Breed ID help

[SHbeach25]

Hello all. Grabbed this chick 2 weeks ago from TSC in a Naked Neck bin. Didn’t have a necked neck and looks a bit different from its flock mates. Any idea what breed it is?

 

[DemeterAD9]

They look suspiciously like cornish cross meat birds. Do they eat constantly and act like they're starving if you let them run out of food for an hour? I can't really see much of a size difference but if they are meat birds they'll be quite large by 4 weeks.

 

[SHbeach25]

They look suspiciously like cornish cross meat birds. Do they eat constantly and act like they're starving if you let them run out of food for an hour? I can't really see much of a size difference but if they are meat birds they'll be quite large

They look suspiciously like cornish cross meat birds. Do they eat constantly and act like they're starving if you let them run out of food for an hour? I can't really see much of a size difference but if they are meat birds they'll be quite large by 4 weeks.

Not that I’ve noticed. Was hoping it would be a leghorn but now google imaging Cornish cross chicks I think you’re spot on.

 

[Pigeony]

How similar are the non-NN birds to the naked neck chicks in size and weight? If they're about the same and stay similar, I'd be concerned that the Naked Necks are also Cornish Cross. There's a "breed" of Naked Necks called Pioneers that are broilers, and it seems TSC is carrrying them this year and not labeling them any different- seen a lot of people on social media who got NN chicks from TSC only to realize they're Pioneers.

 

[FunClucks]

From a meat bird raiser - those are not Cornish Cross. Wrong body type, wrong color, wrong comb, wrong head shape, etc. But they could be broilers of some type. They do not look like naked neck chickens that I am used to seeing, even though I see some naked necks on them.

Sometimes, normal naked neck chickens will have some babies that do not have a naked neck. It happens. But these don't look normal.

I suspect Pigeony is correct and that they're Pioneers. I have no experience with Pioneers, so cannot confirm.

 

[SHbeach25]

Same size/weight. That’s a bummer and not cool of TSC to not label them that. I’d rather 4 roosters than broiler chicken

How similar are the non-NN birds to the naked neck chicks in size and weight? If they're about the same and stay similar, I'd be concerned that the Naked Necks are also Cornish Cross. There's a "breed" of Naked Necks called Pioneers that are broilers, and it seems TSC is carrrying them this year and not labeling them any different- seen a lot of people on social media who got NN chicks from TSC only to realize they're Pioneers.

That is a bummer. Wish TSC would throw that disclaimer in there as I get chickens for eggs and pets for the fam. No experience in meat birds

 

[Pigeony]

That is a bummer. Wish TSC would throw that disclaimer in there as I get chickens for eggs and pets for the fam. No experience in meat birds

It is a bummer, it bothers me when feed stores sell meat birds to unsuspecting people wanting pet chickens who are unaware and unprepared for them. I think it is in part a hatchery issue, maybe they're not being forthright in the first place or there's order mix-ups. My non-chain local feed store had a whole bunch of Cornish Cross that they had labeled as Rhode Island Whites and I genuinely believe they did not know what they had. I felt bad for anyone who bought them thinking they were normal chickens, and they had a surplus they were having trouble selling, so I also am concerned about what happened with those ones. I can only hope most of the birds went to somebody aware and prepared to deal with Cornish Cross birds.

 

[FunClucks]

That is a bummer. Wish TSC would throw that disclaimer in there as I get chickens for eggs and pets for the fam. No experience in meat birds

Some 3 month broilers live fine lives as eggers. They will be heavier, and some of them will be awkward, and the eggs might not be as big or plentiful, but I've had a number of broiler breeds that did ok as eggers for a few years. Cornish cross, on the other hand, must be processed - it's inhumane, in my opinion, to leave them to die on their own, as their bodies generally just can't support life after a certain point.

You won't know how your birds will do until you try, they might do ok. If not, eat them and try again later. If you free range, I'd expect the broilers to get eaten by predators pretty quickly, as they are generally slower and awkward, and may have difficulty flying compared to eggers. But again, yours might be all right, have to try it and see.

 

[SHbeach25]

Some 3 month broilers live fine lives as eggers. They will be heavier, and some of them will be awkward, and the eggs might not be as big or plentiful, but I've had a number of broiler breeds that did ok as eggers for a few years. Cornish cross, on the other hand, must be processed - it's inhumane, in my opinion, to leave them to die on their own, as their bodies generally just can't support life after a certain point.

You won't know how your birds will do until you try, they might do ok. If not, eat them and try again later. If you free range, I'd expect the broilers to get eaten by predators pretty quickly, as they are generally slower and awkward, and may have difficulty flying compared to eggers. But again, yours might be all right, have to try it and see.

They’ll be joining a free range crew. Hopefully the life on the run will be them lean and mean

 

[SHbeach25]

It is a bummer, it bothers me when feed stores sell meat birds to unsuspecting people wanting pet chickens who are unaware and unprepared for them. I think it is in part a hatchery issue, maybe they're not being forthright in the first place or there's order mix-ups. My non-chain local feed store had a whole bunch of Cornish Cross that they had labeled as Rhode Island Whites and I genuinely believe they did not know what they had. I felt bad for anyone who bought them thinking they were normal chickens, and they had a surplus they were having trouble selling, so I also am concerned about what happened with those ones. I can only hope most of the birds went to somebody aware and prepared to deal with Cornish Cross birds.

Definitely a lesson learned. Sticking with my marans and Easter egg era. Not falling victim to feeling bad for the “uglier” looking chickens in the bin when I go to pick up supplies lol