are these the birds I ordered????????

[chickabiddies]

I am hoping someone can identify my birds! Originally, I was trying to figure out why my birds are "loosing" feathers!! I can't tell if they are plucking them out themselves, or if they are doing it to each other. I lost 2 yesterday and can't figure out why. Poos look good, eating and drinking fine. I add ACV to their water each morning, and give them Activa yogurt mixed with some of their crumbles once a day, although, I just started doing this yesterday. They have been on Dumor chick starter grower 20%. I just bought a 50 lb bag on Sunday and I'd say I'll have to buy another bag before Friday. I only mention this because I had 8 birds before. Now I have 60 and everything seems to be bigger. I'm not sure how much meat birds, Cornish X's, OR 60 white rocks consume per week. I opened up their run earlier than I normally would have to see if they needed more space, but the feather issue lives on.

On another thread someone mentioned that I post pictures of them here and see if anyone knew exactly what they were. My white rocks, or something else?

My birds are 4 weeks in these pictures. I just took them this morning.

Dust bathing this morning:

Shaking it's feathers so it's a good view of feather loss:

feather loss ... similar to meat birds?:

another angle:

Here's the last one .. I put it in so you could maybe see their size relative to the concrete block and the waterers.:

Thank you for any thoughts here!!

 

[Dustin Biery]

Looks like you ended up with Cornish Rocks. At 4 weeks, I am pretty confident in this!

 

[DTchickens]

Quote:
agree

 

[JenEric Farms]

WAY BIGGER than my white rock was at this age. Gotta be a cross!

 

[sueg6255]

I agree cornish X's. They grow so fast they grow out of their feathers sometimes. What did you order?

 

[Dustin Biery]

The OP said they ordered White Rocks

 

[chickabiddies]

I ordered white rocks. This is such a bummer. My Aunt does meat birds a couple of times a year and I buy them from her. As a matter of fact, the first batch is set to slaughter this weekend. What am I gonna do with all these meat birds!!! Are Cornish X's actually meat birds?


Okay, deep breath here.

So what's the eating regiment. Leave food out 12 hours a day, and them bring it in at night ... right?

Also, no perches?

Anything else??? I have never raised this type of bird. Er, maybe I should ask those questions in the correct forum.

I guess I should call the hatchery too and see if i can get the right bird delivered?

Thank you for helping me out! Still trying to breath deeply and relax here.....

 

[RhodeRunner]

Quote:
Yes, they are meat birds.

I have raised a few of these crosses to adults my self, but yours seem to be growing a lot quicker than mine did. I have heard that feed regulation is a good idea to help prevent them from overeating and thus gaining to much weight and their organs and feet/legs giving out. I however would only practice that if you had enough room, otherwise they may eat each other. If you can give them plenty of exersize and have them run around outside playing in the grass it will help their health and give them something to peck at.

I had perches when they got older, but it may be best to hold out for now, just in case there legs are weak.

I think that you should contact the hatchery and tell them that they gave you the wrong birds. Cornish Rock crosses aren't really good dual purpose birds, they were breed to turn into dinner.

Hope it all works out,
Jamie

 

[chickabiddies]

I will definitely start the 12 hour feed regiment.
I also took the roosts out. Their legs don't seem weak at all but know that roosts cause breast blisters in meat birds.

I'm going to go down and weigh one tonight after they are settled in for the night. Hopefully that will prove to the hatchery (and me) that they sent me the wrong birds. I wonder what White rocks typically weigh at this age? Anybody know??

Anybody have any ideas what the hatcheries response will be and what I should expect them to do???? I never expected this .....

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Being as it has been 4 weeks since you got them I am not sure the hatchery will do much at this point but you can always try. No matter what the hatchery does you are going to need room in your freezer in about 4-6 weeks.