Can I put my White Rocks on a diet?

[kocho]

When I first got my White Rocks someone told me that they were actually meat chickens. She said they would overeat and become so heavy that their legs couldn't support them. So far they seem fine. We've had them since mid march.

Today I went to Agway to buy feed for my chickens. While I was there I saw a lone chicken laying in a pen at a strange angle. It looked a lot like my chickens age, size and color wise. I asked the clerk if it was ok. She said no, that it was a meat chicken that grew to fast and now it's legs can't support it. I asked if it was a white rock and she said no it was a first run meat chicken. Whatever that means.

How do I prevent this from happening to my babies? I try to watch how much food they are given, but it would be way easier to use a one of those self feeders. I have the small kind that a canning jar goes on, but I don't always use it.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Don't be confused.

A White Rock is simply a white Plymouth Rock, just like a Barred Rock or any other Rock.

The commercial broilers you're talking about are sometimes called Cornish/Rock X (cross). Truthfully, they've not been this for many, many years. Far more sophisticated 4 way breeding involved.

The question is simply this. What do you actually have? Do you have a picture of them?

 

[kocho]

Don't be confused.

A White Rock is simply a white Plymouth Rock, just like a Barred Rock or any other Rock.

The commercial broilers you're talking about are sometimes called Cornish/Rock X (cross). Truthfully, they've not been this for many, many years. Far more sophisticated 4 way breeding involved.

The question is simply this. What do you actually have? Do you have a picture of them?

I'm not sure. We bought them at Tractor supply's chick day. The guy wasn't real sure what they were. But then he came up to the register later and said they were White Rocks. I'll see if I can post a picture.

 

[kocho]

https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net...9_10152421493196940_3733002594918949037_n.jpg

 

[kocho]

 

[kocho]

I'll try to get a better picture. That's the one I already had on my computer.

 

[mhopson19]

If they are white rocks they will be fine. Those are just regular chickens that get big enough to use for meat. The ones that have health problems are Cornish crosses, they are commercially bred to be processed at 7-9 weeks, so their muscles grow faster than their bones if allowed feed 24/7 after 3 weeks. If you got them ay TSC I bet they are NOT Cornish crosses. If they are Cornish Xs and you have had them since March, they would be fully grown, about 10 lb live weight, by now. How big are they? But to me they don't look like Cornish Xs.

 

[kocho]

I'm not sure what they weigh. But not 10 pounds that's for sure. Thanks for your help.