She'll probably be okay for the most part, just rather short-lived for a chicken because they are bred to grow SUPER quickly, not for longevity. Many of them develop bone/mobility issues and heart problems due to their excessive size.

I wouldn't look to her living past two years or so (most chickens can live 6-8 in good conditions).

 

[AudraBrooke]

She'll probably be okay for the most part, just rather short-lived for a chicken because they are bred to grow SUPER quickly, not for longevity. Many of them develop bone/mobility issues and heart problems due to their excessive size.

I wouldn't look to her living past two years or so (most chickens can live 6-8 in good conditions).

Oh that's really nice to hear! Even two years...if she seems her happy self and not having mobility issues I will surely let her continue to live with my group of girls. They all get along very well and my cornish and ameraucana have actually developed a really strong friendship it seems!

I think my husband and I have come to the conclusion that we'll play it by ear with her health. If she seems uncomfortable or not moving around properly we will have to make some decisions at that point.

 

[danceswithronin]

Oh that's really nice to hear! Even two years...if she seems her happy self and not having mobility issues I will surely let her continue to live with my group of girls. They all get along very well and my cornish and ameraucana have actually developed a really strong friendship it seems!

I think my husband and I have come to the conclusion that we'll play it by ear with her health. If she seems uncomfortable or not moving around properly we will have to make some decisions at that point.

As long as she's happy, I'd keep her around if she were mine.

 

[The Dapper Duck]

Some people have suggested withholding feed to slow the growth down. Might sound cruel but if it's for the health of the animal I think that's a reasonable measure.

I had a couple once and one of them broke its femur under its weight. Didn't know it until I got under the hood or I would have ended it sooner. The other did ok up until the end.

 

[CCUK]

So sad I didn't do my usual research before jumping into something... It was a spur of the moment choice on a day off for my husband and I to get baby chicks. We'd talked about for years wanting to have back yard chickens for eggs but had just never pulled the plug on the idea and then all of a sudden we were at the store looking at baby chicks and bought some!

I love them dearly...we have 4 as we want them for personal egg supply and I had chickens as a little girl and have always loved their cute personalities!

I'm a researcher prior to doing anything....and this time I didn't and I'm regretting that now. We wanted a variety in our 4 so we went with a barred rock, a rhode island red, an ameraucana...and unfortunately my husband chose the picturesque cute yellow baby chick as our 4th....which turns out is a Cornish Cross meat chicken!

They are now 6 weeks and as you would guess our girl is about double the size of the other three. I would love to believe that being around the other three and no other meat chickens might change her stance on JUST eating and keep her active like the others....but I understand this might not work out.

These are my babies now and I'm definitely not going to be the one to end her life and have her for dinner. I am not above having meat chickens for food....if I was going to do that I would not have named her and thought of her as a pet from the get go and gotten into this from the emotional side....but none the less now I have. I have friends that raise meat chickens and I could give her to them if she really can't live out a nice life in my back yard. It might hurt my heart a little....but I can understand the realities of life if I have to.

Anyone here successfully have a happy Cornish Cross?? She's the sweetest pullet. First one to come say hi and doesn't like to be picked up but if I sit down she's the first to climb on my lap. I'd like to hear some opinions from others more versed in backyard chickens than I am. Thank you for any comments.

There has been some people on here keep cornish as pet chickens rather than their intended use. They do get mobility issues due to there size but I think this can be dealt with to some extent by restricting their diet. They also tend to get health problems like heart and kidney failure. @Brahma Chicken5000 had a cornish he rescued and lived for some time.

 

[Sea Wolf]

As Dances says, they are bred to grow fast and big and be killed young. They are not designed to be a long lived bird. Their weight and size causes issues with legs and joints and their bodies fail rather quickly. I had 2 that developed constant open sores and bumblefoot infections on their feet from their weight. They lived about 2 years before they couldn't walk anymore and we had to put them down.

 

[sourland]

Reduced feed and increased activity may increase her life span. Free ranging and foraging would help. Good luck, and enjoy her while you can.

 

[Ebony Rose]

You will need to be mindful of her food intake; If she breaks a leg under her own weight, her life expectancy plummets. I agree with you though, the breed is one of the friendliest you can have. Be certain to sprinkle vitamin powder on her rations, or add to their water; she'll be going through her nutrients rapidly as she packs on the pounds. (Withhold vitamin supplements when you periodically treat for coccidiosis). Do not serve them layer feed, even when they get to that age, instead give an 'all' flock raiser or grower feed with oyster shell / calcium supplement in a dish on the side; those that need it will eat it, those that don't, won't. Too much calcium causes organ failure. Is it too late to rename her to something like "Dumplings"? If you can manage that, you may be able to stomach the idea of having her for dinner when her life becomes too miserable for her to bear. (pun intended). Absolutely NO shame in giving her as much respect, dignity and love in her death process as you will surely give her in life.

 

[gatrapper]

We have had a Cornish cross hen for over 3 years. She laid giant eggs for the first year. I don't think she lays anymore. My chickens get to free range and I don't feed much. She seems to be in good health and has no problems getting around.